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OK I did some more testing in my lab.
When I did the previous tests I had the robot controller connected to the operator interface with the tether cable. In this configuration the link cycles when you tap the breaker that is powering the RC (and the OI).
I looked at the signal on the scope. The 12V drops to 5V for about 1mS.
Then I tried it again with the radio link instead of the tether cable. The Robot controller will NOT reset when the breaker is tapped or smacked.
This is good news. I opened the RC up and saw the same thing noted in someone elses post above - 1000uF cap on the 12V input.
So the RC is not what was resetting - it was the OI, getting its power from the tether cable.
So thats good for most teams - I have to correct my first post - further testing shows the breaker does NOT cause the Robot Controller to reset when impacted (in the normal configuration used on the playfield).
I believe another possible cause of our teams robot controller reseting in those two matchs is this: we have 4WD, and when we slammed the railing all four motors most likely stalled at the same time, probabally popping all four 40A breakers together. This might have been enough current surge to drop the voltage at the fuse box below the dropout voltage of the RC - causing it to reset when the 4 motor breakers opened and the voltage returned to normal.
Im not sure why our robot reset during automode the other time though - when we were pushed to the bottom of the ramp and hit by another robot. I guess it could be the same cause - the drive motors were stalled and the battery was putting out a large amount of current.
I dont think we have any loose crimps on our bot - we always made the pirate noise when we crimped terminals on the cables (RRRRRRrrrrggggggggghhhhhh!) - maybe we have a cracked fuse box?
I think Ill have all the students bring all the pillows from the hotel and we'll tiewrap them all around the bot for bumpers at our next event (Toronto) :c)
EDIT: I had said 'relay' when I meant 'breaker' -Ken
Last edited by KenWittlief : 19-03-2003 at 10:11.
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