Quote:
Originally Posted by koreamaniac101
For our Rookie team, we have two extra Victor SP motor controllers. We want to use them for our intake wheels in the front to retrieve the boulders.
However, we checked out some teams in Ri3D, and they have used Spark Motor controllers for their intake wheel motors.
What advantage is their to using the Spark Motor Controllers over the Victor SP's? Can we use the Victor SP's for the intake wheel systems?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Christopher149
I do not know of any inherent advantage of the Spark over the SP for an intake wheel.
The Spark does have input for automatically handling limit switches that the SP does not. The Spark is also cheaper than the SP, but controllers you already have are cheaper  . I think the teams may simply have had Sparks on hand. |
From a general perspective both controllers will function the same way. They will both spin a motor and you program them the same. The difference is the price and the limit switch inputs.
A use case for the limit switches for an intake is if you want to load your shooter or move the ball to a specific location in your robot, you can set your intake to spin until the ball reaches a specific point (where you put a simple limit switch) and then your motors turn off automatically with no code required. Smart mechanisms make controlling your robots easier.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ozrien
The main differences between the two are:
-Victor SP is a smaller footprint.
-Victor SP has higher maximum output...
http://www.ctr-electronics.com/downl...er-Testing.pdf
-Spark has limit switch inputs
I see no reason why you can't use the Victor SPs you already have for your intake wheel. |
This is a good start to a list, but don't forget that
-The spark is lighter in weight
-Doesn't have integrated wires (which if cut to short or fail make you replace the controller)
-Has more visual feedback (through extra LED signal colors_
-Costs $15 less per controller
Also yes, the SPARK has a 3% less max power output(according to the specific test setup you documented), but that is a difference that most teams will never be able to perceive or translate into robot performance, especially on an intake roller using gearboxes that range in the 65%-85% efficiency range.
Overall, I stand behind the SPARK as a great controller and would love to see them on every robot in FIRST, I also support teams making the right decisions for your situation. We built the SPARK to be affordable and fully featured, so teams could save money while building their bots and spend the extra on other things that they need or just build cheaper robots. If you already have controllers that do what you need them to please use those; if you want the extra features of the SPARK or you need additional controllers for more robot features we would be delighted to see them on your robot.
