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Originally Posted by Gary Dillard
One of the ideas I have is to take all of our sensors (limit switches, shaft encoders, pots, etc.) and terminate them to 3 pin female connectors using just a few inches of wire length, which we could do starting week 1 and mount them with the component. Then we would make a cable for each of the sensors, male to female, extra long (or just use pwm extension cables) so we can test out all the sensors. The final task would be to cut them to length, put a new connector on the cut end and secure them along the routing.
Am I headed in the right direction? Is there any problem having an extra connector(s) in every line? Is there any benefit to adding short cables from each input on the controller side to some location with another connector so I can hard mount /strain relieve that termination point as well?
Or any other suggestions?
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Gary, welcome to the wonderful world of compromise.
With every improvement there will almost certainly be a compromise you will have to consider. Having the short "pig tail" on the sensor will allow you to test it with the RC/OI separate from the robot. It will allow you the verify programming prior to actually having the robot completed. Once the robot is assembled, it will allow easier replacement of damaged sensors or cables. All of these are "good". The compromises associated with pig tails include:
mechanical instability, in other words, one more place to have to worry about a connector coming apart,
electrical instability, the extra connections between wire and pin, and pin to pin will introduce voltage drop and provide another place that that the signal can be degraded. These are just a couple of the compromises. Personally,
I think the advantages out weight the dis-advantages.
You can even take a variable approach. In the instances where dis-advantages out weigh the advantages, don't use the extra connectors.
Properly securing these extra connectors will go a long way in making sure you have success!!!