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Unread 13-02-2007, 13:36
Unsung FIRST Hero
Al Skierkiewicz Al Skierkiewicz is offline
Broadcast Eng/Chief Robot Inspector
AKA: Big Al WFFA 2005
FRC #0111 (WildStang)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Wheeling, IL
Posts: 10,795
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Re: We need help

Guys,
I am betting that you are running without a backup battery or one that is not charged. The condition you describe is classic RC rebooting which takes about 3-4 seconds. When the input voltage falls below 8 volts for a short period of time the RC shuts down. In the absence of a backup battery, this is a full power off kind of reset. Everything shuts down.
Now as to the cause...
Generally this is due to high currents developed in your drive system. As they pull current, the battery terminal voltage is also dragged down. If your electrical system also includes motors that are fed from the black fuse blocks, (the small one the RC is plugged into) and you have a lot of cable, a bad crimp or a loose connection then the RC will see much less than 12 volts while driving. Your electrical system should have one #6 wire from the terminal block to the 40 amp Maxi block. It should have a second #6 wire from the terminal block to the small black fuse block. I bet in the haste of wiring, you ran the second #6 wire from the Maxi block to the black block. When you do this, all the current for the drive system drops the voltage across the #6 wire. If you did this, and your drive system is using 4 of the Chalupa motorsin a tank setup and your drive system is inefficient, then you can easily drop 4 volts across the #6 wire especially when turning.
Ted, if you would like additional help, please PM me and I will do what I can. A picture would be nice for us to reference.
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Good Luck All. Learn something new, everyday!
Al
WB9UVJ
www.wildstang.org
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Storming the Tower since 1996.

Last edited by Al Skierkiewicz : 16-02-2007 at 07:52.