Compressor problems - (ROOKIE QUESTION)

[jalmos]

we are a semi rookie team and like everyone else are scrambling.

PLEASE HELP!

we are not sure how to hook up our pressure switch for our air compressor to work. It is the switch that turns on and off the compressor when it reaches a certain PSI. Does it connect to the cRio and if so where? Also we are not sure about the PWM cables that go to the spike relay that powers the compressor.

WE have looked at a ton of wiring diagrams but are still stuck. Please help.

Thanks for always being there

jalmos

We are working today, Saturday, and if it would be easier I could post my cell. I think for a veteran team this is probably an easy one to answer.

[cgranata]

The pressure switch for the compressor turns your compressor on when the PSI dips to around 90 PSI and turns the compressor off when it hits around 115 PSI.

No it does not connect to the cRIO.

You wire the pressure switch as follows:
1. Take a PWM cable and cut off the male end (the end with the prongs)
2. Strip the white and black ends of the wire you just cut.
3. Connect signal (white) to NC (labeled on the switch itself)
4. Connect ground (black) to C (labeled on the switch itself)
5. Connect the other end of the cable (the female side) to the Digital I/O port on the Digital Sidecar. There is a key on the Digital Sidecar that shows you how to correctly plug in the cable.

That is how you wire the pressure switch.

[cgranata]

To wire the compressor, you need a Spike Relay. Wire the compressor to the Spike Relay and plug the relay into the lower side of the Power Distribution Board with a 20 AMP breaker.

Then plug a PWM cable into the Spike and the other end into a port on the Relay section of the Digital Sidecar.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

[cgranata]

This seems to be a common question asked on CD, so here is a wiring diagram for the pressure switch.

[jalmos]

Will give those a try. Thanks for your time and help

jalmos

[cgranata]

Here is how you wire the compressor, just in case.

[Mr V]

Make sure you replace the 20a fuse in spike with a 20a circuit breaker. Upon restart the compressor can blow the fuse while the circuit breaker will tolerate a longer over current situation and if it should trip it will reset automatically.