Problem with using RobotDrive alongside MotorControl

[thomas.jerald]

We are facing a new issue coming up on bag and tag. In our code we have mecanum wheel drive with the first four PWM ports of the sidecar. If those are the only motors in the program, everything is peachy. Similarly, if we have a MotorControl vi hooked up (without the mecanum wheel drive), that motor works just fine. However, as soon as we combine the two, none of the motors work. When we enable it, the motors jump, and then the controller lights start blinking . If we change the MotorControl vi to 2MotorDrive vi then instead of jumping it just does absolutly nothing.

We haven't installed the most recent driver station update, as this has been our main focus. Can that be the problem??

Also, we have a single solenoid programmed in, and it still works in all cases.

Thanks,
Jerald

[Mark McLeod]

Check the power on the Digital Sidecar.
Are the 3 power lights all bright green?

[thomas.jerald]

The 6V light is on and green, the other two are unlit.

[Mark McLeod]

Then you need to wire 12v power from a pair of red/black wago connectors on the Power Distribution Panel to a white wago connector that gets plugged into the Digital Sidecar right beside the power lights.

You're running on a trickle of power coming through the ribbon cable from the cRIO.
That's just enough to run a few things, but you tried to run one more than it could handle.
You would have discovered odd power drop outs when turning on carpet too.

Here's a Before/After example: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/at...3&d=1295532854

[thomas.jerald]

Thanks for the rapid replies!

Unfortunately, we already have the sidecar hooked up to a 20A breaker on the PD board. However, upon further looking, we noticed that when the robot is not enabled, the sidecar has both the 5v and 6v LEDs on, but when enabled the 5v light turns off.

We have been having sidecar issues all season, and after burning through 2, we are on our last one, so I was really hoping that it was the code and not the sidecar.

Are you fairly certain that it is the sidecar?

Thanks,
Jerald

[Mark McLeod]

If you can measure 12v from the power connector, then there's something in or on the Sidecar shorting it out.
If the power lights aren't all three bright and green, then the Sidecar won't work well.

I'd suggest taking the case off the Sidecar and looking for burnt components inside. Maybe you'll get lucky and it'll just be metal debris floating around and no permanent damage.

P.S.
I might try a test replacing the ribbon cable with a round 37-pin cable if you have one.
That would eliminate the cable as a potential source of the trouble.

[thomas.jerald]

So it appears that the issue we were having was a poor connection between the CRIO and the digital module. This was caused by using a bolt that had too large of a head, not letting the module fully sit in its place.

Thanks for all of your help!

Jerald