pic: Our 2011 Mini-bot Tetrix motor grave

[audietron]

loading photo ...

[coalhot]

Those evil evil things. Glad I don't have to work with them anymore. (shivers, did FTC for a few years)

[ehochstein]

Tetrix motors are the one thing I dislike about FTC.

Also we found we could fix some of the motors by replacing the resistor on the inside plate. I suggest using a higher watt rating resistor, just keep in mind the motor is not legal as this is considered a modification.

[Gdeaver]

I hate mini-bots.

[Justin Montois]

That's a lot of learning.

[Chris is me]

Ugh, this brings back painful memories. Honestly, a big reason minibots were copied verbatim that year was because it was way too costly to develop your own. I even remember having a design discussion where we determined "wait and copy" was the clearly most favorable option for our team's constraints. That year, we were on such a shoestring budget we simply could not afford to try development ourselves.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by Wiifi

Also we found we could fix some of the motors by replacing the resistor on the inside plate. I suggest using a higher watt rating resistor, just keep in mind the motor is not legal as this is considered a modification.

That's not a resistor. That's an inductor.

[ehochstein]

Originally Posted by cgmv123

That's not a resistor. That's an inductor.

Huh. The guy who has been repairing them for us has always told me he replaced them with resistors. I'll have to look into that.

[Nemo]

Actually, these weren't all burned out in minibots. Our FTC teams have toasted their share as well.

These motors let out the nasty smelling smoke if you stall them for even a few seconds. I've complained to Pitsco that these motors need to be improved, but they are in denial that it is a problem. I was told that they work fine as long as you use them for what they're designed for. Of course I disagree. Hopefully we'll track down the funding to test out some Matrix motors and see if they're more durable.

[Andrew Schuetze]

Originally Posted by Nemo

...Hopefully we'll track down the funding to test out some Matrix motors and see if they're more durable.

Be advised that Matrix motors are of a different voltage, have integrated encoders and a custom connector that includes power and the encoder signals. Nothing that is a deal breaker for your potential experiments. Just wanted you to be aware that they are not a 1 to 1 comparison.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Originally Posted by Nemo

I was told that they work fine as long as you use them for what they're designed for. Of course I disagree.

As long as what they were designed for is to make a boat load of money by selling a cheap motor for $30 and letting it cook off if you stall it at all.

[Richard Wallace]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schreiber

As long as what they were designed for is to make a boat load of money by selling a cheap motor for $30 and letting it cook off if you stall it at all.

Straight talk is refreshing. I could not have stated this better.

Life lesson: you do not always get what you pay for -- sometimes you get less than that.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by Wiifi

Huh. The guy who has been repairing them for us has always told me he replaced them with resistors. I'll have to look into that.

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=89848

[Nemo]

Originally Posted by Andrew Schuetze

Be advised that Matrix motors are of a different voltage, have integrated encoders and a custom connector that includes power and the encoder signals. Nothing that is a deal breaker for your potential experiments. Just wanted you to be aware that they are not a 1 to 1 comparison.

Yeah, I figured changing the motors would end up changing quite a few other components on the robot. But if they're better, it ends up being a pretty significant benefit. Thanks for the info.

[tr6scott]

I counted 20 motors, $600, poof!

We have/had (not sure of the status) a similar pile...

For a team that has never used a 2 speed gearbox, vision processing, mercaium wheels, or canbus due to funding...

Yet we still have two 1.3ish second minibots that have not moved, since the Kettering Kickoff for Rebound Rumble.

Such a shame.