White Paper Discuss: Using an Operator Interface with the 2004 EDU RC

[CD47-Bot]

Thread created automatically to discuss a document in the White Papers.

Using an Operator Interface with the 2004 EDU RC by Dave Flowerday

[Joe Johnson]

I really like this idea. Nice job.

Concerning power to both EDU RC's, I propose switching right now to hobbyist batteries and chargers.

We have made a small harness that goes from the EDU RC's battery plug to a plug that a standard hobbyist (Remote Control RC) battery can plug into.

There are a lot of reasons this is a good idea but the main ones are

#1 Typical RC batteries are cheaper and have larger capacity (1800mAHours are pretty standard, 2400mAHour versions available) than Innovation First batteries AND

# 2 RC chargers are faster, cheaper and better than the Innovation First chargers (and also can run off of a 12V battery, which means we can charge the EDU batteries using a standard FIRST battery -- no AC required!).

Given this white paper, we will probably make a Y connector to power both EDU RC from a single RC battery.

Joe J.

[Dave Flowerday]

Originally posted by Joe Johnson
We have made a small harness that goes from the EDU RC's battery plug to a plug that a standard hobbyist (Remote Control RC) battery can plug into.

Where did you obtain the connectors that mate with the power connection on the EDU? We haven't looked very hard yet, but I think we'll want them pretty soon now as we're beginning the process of converting our 2003 robot over to the EDU controller.

[Joe Johnson]

Link to Tower Hobby Page w/Connectors

I purchased some from TowerHobby.com but I cannot lay my hands on the paperwork just now. I am 95% that it is one the female* from the set I have linked to

But... ...There is that last 5% ;-)

You can also buy the battery, charger and mating connector for the batteries from Tower as well.

Hope this helps.

Joe J.

P.S. Be careful ordering Male and Female connectors from Tower Hobby. They typically refer to the sex of the plastic connector when they refer to male and female. In the auto industry we always refer to the sex of the TERMINAL (which is almost always opposite of the sex of the plastic housing so you can order the wronp part pretty easily -- actually, looking at the picture from the Tower Hobby sight, I THINK the picture has the terminals paired up Male-Male and Female-Female... ...I could make a MA joke here but it is too easy... ;-)

[Rickertsen2]

Originally posted by Dave Flowerday
Where did you obtain the connectors that mate with the power connection on the EDU? We haven't looked very hard yet, but I think we'll want them pretty soon now as we're beginning the process of converting our 2003 robot over to the EDU controller.

Im not 100% sure, but i think that they are made by molex, so u should be able to find them just about anywhere.

[Andy Brockway]

I am using R/C connectors from Radio Shack. I modiifed the corners to allow entry into the Edu connector.

We powered up our 2003 robot last night and had a splendid display of the need to debug. The shifting switch turned the beacon off and on and the air pump never shut off just for starters. We will be running around after Thanksgiving!

[mightywombat]

Hey.
Thanks alot for this code. We finally decided to put it to good use on a prototype bot. To power the second controller we just used 6 Nickel Metal Hydride rechargeable batteries (1.2 volts each * 6 = 7.2 volts), and some alligator clips to connect them to the terminals... Its a little shaky but it works. One thing I would like to add that we overlooked and spent a half an hour diagnosing is that the switch on the 2003 EDURC needs to be switched to "Program." Its very easy to overlook. Otherwise the code and setup works great! Thanks alot Dave!