Only one side moving

[Idaman323]

We have tank drive and when I move one joystick it goes forward but when I move the other one the motors do not move at all. I dont know if it is a programming thing I need to add or remove, but I need help!

[AIBob]

make sure that you have the right PWMs matching up with the code and the electronics...
And make sure that you have the right y-values setting the PWMs, and make sure they go to the hooked up joysticks.

[Idaman323]

They are all in the right spots, ive tried pretty much eveything, we replaced the wires also so that didn't work.

[Idaman323]

The shipping date is pretty soon and this is a big problem, I have tried many different things, please if you have a suggestion, post it!


I have two joysticks. One going to Port 1, one going to Port 2. The Port 2 joystick with pwm02 works and the whole left side works. Port 1 and pwm01 do not work though. The whole righgt side just sits there.

[Mike]

Make sure you aren't setting your motor back to 127 (or the value of some other input device) after you set it to the joystick value.

[Derek Bessette]

Check out Victor 884's Guide. There is good information on how to troubleshoot the speed controllers.

Check the light on speed controller for pwm 1. If it doesn't come on I would check to make sure you have a fuse in the right spot on your fuse board and check the trim on your joystick. If it is flashing orange (when robot is enabled) it means that the Victor is not receiving a signal from the PWM's; check your PWM connections. Are they in tight? Are they in the right way?

If all that checks out ok then push your joystick full forward. The light on the Victor should turn green. Then go full reverse; light should turn red. If you are getting this and the robot is not moving then check your motor connection and check the voltage at the motor(s).

Hope this helps!

Any controls people out there, feel free to correct any of my mistakes. My heart is in the mechanical side of things.

[Idaman323]

None of that works. the speed controlers do not change colors, the trim doesn't work, the fuse is in the right spot.

I was thinking maybe a bad wire, Ill try that tonight if we have an extra.

[jrocket567]

Check your joysticks- we had the same problem, and apparently we received 2 faulty joysticks.. if the victors arent getting a signal (solid yellow), then check joystick/OI/- if they are flashing yellow, check PWMs, if they are chagning color, check wiring coming out of the back end of the victor to the motors- no light at all, check fuses/ wiring from breaker panel to victors

[Idaman323]

The vitors are solid yellow. The Joystick on the OI for Joystick 1 (which is the one that doesn't work) has the green and red come never come on. The Joystick 2 has Green and Red on at all times. I dont think the joysticks are faulty because both triggers on the joysticks work. Any suggestions for maybe programming? I have

pwm01 = p1_y;
pwm02 = 255-p2_y;


Also the 1 joystick drive part of the default code is commented out.

[Derek Bessette]

Sounds like it's time for a little process of elimination.

Step 1:
Swap joysticks from port 1 to port 2. If motors on the other side start working then you have a faulty joystick. If you have the same problem then proceed to step 2.

Step 2: Swap the pwm wire from pwm1 to pwm 2 on the robot controller. If the other side starts working then you have a programming or hardware problem with your robot controller. If you have the same problem then proceed to step 3.

Step 3: Swap the motor output wires from the two Victors. If the other side starts working then you have a Victor problem. If nothing changes then proceed to step 4.

Step 4: Swap the motor leads from the two motors. If the other side starts working then you have a wiring or connection problem. If the nothing changes then I would try a new motor and check that the wheels can be turned by hand (not locked mechanically).

A lot of these steps can be checked with a multimeter as well.

Hope this helps!

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by Idaman323

The Joystick 2 has Green and Red on at all times. I dont think the joysticks are faulty because both triggers on the joysticks work.

If you're using the default code I think you are, the top OI feedback lights are telling you when the joystick is centered. It sounds like it thinks the second joystick's y axis isn't connected. Swap joysticks between port 1 and port 2 and see if the problem follows the joystick.

[Idaman323]

We came to the conclusion that the Y-Axis on one joystick is faulty(isthat even possible?). The buttons, and X-Axis and all the work except Y axis, soooo thanks for the help.