Go to Post As for the rain... I got to test out my umbrella hat last year. Turns out, it actually works...until the wind blows it off. - Barry Bonzack [more]
Home
Go Back   Chief Delphi > Technical > Electrical
CD-Media   CD-Spy  
portal register members calendar search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read FAQ rules

 
Closed Thread
 
Thread Tools Rate Thread Display Modes
  #1   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 07-08-2005, 01:16
sanddrag sanddrag is offline
On to my 16th year in FRC
FRC #0696 (Circuit Breakers)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Glendale, CA
Posts: 8,515
sanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Good looking wiring is not hard to achive. The main thing is just being careful when cutting wires to length. Route them smartly and size the length logically. A straight shot is not the right answer, but neither is a giant loop. Logical routing is the key, and super flexible wire is a step in the right direction getting there.
__________________
Teacher/Engineer/Machinist - Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2011 - Present
Mentor/Engineer/Machinist, Team 968 RAWC, 2007-2010
Technical Mentor, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2005-2007
Student Mechanical Leader and Driver, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2002-2004
  #2   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 11:15
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Actually we kept a wire diagram so i could trace any wire. This is one thing i don't see enough of. The one single most useful tool (even more useful than your trusty multimeter) is a wiring diagram as it allows quick and easy diagnosis and repair of problems.
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #3   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 11:28
sanddrag sanddrag is offline
On to my 16th year in FRC
FRC #0696 (Circuit Breakers)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Glendale, CA
Posts: 8,515
sanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

However useful a diagram may be, I still think neat, organized, cleanly routed, and labeled wiring is even more useful.
__________________
Teacher/Engineer/Machinist - Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2011 - Present
Mentor/Engineer/Machinist, Team 968 RAWC, 2007-2010
Technical Mentor, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2005-2007
Student Mechanical Leader and Driver, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2002-2004
  #4   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 12:51
Andy A. Andy A. is offline
Getting old
FRC #0095
Team Role: Coach
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 2001
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1,015
Andy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond reputeAndy A. has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sanddrag
However useful a diagram may be, I still think neat, organized, cleanly routed, and labeled wiring is even more useful.
Labeling is always good idea for sure! Labeling both ends of a wire saves a great deal of stress. Typically, components are numbered (so victor one powers motor one) and the wires are numbered to match. It can simplify the process of tracing a wire through a big bundle, since you can now just skip right to the components.

I've also found it useful to, where possible, keep things like speed controllers that run motors on the right side of the bot on the right side of your electrical board. Also, I like having all the victors and spikes in two paralel lines. This way, all the 12+ and negative wires can be run between the two banks of components, and all the output wires can run off to the various parts of the bot. I find that this helps speed up the wiring process, since all the wires running to the components can be very accurately sized (if you have regular spacing, that each wire will be incrementally longer then the last) and can be wired up outside of the robot, and then plopped down in the bot when the mechanical work is done. All thats left to do then is run the wires from motors to the board, and your done.

There are lots of ways to wire a 'bot. I guess every team has their own preferences in that area.

-Andy A.

edit: spelling, grammer etc.
  #5   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 21:57
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

[Right now I'm trying to design a electrical/pneumatics box. I'm making it aesthetically pleasing as well as electrically. I'm having a little trouble with solenoid placing and getting my connections in a ordered fashion. (by the way what connectors should i use for the control wires?) I'm making this look extremely cool, even found a person who supplies led boards that flash in sequence like the cylons or knight rider (actually its almost impossible to find large ones). I'm looking for a metal grill. To be more detailed, metal with a large quantity of uniform minute holes. If anyone knows what i can use for this it would be a great help to getting this box complete.
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #6   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 22:09
Jeff K.'s Avatar
Jeff K. Jeff K. is offline
Hmm..now what?
FRC #1138 (Eagle Engineering)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Rookie Year: 2005
Location: Chatsworth, California
Posts: 706
Jeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond reputeJeff K. has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to Jeff K. Send a message via MSN to Jeff K.
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

You can try perforated sheets of aluminum. I know that there are a few companies online that make it, though I'm not sure how much it is. I know team 1148(?), Harvard Westlake, has used that material. Good luck on electrical system, and I would definitely be interested in some pictures when it's done.
  #7   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 22:10
sanddrag sanddrag is offline
On to my 16th year in FRC
FRC #0696 (Circuit Breakers)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Glendale, CA
Posts: 8,515
sanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain
boards that flash in sequence like ... knight rider (actually its almost impossible to find large ones).
You mean like this? I believe this one is incandescent (maybe halogen) lights though, so it will take some power to run.
__________________
Teacher/Engineer/Machinist - Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2011 - Present
Mentor/Engineer/Machinist, Team 968 RAWC, 2007-2010
Technical Mentor, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2005-2007
Student Mechanical Leader and Driver, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2002-2004
  #8   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 22:13
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by sanddrag
You mean like this? I believe this one is incandescent (maybe halogen) lights though, so it will take some power to run.
I wanted something with more than 8 LEDs and i only found one site that supplies.
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #9   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 08-08-2005, 23:02
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by mechanicalbrain
[I'm looking for a metal grill. To be more detailed, metal with a large quantity of uniform minute holes. If anyone knows what i can use for this it would be a great help to getting this box complete.
Don't bother looking i found some on a europian modding site. If you ever want to add anything really distinctive to electrical work always go to a PC modding site. You will be seriously surprised with what you can find, especially on europian sites!
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #10   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 10-08-2005, 02:40
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

I'm only posting on this thread three times in a row because the edit button timed out. I need to find a connector. It looks like your average power connector but instead of having the wire come out one end and having the male or female connector on the other, the connector is on the side. Its like a L and its yellow but it looks like they make them in red and blue. I ask because they are on a robot made by team RUSH in a picture (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/pi...&quiet=Verbose) i have and i really need to get them (their the ones conected to the power board). Also if someone from team RUSH sees this I'm curious what the grey box with the keypad was for. I know its the Auton kiosk but could you go into more detail?
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans


Last edited by mechanicalbrain : 10-08-2005 at 02:55.
  #11   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 10-08-2005, 03:01
sanddrag sanddrag is offline
On to my 16th year in FRC
FRC #0696 (Circuit Breakers)
Team Role: Teacher
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Glendale, CA
Posts: 8,515
sanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond reputesanddrag has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

I think you are looking for a flag terminal. Is that what you mean? Also, all terminals are color coded according to wire size.
__________________
Teacher/Engineer/Machinist - Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2011 - Present
Mentor/Engineer/Machinist, Team 968 RAWC, 2007-2010
Technical Mentor, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2005-2007
Student Mechanical Leader and Driver, Team 696 Circuit Breakers, 2002-2004

Last edited by dez250 : 10-08-2005 at 13:58. Reason: fixed link
  #12   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 10-08-2005, 13:32
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Perfect! Thats exactly what i wanted. Now can anyone tell me what team RUSH's box (the gray one) is. I have a general idea about what it does but its not like anything ive seen.
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #13   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-08-2005, 02:25
Sparks333's Avatar
Sparks333 Sparks333 is offline
Robotics Engineer
AKA: Dane B.
FRC #1425 (Wilsonville Robotics)
Team Role: Alumni
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Rookie Year: 2003
Location: Wilsonville, Oregon
Posts: 184
Sparks333 is a glorious beacon of lightSparks333 is a glorious beacon of lightSparks333 is a glorious beacon of lightSparks333 is a glorious beacon of lightSparks333 is a glorious beacon of lightSparks333 is a glorious beacon of light
Send a message via AIM to Sparks333
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Hello!
I always was one for getting the conversation off topic...
This is not about neatness, but it is about effeciency. I noticed lots of major connectors (say, between the Vics and spikes and the motors and solenoids) in several pictures, and that's all good and fine, but the big issue with connectors is they can come loose, they can get dirty, or they can simply be forgotten and left unhooked. I propose an LED system in each major connector bank, so if its not connected, it completes a circuit and the LED lights up brightly to let the whole world know the connector isn't doing its job. It would, of course, be very easy to depend on it too much, and get false readings from it, but if you had multiple places where the LED gets its signal, possibly though an AND gate, you could become very accurate in your quest for unhooked wires.

Just a thought, but I quite like the concept.

Sparks333
__________________
ICs do weird things when voltage is run out of spec.

I love to take things apart. The fact that they work better when I put them back together it just a bonus.

http://www.ravenblack.net/random/surreal.html
  #14   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-08-2005, 03:00
mechanicalbrain's Avatar
mechanicalbrain mechanicalbrain is offline
The red haired Dremel gnome!
FRC #0623 (Ohm robotics)
Team Role: Electrical
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Rookie Year: 2004
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,221
mechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond reputemechanicalbrain has a reputation beyond repute
Send a message via AIM to mechanicalbrain Send a message via Yahoo to mechanicalbrain
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparks333
Hello!
I always was one for getting the conversation off topic...
This is not about neatness, but it is about effeciency. I noticed lots of major connectors (say, between the Vics and spikes and the motors and solenoids) in several pictures, and that's all good and fine, but the big issue with connectors is they can come loose, they can get dirty, or they can simply be forgotten and left unhooked. I propose an LED system in each major connector bank, so if its not connected, it completes a circuit and the LED lights up brightly to let the whole world know the connector isn't doing its job. It would, of course, be very easy to depend on it too much, and get false readings from it, but if you had multiple places where the LED gets its signal, possibly though an AND gate, you could become very accurate in your quest for unhooked wires.

Just a thought, but I quite like the concept.

Sparks333
You know thats a brilliantly simple (the best kind) idea! cut of a small patch of insulation out and lay in a LED! I think I'm going to incorporate that into next years electrical system! It cuts out the need for a multimeter in terms of checking electrical flow. However i tried to think about how to light a LED when a connection isn't made and realised its allot easier to have it light when their is a connection! The one important thing to do is make sure the LED is properly re insulated with the wire so you don't have a live wire. Thanks allot and this is what i created the thread for so you are actually bringing the thread back on topic!
__________________
"Oh my God! There's an axe in my head."
623's 2006 home page
random mechanicalbrain slogans

  #15   Spotlight this post!  
Unread 16-08-2005, 07:38
Unsung FIRST Hero
Al Skierkiewicz Al Skierkiewicz is offline
Broadcast Eng/Chief Robot Inspector
AKA: Big Al WFFA 2005
FRC #0111 (WildStang)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Rookie Year: 1996
Location: Wheeling, IL
Posts: 10,792
Al Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond reputeAl Skierkiewicz has a reputation beyond repute
Re: Electrical Systems and ideas...

Oz,
McMaster is a great location for most of what youare asking. Flag terminals and perforated metal are some of their regular parts line. You can get aluminum, steel, stainless or plastic, you decide. LED's are left up to the user, but there are kits available to make almost any kind of light bar you want. Buying LED from Digikey would allow you to make it different colors as well.
As to the LED connect ideas, you could arrange a series of LEDs and resistors on another board and using #22 wire run a sense lead from each power destination to the light panel. (some companies call this an "annuciator panel") Add a little logic and bicolor LEDs and you could have all greens for "GO" and red to show a fault. One step further, if the load is connected, is it drawing current? Is it drawing too much current?
__________________
Good Luck All. Learn something new, everyday!
Al
WB9UVJ
www.wildstang.org
________________________
Storming the Tower since 1996.
Closed Thread


Thread Tools
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
New Ideas for next year's competition XCJP General Forum 34 10-05-2005 10:07
Wheel slippage w/ positioning systems Jay Lundy Electrical 3 12-12-2003 03:08
What are your Ideas?? archiver 2000 8 24-06-2002 00:35


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 23:39.

The Chief Delphi Forums are sponsored by Innovation First International, Inc.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © Chief Delphi