Servo Controller Power Issues....

[John Gutmann]

If it didn't recognize the data the LED would be red. But I took out my multimeter out once AGAIN, and hooked it up to the battery to look at voltage. And this time I did notice the voltage getting below 5 volts. I could barely see it though because the display is so fast. I guess I would have been able to see it better with something that would record and graph it. I am guessing this is the problem. I guess it also explains why it resets when I turn the servo. Because I am stalling the motor and cause a big current draw. I was figuring this was the problem yesterday, but I didn't see any proof of with on my multimeter. Thanks for taking to time to look at the manual and help me out.

When I get better batteries I will report back.

-John

[6600gt]

Originally Posted by sparksandtabs

If it didn't recognize the data the LED would be red. But I took out my multimeter out once AGAIN, and hooked it up to the battery to look at voltage. And this time I did notice the voltage getting below 5 volts. I could barely see it though because the display is so fast. I guess I would have been able to see it better with something that would record and graph it. I am guessing this is the problem. I guess it also explains why it resets when I turn the servo. Because I am stalling the motor and cause a big current draw. I was figuring this was the problem yesterday, but I didn't see any proof of with on my multimeter. Thanks for taking to time to look at the manual and help me out.

When I get better batteries I will report back.

-John

Either get a FIRST type 7.2V battery pack or get 6 rechargeable batteries at 1.2V each. How much current can the board output to the servos?

[John Gutmann]

The board doesn't power the servos, as I said they provide a signal. And in my opinion a FRC 7.2 volt battery is a big no. I already what I WANT to use and what I can use. Right now while I am at college I can use nothing becuase I have nothing here to use. When I get home I have old RC car batteries and VEX batteries at my highschool. I would like to use a 8.4 volt RC car battery because those cells are bigger then AAs. But as for the actual project I go the code working. I think I have a dead servo, I have no idea how it died, but I need to gear down the vex bot and then it will work fine. The servos right now just don't have enough power to carry a laptop. let alone enough power for running at under 6 volts.

The program I wrote on my computer work though. All I need to do is plug the serial cable in and type 4 things and it will move forward. I will get pictures and videos and a nice little presentation all put together once I get it all working together. The best part about this project is I can take my laptop to ANY FRC robot and have their robto running off any computer in the world in a matter of minutes. *In theory* *yet to be tested*

Look out for more on this project!

-John