control box

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Posted by Pat Casey.

Student on team #101, STRIKER, from St. Patrick High School and Lo Dan Electronics.

Posted on 11/3/2000 6:06 AM MST



What I meant by modification was to recalibrate the speed controllers. My mistake. We began to recalibrate the speed controllers and ran into problems. The directions told us that when we completed a successful calibration, that the light would flash green. We followed the directions correctly and no green light. We eliminated most of the possibilities as to why this wouldn't work and we are only left with the dashboard itself. Our engineer believes that there may be a bug in the dashboard. Did anyone else have problems with recalibrating the speed controllers? Is there possibly other reasons why the calibrations weren't working?

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Posted by Nate Smith.

Other on team #66, GM Powertrain/Willow Run HS, from Eastern Michigan University and GM Powertrain.

Posted on 11/3/2000 8:42 AM MST


In Reply to: control box posted by Pat Casey on 11/3/2000 6:06 AM MST:



: What I meant by modification was to recalibrate the speed controllers. My mistake. We began to recalibrate the speed controllers and ran into problems. The directions told us that when we completed a successful calibration, that the light would flash green. We followed the directions correctly and no green light. We eliminated most of the possibilities as to why this wouldn't work and we are only left with the dashboard itself. Our engineer believes that there may be a bug in the dashboard. Did anyone else have problems with recalibrating the speed controllers? Is there possibly other reasons why the calibrations weren't working?

From the experiences that I've had, the calibration of the speed controllers can be a sensitive process...here's a few things i've found that might help...

1. It may seem like a simple thing, but be sure that the calibration button is all the way in...I don't have a speed controller in front of me to verify this, but if the button is in all the way, the lights shouldn't come on when the joystick is at the limits.

2. It sometimes appears to help if you move the joystick in a complete range of motion(in this case, joysticks 1 and 2 all the way up, then down) several times before releasing the calibration button. That way, the speed controller has more information to work from when calibrating.

3. Verify that the trimmers on the joysticks are as close to center as possible. if they start out too far to one side, the speed controller will not see a wide enough range of movement to successfully calibrate.

4. Like you said, the light is supposed to flash green when the speed controller is successfully calibrated. So as with anything FIRST-related, if at first you don't succeed, try , try again(and again, and again...)

Of course, if all else fails, it MIGHT be a faulty speed controller...in which case, it's time to call Joe...

Nate

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Posted by Raul.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling HS and Motorola.

Posted on 11/3/2000 11:25 AM MST


In Reply to: Nate's Laws of Speed Controller Calibration posted by Nate Smith on 11/3/2000 8:42 AM MST:



Point #3 that Nate makes is very important even if you are not calibrating the Speed controller. We noticed that the speed controller would not function if the system is started or reset while the trim is too far in one direction.

Raul

: : What I meant by modification was to recalibrate the speed controllers. My mistake. We began to recalibrate the speed controllers and ran into problems. The directions told us that when we completed a successful calibration, that the light would flash green. We followed the directions correctly and no green light. We eliminated most of the possibilities as to why this wouldn't work and we are only left with the dashboard itself. Our engineer believes that there may be a bug in the dashboard. Did anyone else have problems with recalibrating the speed controllers? Is there possibly other reasons why the calibrations weren't working?

: From the experiences that I've had, the calibration of the speed controllers can be a sensitive process...here's a few things i've found that might help...

: 1. It may seem like a simple thing, but be sure that the calibration button is all the way in...I don't have a speed controller in front of me to verify this, but if the button is in all the way, the lights shouldn't come on when the joystick is at the limits.

: 2. It sometimes appears to help if you move the joystick in a complete range of motion(in this case, joysticks 1 and 2 all the way up, then down) several times before releasing the calibration button. That way, the speed controller has more information to work from when calibrating.

: 3. Verify that the trimmers on the joysticks are as close to center as possible. if they start out too far to one side, the speed controller will not see a wide enough range of movement to successfully calibrate.

: 4. Like you said, the light is supposed to flash green when the speed controller is successfully calibrated. So as with anything FIRST-related, if at first you don't succeed, try , try again(and again, and again...)

: Of course, if all else fails, it MIGHT be a faulty speed controller...in which case, it's time to call Joe...

: Nate

[archiver]

Posted by Samuel Lindhorst.

Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.

Posted on 11/4/2000 4:20 AM MST


In Reply to: control box posted by Pat Casey on 11/3/2000 6:06 AM MST:



: What I meant by modification was to recalibrate the speed controllers. My mistake. We began to recalibrate the speed controllers and ran into problems. The directions told us that when we completed a successful calibration, that the light would flash green. We followed the directions correctly and no green light. We eliminated most of the possibilities as to why this wouldn't work and we are only left with the dashboard itself. Our engineer believes that there may be a bug in the dashboard. Did anyone else have problems with recalibrating the speed controllers? Is there possibly other reasons why the calibrations weren't working?

Same problem. Also this controller that seems to be working in just one direction. Swapped it out with a good one, no joy. Student doing it is pretty sharp, and I'm sure he has it right.

Unclear if we really need the circuit yet, but I think so.

[archiver]

Posted by Samuel Lindhorst.

Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.

Posted on 11/4/2000 4:20 AM MST


In Reply to: control box posted by Pat Casey on 11/3/2000 6:06 AM MST:



: What I meant by modification was to recalibrate the speed controllers. My mistake. We began to recalibrate the speed controllers and ran into problems. The directions told us that when we completed a successful calibration, that the light would flash green. We followed the directions correctly and no green light. We eliminated most of the possibilities as to why this wouldn't work and we are only left with the dashboard itself. Our engineer believes that there may be a bug in the dashboard. Did anyone else have problems with recalibrating the speed controllers? Is there possibly other reasons why the calibrations weren't working?

Same problem. Also this controller that seems to be working in just one direction. Swapped it out with a good one, no joy. Student doing it is pretty sharp, and I'm sure he has it right.

Unclear if we really need the circuit yet, but I think so.

[archiver]

Posted by Michael Martus.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central H.S. and Delphi Automotives Systems.

Posted on 11/4/2000 4:05 PM MST


In Reply to: control box posted by Pat Casey on 11/3/2000 6:06 AM MST:



Are you sure you need to re-calibrate the speed controllers. I will ask joe if this is ok.

Have you checked the trim on the Joy stick? It must be in full up direction on one of the controls to work at all ( I think if memory serves me right it was the outside joy stick that controls the victor). I will check with Joe regarding this issue.

I have built several robots with these controls and have had no problems at all and so have many others?

I will have an answer soon.

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Posted by Michael Martus.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central H.S. and Delphi Automotives Systems.

Posted on 11/4/2000 4:11 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: control box posted by Michael Martus on 11/4/2000 4:05 PM MST:



I have checked with Joe. You should not re-calibrate the controlers.

What you need to check is to see that the 'Throttle' on the joy stick is turned up all the way. This usually causes the problem you describe.

We suggest that you place a small piece of tape over these trims and throttle wheels to avoid accidental movement.

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Posted by Samuel Lindhorst.

Engineer on team #240, Mach Vee, from Jefferson High School and Visteon.

Posted on 11/4/2000 6:53 PM MST


In Reply to: Re: control box- READ! posted by Michael Martus on 11/4/2000 4:11 PM MST:



: I have checked with Joe. You should not re-calibrate the controlers.

: What you need to check is to see that the 'Throttle' on the joy stick is turned up all the way. This usually causes the problem you describe.

: We suggest that you place a small piece of tape over these trims and throttle wheels to avoid accidental movement.

Our control box was pretty much a wreck. We cleaned everything up, and finally reset the controller to the default program, and the motor controller we were having problems with straightened right up. Everything works fine now. The only thing we had to do is move the light to a new output.

However now we find we have a dead compressor. How do we get another one?

Sam

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Posted by Michael Martus.   [PICTURE: SAME | NEW | HELP]


Coach on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central H.S. and Delphi Automotives Systems.

Posted on 11/5/2000 5:31 AM MST


In Reply to: Re: control box- READ! posted by Samuel Lindhorst on 11/4/2000 6:53 PM MST:




We will contact you e-mail.