|
|
|
![]() |
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
![]() |
| Thread Tools |
Rating:
|
Display Modes |
|
#1
|
||||
|
||||
|
Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Can anyone please tell me what is the correct voltage reading on the red&white wires coming out of the relay ports on the digital sidecar?
We are measuring 4.2 volts in the active state. We have a Spike relay connected to a relay port, and the Spike is not working. By "not working", I mean the Spike LED remains orange and there is no voltage across the Spike's output. We thought maybe the sidecar got damaged and is not outputting the right voltage. There is 12 volts across the Spike input, correct polarity. The battery is sufficient; it runs the motors that drive the wheels. We swapped out the Spike and the new one doesn't work either. We understand the following chart and tested all four states red=0 white=0 brake (both outputs grounded) red=1 white=0 reverse (reverse output polarity) red=0 white=1 forward (normal output polarity) red=1 white=1 brake (both outputs +12) Unless there's something I'm missing, the only hypothesis that seems to fit the facts is that the signal voltage is not correct. ~ Last edited by Ether : 23-02-2010 at 19:49. |
|
#2
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Do you see the Relay status lights (red/green/off) changing states while the Spike status light remains orange?
Normally, with those symptoms I'd say the Spike is not receiving a signal. P.S. I checked my notes and I noted a 4.6v reading from a Relay output. P.P.S. I checked the Spike documentation and it requires 3v minimum for the control signal. Last edited by Mark McLeod : 23-02-2010 at 21:37. |
|
#3
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
We saw the LED at the relay port on the sidecar change from green to off while the Spike relay remained orange. We used a voltmeter to measure the voltage on the 3-wire cable (black/red/white) at the connector that plugs into the Spike. It measured about 4.2 volts (on the red and/or white wires) when active. So the Spike is getting a "signal"... I just don't know if it is the "correct" signal; I couldn't find a spec on what voltage the sidecar is supposed to output, nor could I find anything on the Spike datasheet about what input signal voltage level was required. ~ |
|
#4
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
It's on page 3 of the Spike document - Control signal: 3v minimum.
I'd consider this a problem with plugging the PWM cable into the recessed Spike connection. It can easily go into the slot, but miss the internal connector entirely even after repeated tries. If you're reading a signal at the Spike end of the PWM then the cable and connection at the DSC sound fine. Last edited by Mark McLeod : 24-02-2010 at 10:29. Reason: Added link to Spike document |
|
#5
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
Quote:
We couldn't get it fixed in time, so we used the 24V solenoid break-out. All we needed was about 70ma. I asked a couple of students to find the specs for the output current capability of the 24V solenoid breakout, and they spent about and hour and a half looking but couldn't find it. You don't happen to have a link to a doc for that by any chance do you? ~ |
|
#6
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
cRIO sourcing module
http://sine.ni.com/nips/cds/view/p/lang/en/nid/14175 control system docs (including the official power and data diagrams and a link to the datasheets for the Digital Sidecar, PD and Breakouts) http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprogr....aspx?id=10934 |
|
#7
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
~ |
|
#8
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
If it's for anything else you will have to track down the issue with the Spike. <R65> restricts the Solenoid Breakout to solenoids only. |
|
#9
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
I think I'll wait a couple days before telling the team. They were so happy. ~ |
|
#10
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
For Spike technical info. the place to go is the manufacturer at VexPro and the Spike Relay specific page.
|
|
#11
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
FYI... Don't forget there is a known LabVIEW VI problem associated with the RELAY control.
It's reported here http://decibel.ni.com/content/thread/6131?tstart=30 (and I only found it by accident). If you are setting the relay to run in "Both Directions" it apparently works, but if you were like me and just wanted to turn something on, it was just dead. Solution... open up the "RelaySet.vi" and connect the two "Relay Direction" terminals as shown in the NI post. Phil. Note: I really think a bigger deal should have been made about this. Is there a "known bugs" list anywhere... I just "assumed" that the relay control would work..... It makes me start wondering about any code that should work, but doesn't..... coding error or known VI bug... |
|
#12
|
|||
|
|||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
|
|
#13
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
However, if your relay is working at all, then it's probebly not required... it's a show stopper. BTW.... Electromagnet..... ???? is this part of some active actuator? Wouldn't this be dissalowed by <R53>. Quote:
Not my call... just pointing it out. |
|
#14
|
||||
|
||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
http://forums.usfirst.org/showthread.php?t=14205 ~ |
|
#15
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
Re: Digital Sidecar relay ports: correct voltage?
Quote:
Electromagnets good, Solenoid Actuators Bad. Make sure you have a printout of that Q&A on hand at all times ![]() I just hope you don't get a finicky EE as an inspector. There could be some big arguments there...... |
![]() |
| Thread Tools | |
| Display Modes | Rate This Thread |
|
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
| Relay Ports on the Digital sidecar have no Power | 10uhingp | Electrical | 6 | 30-01-2010 14:00 |
| Attaching a standard car relay to the Digital sidecar | KillerGardevoir | Electrical | 4 | 02-08-2009 21:26 |
| Digital Sidecar Ports are dropping out. | Tom Line | Electrical | 19 | 10-04-2009 00:55 |
| Ultrasonic sensors on digital ports 3-6 problems | wt200999 | Programming | 14 | 13-02-2008 08:13 |
| LED's on Relay Ports? | Kingofl337 | Control System | 5 | 18-01-2008 14:39 |