solenoid with compressor vi

[ElanaC]

We are using the solenoid with compressor vi, and we were trying to get the compressor to run. The problem is that the compressor turns on when we enable the driver station, but turns off immediately. We can not figure out what is making that happen. Any help would be nice. We just want the compressor to turn on, run until 120 psi and then turn off. Then come back on again if it is below 120 psi. Why is it starting and stopping?

[Mark McLeod]

Anything interesting happening with the Robot Status Light (RSL) on the Digital Sidecar? It should be mostly on for a second or two, with a very brief blink off.
Any messages on the Driver Station Diagnostics tab?

There are status LEDs next to the Digital Sidecar Relays where you should be controlling your compressor from. These will tell you if it's a code problem or a hardware problem.

What do the LEDs next to your PWM connection to the Spike controlling the compressor show?
LED off - means the code has turned off the compressor
LED on - means the code wants the compressor on

Is the Spike status light orange or green/red while this is happening?

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by ElanaC

We just want the compressor to turn on, run until 120 psi and then turn off. Then come back on again if it is below 120 psi. Why is it starting and stopping?

Tell us how you have the compressor and pressure switch connected, both electrically and pneumatically. Show us how your code is controlling it. Then we might be able to tell you why it's doing what it's doing. We might also be able to tell you if there's something you should change to make it do what you want it to.

[AmandaMay]

So we checked the diagnostics tab and it says that our watchdogs have expired, we are not sure what this means, or what to do. They continue to expire 1-13 some of them expire twice. I am a programmer on the team.

[Mark McLeod]

Don't worry about the Watchdogs too much for now. They have have some odd behavior that NI is working to make better.

Using the Solenoid with compressor example, do you start it from the front panel?

Are you running the Driver Station in the same Developer account where you have LabVIEW running? Don't switch user accounts to run the Driver Station.

[AmandaMay]

We are running it from the front panel and we don't switch accounts. We tried "run continuously" with the same result. The compressor still turns off. The light on the digital sidecar turns off as soon as we enable the code. and we don't have any lights next to our PWM connection to the Spike controlling the compressor.

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by AmandaMay

The light on the digital sidecar turns off as soon as we enable the code, and we don't have any lights next to our PWM connection to the Spike controlling the compressor.

The Digital Sidecar status (RSL) going off is why the compressor stops.
If the RSL is off, nothing will run.
Do the other voltage status LEDs on the Digital Sidecar look good?
It could be a wiring short circuit with something attached to the Digital sidecar that makes it shutdown.

When the RSL goes off what does the Driver Station statuses show then?

[AmandaMay]

The only light that ever comes on on our digital sider car is the one labeled 5v I don't know if that's the RSL you are talking about.
6v and bat never turn on.
The driver station doesn't change except the watchdog errors.

[Mark McLeod]

Well there's a problem.

Do you have the Digital Sidecar power wired to the Power Distribution Panel?
It needs one of the loose white Wago connectors on one end, and the other end of the wires go into a set of the small red/black Wago connectors on the Power Distribution Panel.

I'll see if I can find a photo...

[AmandaMay]

We don't think we do have our digital sidecar wired to the power distribution board. it is wired to the Crio throuh the ribbon cable. A photo would be great. My programming team has recently been trying to do all of the wiring as well as programming and we are a little confused.

[Mark McLeod]

Here's what it should look like when it's operating correctly.

The power LEDs on the left should all be on.
The Robot Status LED (RSL) is the really bright one on the other side of the power connector.

As a programmer, the RSL is the light you look at first.
off = off
blinking = disabled
long on/short off = teleop
solid = autonomous

[AmandaMay]

Thank you a bunch Mark. Our coach helped with the wiring for the side car and we have it doing what we needed!! We are very thankful for your assistance. I am a little embarrassed that I did not realize that was our problem.

[AmandaMay]

New mission, make the festo work

[Mark McLeod]

More wiring for the programmers...

[umangv620]

Hey i was just wondering how did you code the pressure switch. Is there a sub Vi for that? I have the spike working, and I need the pressure switch to turn the air compressor on and off.