Printable diagram to show power distribution, sidecar, etc. connections

[tgwicklund]

After finding that half the connections to last year's robot were pulled, so I'd need to look at the control code source to figure out what goes where, it occurred to me that one page per main component (power distribution, digital sidecar, etc) showing a picture and space to write what is connected at each point would be very useful. Perhaps not a modern CAD based solution, but something that can be quickly filled out and available for reference.

Has anybody done this? If not I might take the pictures out of the documentation and put something together.

Thomas Wicklund
Mentor
CASA MESA, Team 2261

[timytamy]

We have someone on our team that simply is modifying the ones that came with the manual to create our wiring diagram.

Thanks,
timytamy

[Tom Line]

We took pictures of the components and put them in excel. We then use the cell next to the appropriate connector to tell us what goes there. We do the same for driverstation and robot.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Thomas,
If you color code everything on the robot, then you will have little to figure out when something goes wrong. We use a 3M color wheel, available from Digikey to mark everything. One of our motors is the red motor, so the motor receives a red tape, the position on the robot is coded red, the wires leading to the motor, the speed controller, the wires leading to the speed controller, the PWM cable, the location on the breakout where the PWM is attached, the breaker and it's position on the breaker panel is all coded the same color. If the red motor is not turning, we look at the red speed controller to see if it is powered, then check to see if the red PWM is plugged in at both positions, etc. Programmers help generate the motor list and colors so everyone is on the same "page".

[Foster]

We use cable number strips, works the same way Al's colors do. #1 is the right front drive motor. All of the cables associated with that motor have a #1 on them. Label the motor, the cable end going into the Jag, Jaguar, cable from the Jag to the PDU, and the power cable at the PDU end. Don't forget both ends of the PWM or CAN control cable. One last sticker on the fuse/breaker so you can tell if it's there or not.

Packs of the number strips can be found at your local hardware store. Lowe's has both numbers and letters. So you could get fancy and do 1-10 for motor connections and A-Z for pneumatics.

Advantages to Al's colors are that you can see at a glance what the colors are. We use #10 wire so in most cases the numbers can be seen. For PWM cables we make a little flag (wrap the strip around the wire, but stick the number tape to itself) to make it easier.

Advantages to the numbers are they are easier to add to the wiring sheet. And you don't need to worry about color blind team members.

In any case you can never have too much labeling on the robot.