pwm cables placement?

[Greg Shaw]

We recently took apart our robot for some repairs and are having connection issues with a victor that controlls our robots chain tower. We know it is a connection problem because the light on the victor keeps blinking. Here is my question: How do you know that the pwm cables are attached properly--you can flip the cables in either direction and it fits in the slot on both the victor and the digital sidecar. You would think that the cables would be designed to prevent plugging in the wrong way--this is not the case. How do we know that the three colored cables are plugged in properely on both the victor and the digital sidecar. This problably sound like a really simplistic question but we are a rookie team learning as we go--thanks in advance for any help.

[windtakers]

Originally Posted by Webberbots

We recently took apart our robot for some repairs and are having connection issues with a victor that controlls our robots chain tower. We know it is a connection problem because the light on the victor keeps blinking. Here is my question: How do you know that the pwm cables are attached properly--you can flip the cables in either direction and it fits in the slot on both the victor and the digital sidecar. You would think that the cables would be designed to prevent plugging in the wrong way--this is not the case. How do we know that the three colored cables are plugged in properely on both the victor and the digital sidecar. This problably sound like a really simplistic question but we are a rookie team learning as we go--thanks in advance for any help.

On the victor where you plug in the pwm cable there should be a little B. That lets you know were the black side of the wire should go. On the side car there should be labels printed next to the areas were you plug the cable in.
(-) = black wire
PWR = red wire
SIG = white wire

(-) always is the black wire

[MrForbes]

Just to make things more fun, it seems the PWM cables that were provided in the 2011 kit have relatively poor quality ends on them, and sometimes don't make contact.

But yeah, the colors on the wires mean something, and must be connected properly. A keyed connector system would be better, but that's not how things are.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Webberbots

You would think that the cables would be designed to prevent plugging in the wrong way--this is not the case.

Originally Posted by squirrel

A keyed connector system would be better, but that's not how things are.

Indeed, they are NOT fool-resistant. FRC offers few protections for fools.

The learning event here is "Make sure it's done correctly". This will serve you well in FRC as in life.

You are very obviously NO FOOL, since you asked when you didn't know. Green dots for you!