DIY PWM?

Technical Electrical
#1

So a good question has been brought up and I cant find the answer to it. For our robots (not competition), we have made our own “Y” PWM cables instead of purchasing them.This process is just stripping the wire in the middle and the ends of a cut one, wrapping and soldering them together. Is it legal to use the modified ones weve made on our robot or do we have to purchase PWM’s that are specifically made as “Y” cables?

Thanks.

#2

To my knowledge, there isn’t any rule against using home made PWM Y cables, or homemade PWM cables in general for that matter.

#3

3081 makes all of its PWM cables from scratch. In fact, the box from DigiKey with the parts needed just showed up today.

I’m not aware of any rule that prevents it.

#4

In the past we’ve used homemade Y-cables and to my knowledge we haven’t had any issues with them.

If I remember correctly, I believe we plugged the “male end” of the cable on the other side of the second “male end” (the end of the plastic connector where the coated wire begins)

I don’t think there is a rule against it, but I may very well be wrong

Good luck!

#5

PWM custom are great as long as you make them correctly. Their are tons of videos on hobby cars that show how to make great PWM relatively fast and strong.

#6

I understand this but im wondering if anyone found any rules against it. And not just making them. We modify two sets of single PWMs instead of using new wires and the PWM heads.

#7

There is no rule that prohibits making or modifying PWM cables. If you make your own, a “Y” cable is easily made by crimping two wires in the pins for one connector. I suggest that if you perform wire splices, that solder and heatshrink be used.

#8

Would you mind telling me which Digikey connector part # you use?
Thanks.

#9

Hensen Hobbies Sells some preassembled kits for producing PWM wires (or, as they’re known in the hobby world ‘servo wires’). We’ve got one of the fancy ones with included crimper and they do work as advertised. The tool is obviously the expensive bit and, while not strictly necessary, they make the whole process much faster and reliable.