Globe motor to spike controller

Technical Motors
#21

It is EXTREMELY late in the build, but I am still slightly confused on this issue. The 2006 Tips and Good Practices states:

WARNING!
Attempting to drive a Van Door motor, Globe motors or Fisher-Price motors directly with the Spike Relay Modules could damage the Spike Relay Modules and is, therefore, prohibited.

However, R87 states that only CIMS and Fisher Price motors need be run off of the Victors.

So which is it?

It doesn’t greatly affect us, but it will save time on Thursday in Cleveland if we don’t have to switch from Spikes to Victors.

Thanks!

Kev

#22

This figure might be read to imply no (because a Globe is shown only a Victor but not on a Spike)

This part of the rules seem to imply yes (what is not forbidden is allowed)

<R87> CIM motors and Fisher-Price motors must be connected to Speed Controllers. They may not be
connected to Relay Modules.

The rules specifically state that the figure is for “convenience” (implying the text/figures in the rules trump the figure).

Bottom line: I think it it allowed.

I have not been following the Q&A or Updates, if someone has a ruling from one of those, please share.

Joe J.

#23

The following Q&A links teams to the “Guidelines, Tips & Good Practices” document which states that hooking a Globe to a spike is illegal. It also points to the Power Distribution document, which shows the Globe motor hooked up to a Victor. I took this to mean we had to wire the Globe through a Victor. Although, it has been stated in the Q&A that the “Guidelines, Tips & Good Practices” is only a set of guidelines, and not a rulebook.

#24

I had my team leader try to post a Q/A about this issue but he was unable to start a new thread in the forum for some odd reason.

Upon further searching, however, we came accross this thread which state:

“The “Guidelines, Tips and Good Practices” document contains recommended methods and practices for robot design and construction. These guidelines are not rules. But be aware that these recommendations are based on good engineering practices, and violation of these practices may carry an additional degree of risk.”

I’ll take that to mean that the CIMs and the Fisher Price motors are the only ones REQUIRED per the rules to be run off of Victors.

#25

My team is running the globe motors of the spikes without any problems at all. According to the rules, we are allowed to do this. I am going with the rules, as changing it to use victor’s would be a pain in the behind.

#26

Kevin et al,
The real driving force behind this rule is the max current that can be handled by the Spike, which is 20 amps and that is what it is fused for. Now the Globe has a stall current of 21.58 amps which is just over the rated current for the relay and if you were to stall the Globe motor (which I have not seen on motors as supplied with the gearbox) then you would exceed the rating and the fuse would open. The window motor on the other hand shows a stall current of 18.6 amps. As the rules specifically state that the Cims and FP motors must be on controllers and not spikes that would imply that the Globes can be run on a spike. I believe that the reference to the tips and practices in the Q&A is an answer to the second part of the question “do we need to solder the #6”?" It is a good and suggested practice to solder but is not required by either the tips document or the rule book. However, we solder all crimps and then insulate with heatshrink. Yes it is the old suspender and belt story, but NASA backs up the backup and so do we.