Help with limit switches?

Technical Technical Discussion
1

So, we are using two limit switches for our bridge tipper. Our tipper is powered by one CIM motor, controlled by a victor. In it’s normal, upright position one limit switch is being pressed, while the other remains open. When it is down, it’s the opposite. We have the switches wired on NO to DIOs 1 and 2 on the Digital Sidecar. In LabView, button 7 on our joystick is wired to a case structure as well as the two DIOs. We have another case structure inside of that case structure so the code is:

-If button 7 is not being pressed, motor value is 0.
-If button 7 is being pressed, run motor value at 1 until limit switch 2 is hit.
-If button 7 is released while tipper is hitting switch 2, run motor value at -1 until limit switch 1 is hit.

But when we go to test it, we push the button on the joystick (we tried pushing all the buttons to make sure we didn’t accidentally wire it to the wrong one) and nothing happens. I don’t understand where we went wrong. Also, the light on the Victor blinks orange all the time, one time it turned solid until we shut the bot off, but then started blinking again when we turned it back on.

2

If the Victor is blinking orange, then it isn’t receiving a signal.
If it worked once and your code hasn’t changed, then it’s likely to be an electrical problem.
Really, the only code reason the Victor should be blinking is if the device wasn’t Opened properly.

Failure to receive a signal can be the PWM cable - not seated properly in the Victor (common), plugged in backwards, or a bad cable. You can test the cable with a multimeter and you’ll be able to detect the power of the signal (even a neutral signal) at the Victor end of the cable if it’s good. The robot just has to be Enabled for the signal to be active.

3

Try dropping your case structure into a new LabView vi using a “button” in the Front Panel instead of the Joystick button in block diagram. And send the on/off signal from the case to an “LED” that will light up for 1,0,-1 different colors. If this standalone program lights up correctly in the Front Panel then your code is fine and its a hardware issue.