pic: How to test your drivetrain without electronics...



How do you test your drive train while your robot is still being built?

Try connecting four wires, holding one battery, and holding onto the robot for the ride at the same time…

Not to mention trying to keep the transmissions in the same gear with the physical linkages yet to be connected…

Safety glasses? Bicycle helmet?

are you giving those motors raw battery power? dont think thats too good. to your motors or your drivetrain. 0 to 100% power in an instant. at least your not using those old drill trannies lol. that would be baaaaad

Nah. Can’t you tell from the pic? he is pulsing the power really quickly by tapping the leads.

What is the problwm with giving it 100% power instantly? Arcing inside the motor?

Giving them full power is practically the same thing as throwing the joystick forward instantly except you don’t have any fuses between the motors.

We needed to break the transmissions and new motors in anyway. :rolleyes:

I think I would have needed more than a bicycle helmet and safety glasses if I were in a crash.

:wink:

I love how there are more responses about the robot’s safety than the driver’s…ah well I guess you do get new members every year :stuck_out_tongue:

hahahahaha, i did that too!!!

well yes it will arc. the brushes and comm will wear faster, but considering the lifespan of a robot that doesnt matter. unless ur racing it. lol. and im not too sure about victors but some escs will step up the frequency to full power so to be nicer on the motor and tranny.
and anyways, you never break in trannys with full power. you just leave them running with half power on or w/e matters on stuff but. and if you ever tried to do a full power on from a stop with a heavy robot with thw old drill trannys with lockpins in… yech.