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Propeller Reset With Protoboard — Parallax Forums

Propeller Reset With Protoboard

Mark LanthierMark Lanthier Posts: 3
edited 2008-04-20 00:24 in Propeller 1
Hi,

I'm trying to piece together a robot using the Propeller Protoboard. I'm having a problem that the propeller seems to reset when I have the servos on while running 2 GP2D15 sensors and have the propeller plug attached...when running off a 6v battery pack. When running off the power adapter, the chip does not reset. Also, the chip does not reset if I remove the PropPlug. It seems to me that maybe too much current is being drawn from the chip and the battery pack cannot handle it. Is there a way that I can modify the protoboard to handle this ? Maybe a larger capacitor ? I'm not much of an electronics guys, so I can use any suggestions....

Mark

Comments

  • TreeLabTreeLab Posts: 138
    edited 2008-04-17 20:11
    Mark, too much current an/or too low input voltage for the 5V regulator. Caps won't help, since the load is continuous. It is a bit odd about the prop plug, since it should be USB powered. Sometimes accessing the plug from windows causes a reset when the COM port is attached.

    Go for at least 7.5 V and good continuous current capacity.

    Cheers!
  • ClemensClemens Posts: 236
    edited 2008-04-17 20:38
    Sorry, if this is too obvious, you probably know this already:

    Have you seen in the protoboard schematic, that there are two jumper settings for powering the servos?

    [font=Tahoma,Bold size=2]IMPORTANT: Servo Power Supply (Vin)
    [/font]Use only the Vin jumper setting for powering servos when power is supplied from a 6V battery pack. Damage could occur to your servos if you use an unregulated power supply.
  • Mark LanthierMark Lanthier Posts: 3
    edited 2008-04-17 20:59
    Thanks TreeLab. It is weird about the PropPlug. I can try a different power supply but I'm not sure what you mean by a "good continuous current capacity". I have 2600mah 6v packs. Perhaps a 2600mah 7.5v battery pack may do the trick...right ?

    Clemens...I initially had it through the 5v regulator and was getting the reset. I then changed the jumper so that the servos used the Vin from the 6v battery packs (I assume unregulated). This did not seem to make a difference ... the reset still occurred.

    I find it strange that having the PropPlug plugged in causes the extra current and a reset. Its weird, because if I run the servos slower, the reset does not occur. Strange...

    Mark
  • souplogicsouplogic Posts: 8
    edited 2008-04-20 00:24
    I had similar problems and went to a couple nine volt batteries in parallel - it works but its a bit inelegant. you _might_ want to look at stepping up voltage from your packs with a step up regulator (dimension engineering sells some) instead of packing more batteries.
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