Puff the Magic Boe Bot

mikev · 2012-03-25 14:46

I hooked up a 10-12v 650mAh battery to the bread board... After the smoke cleared, there is a burn mark on the ping sensor center chip in the back. The bot also stutters when in looks left and right. Hooking it up right the bot works fine other than the fact it twitches left and right. What chip did I burn (on the ping) and what did I damage to make the servo stutter? I swapped servos with a wheel servo and it stutters so the servos are ok. I did it this time....

Big center chip... *grumble...stupi...volta..regul...12v in a 3v syst....idiot*

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) · 2012-03-25 16:52

mikev wrote:

What chip did I burn ... ?

That would be the SX microcontroller that runs the show.

-Phil

mikev · 2012-03-25 17:17

Oh noes... =[ It is running the BS2. But that still sucks. Unless your talking about the ping sensor chip?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) · 2012-03-25 17:32

It's the chip that runs the Ping))) sensor. 'Just happens to be the same chip that some BASIC Stamps use.

-Phil

mikev · 2012-03-25 17:48

Ok thanks! Ill run the ping sensor test and make sure it still reads. Seems to still judge distance when operating. Also will take pictures of the burn for fun. The ping servo twitching kinda scares me, but tested with another servo, its on the bot somewhere...

Franklin · 2012-03-25 19:20

Try using a different pin for the servo.

mikev · 2012-03-25 19:38

Good idea. I will try another pin. I have not done much with the bot, I dont know how to explain it but I'm a little upset. I know better, now im disgusted. Live and learn. :thumb:

erco · 2012-03-26 08:51

Is there a live Magic Smoke contest at Expo? Perhaps for the closing ceremonies, like fireworks?

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) · 2012-03-26 10:24

Expo could evolve into a another Burning Man -- call it "Burning Bot!"

-Phil

Martin_H · 2012-03-26 10:38

I think people were expecting more from my challenge or peril than just following the edge of the board. Maybe if I added pits of flames along side. Burning robots would likely be a crowd pleaser, but you can only do it once per bot.

erco · 2012-03-26 13:10

Or simply raise the board 30 feet above ground level. No fire required!

mindrobots · 2012-03-26 13:36

Either way, it will be like NASCAR - 75% of the people will come to see crashes and fires!

Matt Gilliland · 2012-03-27 18:53

mikev -
what's the status? is it workin?
-Matt

mikev · 2012-03-28 20:10

Im sorry guys, work work work. This is what I have so far.
http://s952.photobucket.com/albums/ae9/mchlcrash/?action=view&current=MAH00104.mp4
I have not had time to try new pins between work and kids....kids...whos idea was that... I will post as soon as possible.

Matt Gilliland · 2012-03-29 14:30

Ok Mikev, keep us posted. We want to make sure you get up and running right :thumb:
-MattG

mikev · 2012-04-01 08:40

Good morning, I have time to disintergrate my boe bot this morning. I have taken a picture of the ping sensor. I will continue to find out why the ping servo stutters, i fear it may be the stamp.

mikev · 2012-04-01 08:55

Soo, why is it this thread never goes to new post? I have checked everytime. Im not looking for attention or anything, but that kinda defeats the purpose of posting in a forum, no. Communication failure. =] Keep in mind im just asking..this thread has had plenty of responses.

Matt Gilliland · 2012-04-01 09:05

Hi mikev-
It comes up a *new post* to me

So, have you been able to determine whether the Ping is fully operational? Have you disabled all other parts of your program on the bot, and can you see a debug of just the Ping values? Let's see what's broke and then get you fixed up.

Try the Ping on a couple of different IO lines to see if the issue is one of those lines (on the Stamp).

-MattG

GordonMcComb · 2012-04-01 09:30

While I've learned never to say never, the latest picture you posted certainly makes it look like the Ping is damaged. The bubble on the back of the chip is right over where the V+ line comes in (center of the connection header). That might certainly indicate that because of the over-volting the SX chip that drives the Ping has suffered an injury.

Go here to test just the Ping, removing everything else from the picture (no servos). You'll be able to see the actual values the Ping is reporting.

http://sites.google.com/site/parallaxinretailstores/home/ping-ultrasonic-distance-sensor

From there, you can physically disconnect the Ping, and run the BOE-Bot activity that demonstrates putting the servos through the paces. In other words, what you want to do is isolate the pieces, and try each one separately. Isolate not just in code, but by physically disconnecting parts as you systematically test. Do the same for the Ping servo, just sweeping it back and forth. Disconnect everything else when you make this test.

-- Gordon

mikev · 2012-04-01 13:50

I tested the ping sensor as suggested. I disconnected everything and used the example code on the product page. The ping sensor does not repond. Always reads zero. Even when I switched output pins. So it looks as I will be aquiring a new ping sensor in the future. The stutter of the ping servo, It happens to any servo, so I dusted off my PDB board and moved only the BS2 there with a new servo.

The new servo also stutters as the code is run. It looks as I hit two birds with ten 10 volts and will also be in the market for a new bs2. Thanks for the replies.

Matt Gilliland · 2012-04-02 20:39

Hey mikev-
No worries...We've all "let the magic smoke" out many times also :frown:
It's all part of the fun? of it!

Please PM me with your shipping address, ok? Let's get you fixed up...:thumb:
-MattG

mikev · 2012-04-07 12:28

Thank you to Matt Gilliland for his generosity of sending myself a new basic stamp 2 and new ping sensor. The Boe Bot is again fully functional. Although I will have many future questions about gracefully letting the smoke out. Which brings up my first. How to apply power through the breadboard while stepping down the voltage. An isolated voltage regulator must be applied at some point. First allow me to read my two new books that I have aquired: The Microcontroller Application Cookbook and The Microcontroller Application Cookbook 2. I have future plans for various modules as well: compass, gps, etc.. Im glad to be allowed/apart of the forums.

Thanks everyone. Also I can not express enough thanks to Matt. I wish I could do more for you...right now buying more stuff is gonna have to work. Thanks again everyone. :thumb:

Puff the Magic Boe Bot

Comments