Problems getting HB25 motor controllers to communicate reliably with Propeller Activity Board WX

TCIII

Hi All,
I have paired a Propeller Activity Board WX with two HB25 motor controllers attached to two Eddie Motor/Wheel Assemblies. I am using the Arlo wheel encoders for feedback.
I followed this forum thread to get my hybrid configuration up and running.
I was able to calibrate the configuration, but it is hit or miss when I try to run C code commands such as drive_speed(left, right) or such to get the HB25s to respond to the PAB servo outputs (P12/P13). I have tried different turn on sequences between the HB25s and the PAB to no avail. I know that the HB25s are finicky when it comes to responding to servo PWM signals and power up sequences. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated as to how to resolve this HB25 issue.
Regards,
TCIII

Duane Degn

I don't use C code for my Propeller projects much. Most of the C code I have used was the code generated by the Blockly interface.

I recall reading the HB25s would be finicky but I don't recall having trouble them myself.

If you post your code and remind me which IDE to use, I'll upload your code to my robot and see if the motors behave as expected.

TCIII

Hi Duane,

Thanks for the response, much appreciated.

I am using the SimpleIDE with my Propeller Activity Board WX.

Please go to this Parallax Forum thread, download the Arlo IR Controlled Nav and Talk with WAV file in post #3, and run the Forward Stop Face Right.side program and post the results you get with various power up sequences for the Propeller Activity Board WX and HB25s.
1) I have tried powering them up together and then running the program which resulted in no response from the HB25s.
2) Powering up the Propeller Activity Board WX first and then the HB25s and then running the program which resulted in no response from the HB25s.
3) Powering up the Propeller Activity Board WX and then powering up the HB25s after the program was compiled and before it was loaded into the Propeller Activity Board WX, which resulted in no response from the HB25s.
4) Leaving the Propeller Activity Board WX running, turning off the HB25s, loading the program into the Propeller Activity Board WX and turning the HB25s on which resulted in the HB25s responding to the Propeller Activity Board WX, but not performing according to the loaded program.
5) Leaving the HB25s on and reloading the Propeller Activity Board WX with the program resulted in the HB25s performing according to the loaded program.

Regards,
TCIII

TCIII

@"Duane Degn" ,

Any luck with the Forward Stop Face Right.side program in the Arlo IR Controlled Nav and Talk with WAV file?

I have basically given up on getting consistent PWM communication performance between the Propeller Activity Board and the HB25s.

So I took an alternate approach: A Basic Micro Roboclaw 2x7A Motor Controller that is fully programmable for RC/MCU PWM control.

After programming the Roboclaw 2x7A Motor Controller basic features and making sure the Roboclaw could control the Eddie Motor/Wheel Assemblies using the Basic Micro Motion Studio, I setup the Roboclaw for RC-MCU control and proceeded to calibrate the Motor/Wheel Assembly Encoders using the Arlo Calibrate.side program, from the Arlo IR Controlled Nav and Talk with WAV file, which completed without any issues.

I then ran the Forward Stop Face Right.side program, from the Arlo IR Controlled Nav and Talk with WAV file, which performed as expected.

The Propeller Activity Board consistently communicates with the Roboclaw 2x7A Motor Controller whether the Roboclaw 2x7A Motor Controller is energized simultaneously with the Propeller Activity Board or energized after the Propeller Activity Board is energized and has booted up.

Unfortunately it looks like the HB25 Motor Controllers are going back into my junk box once again.

Regards,
TCIII

Duane Degn

I haven't installed SimpleIDE. My C drive is full and the SimpleIDE installer won't allow the stall location to be changed. I need to figure out how to move my C drive to a larger drive.

Most software will let you chose which folder to install the software. The Windows SimpleIDE installer doesn't have this option.

Once I figure out how to migrate my C drive to a larger drive, I'll try it again.

doggiedoc

@"Duane Degn" - I've had some good success with Macrium Reflect to Clone to larger drives. It has a very well equipped free version.

Paul

TCIII

@"Duane Degn",

I added a 12 vdc relay module in series with the Roboclaw's 12 vdc power input that can be controlled by one of the Propeller Activity Board's digital outputs.

Now when I bootup the Propeller Activity Board I also supply 12 vdc to Roboclaw, but the Roboclaw will not bootup until the 12 vdc relay module is energized by the Propeller Activity Board.

I have the following C code energize the Roboclaw through the 12 vdc relay module and then provide a stopped value of 1500 us for a quarter of a second:

high(6);
drive_speed(0, 0);
pause(250);

Works great at getting the Roboclaw PWM input synchronized with the Propeller Activity Board PWM output.

I can also have the C code deenergize the Roboclaw by sending a low(6); to the 12 vdc relay module once the C code program has completed.

Based on my experience attempting to use the HB25 motor controller with the Propeller Activity Board, I do not recommend using the HB25 for motor control with the Propeller Activity Board.

TCIII

Duane Degn

@TCIII said:
Based on my experience attempting to use the HB25 motor controller with the Propeller Activity Board, I do not recommend using the HB25 for motor control with the Propeller Activity Board.

As I mentioned before, I used the HB25 many times with a Propeller Activity Board. I don't recall ever having trouble with the motor controllers when using Spin.

I'm looking for the 1TB hard drive I purchased a while ago so I can use the software recommended by @doggiedoc and get my computer functioning properly.

Even though it says it has over 7GB free, it's not enough for all the weird stuff Windows does in the background. Getting my C drive upgraded will solve all sorts of problems besides not being able to install SimpleIDE.

TCIII

@"Duane Degn" said:

@TCIII said:
Based on my experience attempting to use the HB25 motor controller with the Propeller Activity Board, I do not recommend using the HB25 for motor control with the Propeller Activity Board.

As I mentioned before, I used the HB25 many times with a Propeller Activity Board. I don't recall ever having trouble with the motor controllers when using Spin.

Yes, I have used spin code for controlling the HB25s with a Propeller 1 a number of years ago and had no issues. However, I have moved on to C code as if feel that it is more universal of a programming language.

TCIII

TCIII

Since the Parallax HB25 motor controllers are no longer available from Parallax and the Roboclaw 2x7A Motor Controller has met my motor controller requirements when used with the Propeller Activity Board WX, I recommend closing this thread.

Regards,
TCIII