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Boe rev b problems — Parallax Forums

Boe rev b problems

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2002-08-27 22:36 in General Discussion
Hi,

I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the two
servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
robot spins around instead of going ahead.
Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.

Thanks a lot.

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-23 20:40
    In a message dated 08/23/2002 15:05:13 Eastern Daylight Time,
    thekoookooo@y... writes:


    > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the two
    > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
    > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    >

    Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other servo goes from
    750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back. The servos
    actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted 180 degrees
    from the other.

    Sid


    [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-23 23:27
    This is why I turn the motor around on one of my servos -- it makes it
    easier than remembering one is backwards.

    Original Message

    > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the two
    > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
    > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > >
    >
    > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other servo goes
    from
    > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back. The servos
    > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted 180 degrees
    > from the other.
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 01:31
    Hi,

    All i'm saying is that the commands

    pulsout 3,715
    pause 20
    pulsout 15,715
    pause 20


    on my first BOE, turned the both motors in the right direction, and
    the robot advanced. On my second BOE, the robot spins when I use
    those commands.





    --- In basicstamps@y..., Newzed@a... wrote:
    > In a message dated 08/23/2002 15:05:13 Eastern Daylight Time,
    > thekoookooo@y... writes:
    >
    >
    > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the
    two
    > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
    > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > >
    >
    > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other servo
    goes from
    > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back. The
    servos
    > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted 180
    degrees
    > from the other.
    >
    > Sid
    >
    >
    > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 01:52
    Sounds to me like the old servos had a motor hack and the new ones did not.
    It could also be that the neutral value for the servos is so far off that
    one runs forwards and one runs backwards.

    If you take two identical servos and do the continuous rotation hack, mount
    them back to back on a robot, then issue the same pulsout values to both of
    them, the robot will spin. Both servos are turning the same direction, but
    one is physically backwards from the other.

    Original Message

    > All i'm saying is that the commands
    >
    > pulsout 3,715
    > pause 20
    > pulsout 15,715
    > pause 20
    >
    >
    > on my first BOE, turned the both motors in the right direction, and
    > the robot advanced. On my second BOE, the robot spins when I use
    > those commands.

    > > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the
    > two
    > > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
    > > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > > >
    > >
    > > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other servo
    > goes from
    > > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back. The
    > servos
    > > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted 180
    > degrees
    > > from the other.
    > >
    > > Sid
    > >
    > >
    > > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
    >
    >
    > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.
    >
    >
    > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    >
    >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 02:05
    Well,

    Actually the old servos were from Parallax, the new ones are HITEC
    servos modified by miself for continuos rotation. I just replaced the
    pot with 2 2K resistors in series. Maybe I did't wired them
    properly...






    --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > Sounds to me like the old servos had a motor hack and the new ones
    did not.
    > It could also be that the neutral value for the servos is so far
    off that
    > one runs forwards and one runs backwards.
    >
    > If you take two identical servos and do the continuous rotation
    hack, mount
    > them back to back on a robot, then issue the same pulsout values to
    both of
    > them, the robot will spin. Both servos are turning the same
    direction, but
    > one is physically backwards from the other.
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >
    > > All i'm saying is that the commands
    > >
    > > pulsout 3,715
    > > pause 20
    > > pulsout 15,715
    > > pause 20
    > >
    > >
    > > on my first BOE, turned the both motors in the right direction,
    and
    > > the robot advanced. On my second BOE, the robot spins when I use
    > > those commands.
    >
    > > > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug
    the
    > > two
    > > > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board,
    the
    > > > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > > > >
    > > >
    > > > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other
    servo
    > > goes from
    > > > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back.
    The
    > > servos
    > > > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted
    180
    > > degrees
    > > > from the other.
    > > >
    > > > Sid
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@y...
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > >
    > >
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 03:16
    Ahh...

    I never remove the pot and install resistors -- I always leave the pot
    intact so I can pop the top, take the one gear off and tweak the pot so both
    servos have matching values for the stopped position.

    Original Message

    > Actually the old servos were from Parallax, the new ones are HITEC
    > servos modified by miself for continuos rotation. I just replaced the
    > pot with 2 2K resistors in series. Maybe I did't wired them
    > properly...
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 03:34
    Actually I modified the servos as described in this article:
    http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/ideas/continuous/continuous.html

    but I realise now that I made a mistake: I've used 2K resistors
    instead of 2.4K. Maybe that's the problem...
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 04:20
    I think somehow you got one servo that is reversed versus the normal forward
    one
    on that first BOE bot. Maybe when the early ones were shipping they did it
    for you way back then.
    If one servo is reversed, then the same command would work for both causing
    the bot to move forward and not spin in a circle.

    Original Message
    From: thekoookooo [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=iZqty8cR0DvqirzTREvoXh0yQmApGRV_BKvTUQaXKH4O4_NtPwFkvWIK_gE6tA6E9EbTCWb8yX9rGaIPQOuH]thekoookooo@y...[/url
    Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 7:31 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: BOE REV B PROBLEMS


    Hi,

    All i'm saying is that the commands

    pulsout 3,715
    pause 20
    pulsout 15,715
    pause 20


    on my first BOE, turned the both motors in the right direction, and
    the robot advanced. On my second BOE, the robot spins when I use
    those commands.





    --- In basicstamps@y..., Newzed@a... wrote:
    > In a message dated 08/23/2002 15:05:13 Eastern Daylight Time,
    > thekoookooo@y... writes:
    >
    >
    > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug the
    two
    > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board, the
    > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > >
    >
    > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other servo
    goes from
    > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back. The
    servos
    > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted 180
    degrees
    > from the other.
    >
    > Sid
    >
    >
    > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 04:20
    No you got it OK if it's working. I think the old bot had a servo reversed
    for you by Parallax.

    Original Message
    From: thekoookooo [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=nHV7Ywol2RQI6VO8Fc47OUo2r3b_2LMD0DMMnQlSb6IoHcWTVg1Y-cIskq-AN3us5yQwmTyW8VdVrC-ZGio]thekoookooo@y...[/url
    Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 8:05 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: BOE REV B PROBLEMS



    Well,

    Actually the old servos were from Parallax, the new ones are HITEC
    servos modified by miself for continuos rotation. I just replaced the
    pot with 2 2K resistors in series. Maybe I did't wired them
    properly...






    --- In basicstamps@y..., Rodent <daweasel@s...> wrote:
    > Sounds to me like the old servos had a motor hack and the new ones
    did not.
    > It could also be that the neutral value for the servos is so far
    off that
    > one runs forwards and one runs backwards.
    >
    > If you take two identical servos and do the continuous rotation
    hack, mount
    > them back to back on a robot, then issue the same pulsout values to
    both of
    > them, the robot will spin. Both servos are turning the same
    direction, but
    > one is physically backwards from the other.
    >
    >
    Original Message
    >
    > > All i'm saying is that the commands
    > >
    > > pulsout 3,715
    > > pause 20
    > > pulsout 15,715
    > > pause 20
    > >
    > >
    > > on my first BOE, turned the both motors in the right direction,
    and
    > > the robot advanced. On my second BOE, the robot spins when I use
    > > those commands.
    >
    > > > > I just got my BOE rev B and here is my problem: when i plug
    the
    > > two
    > > > > servo motors of my BOEBOT in the special plugs of the board,
    the
    > > > > robot spins around instead of going ahead.
    > > > > Why? This didn't occured with my other BOE.
    > > > >
    > > >
    > > > Remember that one servo goes from 750 to 1500 and the other
    servo
    > > goes from
    > > > 750 to 0. That will give you straight ahead or straight back.
    The
    > > servos
    > > > actually rotate in the same direction but one servo is mounted
    180
    > > degrees
    > > > from the other.
    > > >
    > > > Sid
    > > >
    > > >
    > > > [noparse][[/noparse]Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
    > >
    > >
    > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    > > basicstamps-unsubscribe@y...
    > > from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the
    Subject and
    > Body of the message will be ignored.
    > >
    > >
    > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
    > >
    > >


    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
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  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-24 04:20
    Heck, your lucky I never got the resistors to work for me.
    I always wind up using the pot in the servo or hooking up a small external
    one to make centering the servo easier. What I'd do is measure the
    resistance of the pot itself, and try to match up two resistors to match
    that closely. Some servos aren't using 5k pots, but some other value.
    Some servos are nice in that you can take a small jeweler's screwdriver and
    reach down through the output gear shaft to the pot (it has a slotted shaft
    end for this) and tweak it a bit for centering (you turn it a bit one way or
    the other slightly). Unfortunately, most of the inexpensive servos nowadays
    don't have that feature anymore. Of course in the newer RC radio equipment
    they have all sorts of features built in to the transmitter negating the
    need for it anymore too.

    If you want to reverse a servo, it is quite simple, reverse the two outside
    wires on the pot (leave the wiper or center wire alone), then reverse the
    two wires on the motor. Then recenter the servo (it'll be off until you
    recenter it) and your in business.

    Original Message
    From: thekoookooo [noparse]/noparse]mailto:[url=http://forums.parallaxinc.com/group/basicstamps/post?postID=dCbu1feict_8MGe901YYVuE7VISNsecGPqFH6Q796Kscoa0Zzh11sPViU9FdECfu6zY3nybY1xI56T3MyA]thekoookooo@y...[/url
    Sent: Friday, August 23, 2002 9:35 PM
    To: basicstamps@yahoogroups.com
    Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: BOE REV B PROBLEMS


    Actually I modified the servos as described in this article:
    http://www.acroname.com/robotics/info/ideas/continuous/continuous.html

    but I realise now that I made a mistake: I've used 2K resistors
    instead of 2.4K. Maybe that's the problem...


    To UNSUBSCRIBE, just send mail to:
    basicstamps-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
    from the same email address that you subscribed. Text in the Subject and
    Body of the message will be ignored.


    Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2002-08-27 22:36
    Manufacturers used to make reversed servos. Most all modern
    radios have reversing now, so you don't see them anymore. There is
    no standard as to which way is forward/reverse so it may be
    different between brands.
    > I think somehow you got one servo that is reversed versus the normal
    > forward one on that first BOE bot. Maybe when the early ones were shipping
    > they did it for you way back then. If one servo is reversed, then the same
    > command would work for both causing the bot to move forward and not spin
    > in a circle.
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