Major Servo Boe-Bot trouble extreme help Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peter · 2005-01-04 02:45

I need extreme help. When I first got my Boe-Bot it worked fine. The servos worked fine and everything. Until I reconstructed the Boe Bot from scratch just for fun. Now the servos wilL OPERATE but the commands are way messed up. When I put in the code Pulsout 13, 850 and Pulsout 12, 650 the Boe-Bot will turn instead of going backward. Same for forward. It will keep turning. And also Port servo Port 13 will not work. I am so frustrated because I can not work on it anymore. Also by messing with the podometer I got it to go backwards then it I used the forward code and it would turn. Everything is screud up. I can't program it anymore. I need MAJOR Help on this. Please help. Also I got new servos that work on a different Boe-Bot but won't work on mine. I did everything I could possibley imagine even reinstall the basic stamp software and it does the same thing. I just got this thing and I don't want to throw it away. PLEASEEEEEEEEEE HELPPPPPPPPP.

Tony B. · 2005-01-04 03:00

Peter,

When you say port 13 isn't working - Does this mean the servo isn't turning?

Are the servos pluged in correctly? - that is plug in the correct way and not fliped.

Is the servo on port 12 turning - thus making it turn in circles?

Does the servo on port 13 work OK when plugged in port 12?

Have you tried using the other servo ports instead of 13? - you will have to change code to match port used.

Have you redone the centering proceedures for each servo.

Hope these questions help.

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Tony

·

Jon Williams · 2005-01-04 03:25

Take a deep breath ... exhale slowly. Ready?....

Disconnect the servo from pin 13 and connect an LED circuit to it

P13 ---[noparse][[/noparse]470]---|>|--- Vss

Now try this:

Main: 
  HIGH 13 
  PAUSE 500 
  LOW 13 
  PAUSE 500 
  GOTO Main

Does the LED blink? If yes, P13 is working fine.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA

Peter · 2005-01-04 04:35

Okay I did it and it worked. Weird but it worked.

Now on to the bigger problem notice this program:

Do
·· Pulsout 13, 650
·· Pulout 12, 850
Loop
This program will make it go forward right. Well with mine it goes Left. I have tried other combinations and they all leed to to the Boe bOT going either right or Left. This means that I can't go forward or backward. It keeps doing this. And none of my first programs work anymore. And centering the servos has done nothing. These servos are tested with other Boe Bots and work perfect. But with my Boe Bot they keep doing everything I don't want them to do
Program
·Do
· Pulsout 13, 850
· Pulsout 12, 650
· Pause 20
·Loop

This program makes the Boe Bot go backwards. And this program works. But the forward program doesn't. Forward=Left and Right=backward

See the problem

Remember these servos are perfect. Nothing wrong with the servos. They work on other Boe-Bots.
·

Jon Williams · 2005-01-04 05:27

Notice how your first loop is missing the PAUSE 20 line? That's important.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA

Peter · 2005-01-04 06:54

Well it doesn't matter if I put a pause in it or not it will still do the same thing. I think there is a major software problem in my robot. Pause doesn't matter.

Jon Williams · 2005-01-04 08:23

I agree that your code is the problem ... perhaps you should post the whole thing so we can help you sort it out.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA

Peter · 2005-01-04 08:29

Okay here is the Code I used and what it does

Do
···· Pulsout 13, 650
···· Pulsout 12, 850
·····Pause 20
Loop

This code makes it go Left which is wrong. It should go Forward.

This code should make it go right
Do
·· Pulsout 13, 850
·· Pulsout 12, 850
·· Pause 20
Loop

This makes it go backward but it should go right

See this is a major problem. No Boe-Bot should do this
·

Andy Lindsay (Parallax) · 2005-01-04 19:59

Does your Boe-Bot have continuous rotation servos? If so, they may need to be recalibrated. The instructions for recalibrating Parallax continuous rotation servos are in Robotics with the Boe-Bot, which is available for free download from www.parallax.com -> Downloads -> Stamps in Class Tutorials. The instructions for centering the servos are in Chapter 2, Activity #4 and #6.

Peter · 2005-01-05 01:16

No it doesn't have continious rotation servos.

The servos when put with codes that make it go backwards or forward to opposite things. Like puting in the code for backward makes it go right and the code for Right makes it go Backward. Please help. And no it IT Is not the programming. I have run through a million times the programming and that is not it.

Jon Williams · 2005-01-05 01:31

Peter:

A Boe-Bot robot requires continuous rotation servos to move -- if you robot will back up without stopping, the servos are CR.

And now ... please, please, please attach your ENTIRE program, that will make helping you possible. At this point, you've not provided any more information that another user could use to help you. Help us help you: attach the WHOLE program.

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Jon Williams
Applications Engineer, Parallax
Dallas, TX· USA

Andy Lindsay (Parallax) · 2005-01-05 03:17

Along with posting the program you are using, please report the labeling on your servo. It's underneith the wheel. You may have to remove it to view the label.

Peter · 2005-01-05 07:01

Okay here is the program

Do
· Pulsout 14, 650
· Pulsout 12, 650
Loop

This will make the Robot turns right

This program is for right

Do
··· Pulsout 14, 850
··· Pulsout 13, 650
Loop

This will make the robot go backward. Very odd. And I had this robot for 2 days. I noticed the robot going to the left a little bit so I reconstructed the Boe Bot so that the servos screws were tighter etc. Then everything went to hell. It started doing all this junk. It works for to days I rebuild·it and it goes crazy. I also got new servos for the Boe-Bot and it still won't work. I think there is a problem with the Board of Education I have. I am also try to work on a different computer for my Boe-Bot. I would laugh so hard if it was my computer that was the problem. I will test this tommorrow.

The only command that seems to work is the actual command for forward 850, 850 and that's it.

The label on the servos are parrallax continuous rotation.

Andy Lindsay (Parallax) · 2005-01-05 08:16

That's some pretty freaky code you've got going there.

I strongly recommend that you slow down, and backtrack (or perhaps visit for the first time) the instructions in the book that came with the Boe-Bot. It takes you step by step through everything you need to do to make sure your Boe-Bot is running properly. When you skip steps, it pretty much ensures that you will have exactly the problems you are complaining about. To get the thing to work right, you've got to at least follow the instructions with checkmarks next to them.

You said that your servos do not have any adjustment holes in them. Well, you also said that they are labeled "Parallax Continuous Rotation". If this is true, there darn well should be some holes for adjusting the servos. Please double-check that for me. If they have the labels you said, but no adjusting holes, contact me via private message (PM), because we'll want to take a closer look at your servos.

On the other hand, if it turns out that your servos actually do have adjusting holes, continue as follows:

Go back to Chapter 2, Activity #3, and make sure your servos are connected to your Board of Education properly. If your Boe-Bot has a Board of Education Rev C, you will only need to do the first five pages of that activity. There are two especially important details you will have to check:

· 1) Did you plug the servos into ports 12 and 13?
· 2) Did you observe the color code rules?

Okay, next, on to Chapter 2, Activity #4. You will probably have to disconnect your servos from the Boe-Bot chassis for this. Enter, save, and run CenterServoP12.bs2. Double-check your typing to make sure you didn't make any mistakes. Here is a summary of what the instructions with the checkmarks next to them will have you do: Verify that the servo connected to P12 stays still. If it turns, you will need to adjust it with a screwdriver as shown in Figure 2-24. Be careful, and don't turn or push too hard with the screwdriver. You will then need to repeat the process for the servo connected to P13, using CenterServoP13.bs2.

Next, move to Chapter 2, Activity #6. Try each of the example programs there, again, following the instructions with the checkmarks. DO NOT SKIP ANY OF THE PROGRAMS OR CHECKMARKS. After you have verified that your programs can control clockwise and counterclockwise motion, for each servo individually as well as together, then you will be ready to re-attach your servos to the Boe-Bot chassis.

In Chapter 3, Activity #1, there's a section called Mounting the Servos on the Chassis. Use it to properly label your L and R servo. Then, use Figure 3-10 to make sure you've got your servos reconnected properly.

In Chapter 3, Activity #2, you will learn which is the left and which is the right servo. You will then re-test the Boe-Bot's right servo. In the Your Turn section, you will modify the example program so that it tests the left servo. Again, follow the checkmark instructions.

Do Chapter 3, Activity #3 so that you've got your low battery indicator (piezospeaker).

At this point, you'll probably want to skip to Chapter 4, Activity #1. Try ForwardLeftRightBackward.bs2. If you've followed the instructions carefully up to this point, it should work as advertised.

In the interest of avoiding problems that can come from typing mistakes, I have attached the programs the book instructs you to enter, save and run in the BASIC Stamp Editor.· Use them as you follow allong with the book's checkmarked instructions.

Post Edited (Andy Lindsay) : 1/5/2005 8:30:51 AM GMT

Tom Walker · 2005-01-05 14:32

Peter,
I don't know if it was just a typo, but the code you posted addresses different pins between the "forward/backward" and the "turn right" routines. Also, I believe you are missing the PBASIC 2.5 directive necessary to use the DO...LOOP construct.

Unless, of course, you didn't post the whole of the code...

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XYZZY...PLUGH...*poof*

GerryL · 2005-01-05 18:00

I'm just a beginner here, but don't you also need a PAUSE 20 if they are continuous rotating servos?· I know I let one out once and didn't get the expected results.

-Gerry

SumoBoter · 2005-01-05 21:10

Not all continuous servos have centering pots on them, I too have two continuous servos that DO NOT have the pots, and I am also having trouble with servos not responding correctly, one is completly dead and was right from the start and the other operates very erraticly.

Peter · 2005-01-06 07:22

Well guys with your help I got my servos to work. It was a centering problem. I thought I had already·centered them but guess not. Anyway thanks for your help.

George Sutton · 2005-01-06 17:31

Peter said...
Well guys with your help I got my servos to work. It was a centering problem. I thought I had already·centered them but guess not. Anyway thanks for your help. ·

That was it?· Hmm.

Major Servo Boe-Bot trouble extreme help Please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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