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Defective Jack? — Parallax Forums

Defective Jack?

Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
edited 2007-01-15 16:01 in Robotics
Well i've had my board of education for about a year now and i never really cared about the jack until recently. But the battery pack that came with it doesnt seem to power the bot. I know the batteries arent dead because i tested them so could it be the jack on the board? Is there i way to fix it?

Comments

  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-13 22:12
    well i dont have a battery tester so i cant test the board, but i know that the battery holder works because when i put my batteries in it had a charge, So i geuss i need to buy a tester and check the current along the way of the board from the jack....

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-01-13 23:27
    Radio Shack has multimeters from $16 (like: www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2103534&cp=2032058.2032235.2032305&parentPage=family). Jameco has them as cheap as $10 (like: www.jameco.com/Jameco/catalogs/c253/P225.pdf).

    4 rechargable batteries will supply (at best - under load) 4.8V which is a little too low for proper operation of a Stamp. It may work, but it's not designed to run reliably at this voltage. You need a battery pack with 5 rechargables (NiCd or NiMH) that'll yield 6V typically.
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-14 01:26
    then why does it come with the bot? lol
    It doesnt seem to have any use if it cant maintain enough charge.

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • FranklinFranklin Posts: 4,747
    edited 2007-01-14 02:22
    The 4 cell pack that comes with the bot is for alkaline batteries that put out 1.5v each. Rechargable batteries put out 1.2v each thus 6v vs 4.8v.

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  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-01-14 02:31
    Monkey4sale said...
    Well i've had my board of education for about a year now and i never really cared about the jack until recently. But the battery pack that came with it doesnt seem to power the bot. I know the batteries arent dead because i tested them so could it be the jack on the board? Is there i way to fix it?
    You do not state that you are using rechargeable batteries. Nor do you indicate how you tested your batteries to determine --not that they "aren't dead"-- but that they have enough charge left in them to power the system. Your batteries may not be "dead" and yet still not be powerful enough to operate your system.

    The first thing you might do is to install new batteries (4 x 1.5 volt type) and see if your system begins working again. If so, then your original batteries were "effectively" dead.

    PAR
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-14 02:41
    i did insert brand new batteries from the package into it. I tested it by licking the jack. The batteries are not rechargable.

    But if i did have 100% charged batteries Mike Green said it would not be enough to run(and in my opinion even if it was it probably wouldnt be for very long) so does the battery holder that comes with it even worth the trouble?

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • quispqixquispqix Posts: 64
    edited 2007-01-14 02:47
    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to use you other tounge or a VOM!!!

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    skype me: quispqix
    echolink: 184783 KC0LGV
  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-01-14 02:57
    Monkey4sale said...
    i did insert brand new batteries from the package into it. I tested it by licking the jack. The batteries are not rechargable.

    But if i did have 100% charged batteries Mike Green said it would not be enough to run(and in my opinion even if it was it probably wouldnt be for very long) so does the battery holder that comes with it even worth the trouble?

    Actually, Mike G said that RECHARGEABLE batteries MAY or may not be adequate, and in any case will not last long if they do work initially, and to use five rechargeables.

    Did your Bot run after you inserted the new (not rechargeable, but alkaline 1.5volt) batteries?

    "Licking" will not tell you whether the battery pack is putting out enough juice to run the bot (and it's a very bad practice, safety-wise). If licking worked, Radio Shack and dozens of other vendors would not be able to sell battery testers.

    In any case, it does sound like your bot's power circuitry·needs further examination (assuming that it still did not run after you installed new batteries), or else your "new" batteries are not fresh (full charged capacity).

    PAR

    ·
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-14 02:59
    no it has never run when i added batteries fresh or old, it only works with the 9 volt.

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • PARPAR Posts: 285
    edited 2007-01-14 03:39
    Monkey4sale said...
    no it has never run when i added batteries fresh or old, it only works with the 9 volt.

    Dunno which board revision you have, but...

    Check out Figure 2-12, page 61,·in the manual,

    http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/books/edu/Roboticsv2_2.pdf

    (showing how the jumper should be installed).

    Is your jumper correctly installed for the battery pack use?

    PAR
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-14 14:10
    I have a REV B, but the only difference between the two is that REV B is USB.

    EDIT: IT WORKED
    PAR said...
    Dunno which board revision you have, but...

    Check out Figure 2-12, page 61,·in the manual,

    http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/books/edu/Roboticsv2_2.pdf

    (showing how the jumper should be installed).

    Is your jumper correctly installed for the battery pack use?

    PAR
    Dont you just love when you skip over the minute details?

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.

    Post Edited (Monkey4sale) : 1/14/2007 2:16:11 PM GMT
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-14 21:28
    the jumper lol

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • quispqixquispqix Posts: 64
    edited 2007-01-15 06:49
    you must have forgot to lick the jumper, I forget to do that sometimes.


    Monkey4Sale,
    In all seriousness, You could really kill yourself or hurt yourself by "licking" batteries,
    components or electronic circuits. Components in circuit can carry current. And your body and the floor
    are in the Ohm's law equation ,... V=I*R R=I*V and the floor = GROUND, your heart is located between your toung and the floor
    (or ground, EARTH GROUND, NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "THE" GROUND) Electronic stuff contain
    A LOT of chemicals most of which are hazzardous to your health. A simple Volt Ohm Meter,
    inexpensive at $20. to $50.00 may save your life, and also keep you from seeing smoke.
    No one in the group is trying to dissuade your Boe-Bot project, Everyone here want to hear of your results for the good.
    Electronics is a wonderful career, and or hobby, please try not to "lick" batteries, and
    from one of my professor/teachers at Pikes Peak Community College I learned that (believe it or not) batteries are more dangerous than the AC outlet. And solder may contain lead. nono.gif

    you may want to check out a VOM with continuity check so you can test a pc trace and continuity is helpful for multiple wires
    to determine you have the right wire. some will also help you determine capacitance as well as resistance, moving up the line you can get one to test the Hfe of a transistor and reverse current of a diode

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    skype me: quispqix
    echolink: 184783 KC0LGV

    Post Edited (quispqix) : 1/15/2007 7:38:35 AM GMT
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-15 15:42
    well i found an ampprobe buried in a toolbox in my garage that can measure volts, but how can i use it to test along the path of the current? I can test the batterie(s) but othing happens when i touch the board with it.

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
  • quispqixquispqix Posts: 64
    edited 2007-01-15 15:56
    To test your batteries you connect the - black on the VOM to - on your batteries or common on your circuit. then you attach + red on
    the VOM to + on the batteries or the point on your circuit. Do not touch two points at the the same time with the same probe, you may short the circuit and see smoke if you do. to measure current you must break the circuit and put your VOM in current mode and make your VOM in current mode a part of the circuit. you can do some searches on your browser to learn how to use a VOM

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    Drink Milk!
    skype me: quispqix
    echolink: 184783 KC0LGV
  • Monkey4saleMonkey4sale Posts: 28
    edited 2007-01-15 16:01
    lol, i know about the batteries, thats the simple part, But alright i'll look on the internet for how to use it on[noparse]:D[/noparse]iodes,voltage,Current, and resistence

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    When you see the pretty smoke come from a component. It is time to go shopping again.
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