#robotics Logs

Nov 09 2011

10:02 theBear woah zhanx, get it together, man
10:03 theBear sidenote for rue the visually impaired, for at least the last 5 hours zhanx has been connect timeout cycling like that american dude that's into cycling, amstrong ? the important thing is i dunno, yer lucky you don't see connect/disconnects ;)
12:40 Steffanx bb
12:40 Steffanx Hehe that's what happens when you're online with 3 accounts
13:07 ckkitten rolls aor
13:07 hackkitten around*
13:50 Steffanx Have fun hackkitten
13:52 hackkitten thanks ^-^
18:10 zhanx sorry about that i was gone etc and internet was being stupid
18:11 Tom_itx yup
18:11 zhanx so... i have a month that i will not be able to do stuff like walking etc.. ideas?
18:11 zhanx getting knee surgery
18:13 Tom_itx irc alot
18:13 zhanx lol
18:13 Tom_itx better pile up the electronics on the table beforehand
18:14 zhanx yep
18:14 zhanx i will be changing my room around to handle the leg this week
19:19 home wow,
19:19 home WOW
19:19 home my code didnt run... not sure why.. gotta verify lol
19:19 home BUT
19:19 home my arm went crazy today
19:19 home the potentiometer preset was changed
19:19 home so it went down towards the robot..uyrggh
19:19 home need to be able to change it manually, so that I can set new presets >.>
19:24 home potentiometers.. arrgh
19:37 coppermine any of you have a pololu motor controller?
19:37 coppermine im using it for the first time and trying to get rid of the kill/limit red warning
19:43 rue_house biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig power outage
20:06 Tom_itx rue_house how's that affect things at the heatplant?
20:08 rue_house the heatplant is completely shut down
20:14 Tom_itx like japan?
20:16 rue_house no, my gen is 400' over the waterlevel
20:28 zhanx sure
20:28 zhanx 400" he says from a metric country
20:28 zhanx er.. '
20:36 coppermine i cant get themotor to start, kill/limit switch error is on
20:36 coppermine pololu motor controller
20:36 coppermine why?
20:37 Tom_itx enable it
20:37 Tom_itx or find a short somewhere
20:37 Tom_itx motor wired wrong
20:37 coppermine how do i enable it
20:37 coppermine its easy
20:37 coppermine out a
20:37 coppermine out b
20:37 coppermine how is it wired wrong?
20:38 Tom_itx never seen one before. i dunno
20:38 coppermine it doesnt say what goes on a or b
20:38 Tom_itx is it a stepper driver?
20:38 coppermine stepper?
20:38 coppermine dont know
20:38 coppermine its a pololu 18v15
20:38 coppermine brushed motor
20:38 coppermine 12v
20:39 Tom_itx link to controller
20:41 Tom_itx whatever
20:52 Birdee Anyone that is in FIRST Robotic Competition?
20:54 rue_shop PaRtY?
20:56 rue_shop pneumatic muscle
21:00 Tom_itx well phooey
21:07 rue_shop ?
21:07 rue_shop I wonder when the power outage was
21:07 rue_shop zlog,
21:08 rue_shop hmm
21:08 Tom_itx i don't store that stuff
21:08 Tom_itx but iirc steffanx commented on it
21:09 Tom_itx [12:40:40] <Steffanx> Hehe that's what happens when you're online with 3 accounts
21:32 rue_shop LED debugging saves the day again
21:32 rue_shop the ADC is screwing up my timer
21:33 Tom_itx how could that be?
21:38 rue_shop the timer interrupt isn't happening cause of the adc interrupt
21:39 Tom_itx adc trumps timer?
21:39 rue_shop aparently yes
21:41 rue_shop timer does like _-_-_-_-_ with no adc
21:41 rue_shop with adc its _-_-___-_-___-_-___-_-_____
21:42 Tom_itx it shouldn't
21:42 Tom_itx adc is vector 16
21:42 Tom_itx timer is above that
21:42 Tom_itx #define ADC_vect _VECTOR(16)
21:42 Tom_itx #define SIG_ADC _VECTOR(16)
21:42 rue_shop I have a scope that says it does
21:42 rue_shop whats the vector got ot dow ith priority?
21:43 Tom_itx order
21:43 Tom_itx top to bottom
21:43 rue_shop I dont think so
21:43 Tom_itx ask abcminiuser
21:43 Tom_itx i think it is
21:45 coppermine who's the one here who has a pololu motor controller?
21:45 coppermine orlok: is it you?
21:45 rue_shop copper! did you get your wheels put on?
21:46 coppermine not yet
21:46 rue_shop waiting for parts?
21:46 coppermine having problems getting the motor started
21:46 rue_shop hu?
21:46 coppermine the motor controller says there's a kill limit
21:46 rue_shop you mean turning?
21:46 coppermine which prevents it from turning
21:46 rue_shop current limit?
21:46 coppermine no
21:46 coppermine kill limit
21:47 coppermine i spent 2 hours trying ot figure it out
21:47 coppermine i mailed pololu
21:47 rue_shop do you have an url for an online pdf of the motor controller?
21:47 coppermine yes hang on
21:47 Tom_itx i asked him that and he left
21:47 rue_shop he prolly will again
21:47 Tom_itx rue_shop your answer lies in #avr
21:47 coppermine http://www.robotshop.com/pololu-motor-controller-40v-15a-2.html
21:48 coppermine then click on usefull links under the product
21:48 coppermine the manual is there
21:48 coppermine to download
21:48 coppermine i left cause i got rid of one other error
21:48 coppermine so i thoght it was gonna work
21:48 coppermine but i cant get rid of this one
21:50 rue_shop http://www.robotshop.com/content/PDF/user-guide-1376.pdf
21:50 coppermine right
21:51 rue_shop coppermine, if you hook the motor right up to power does it smoke or turn
21:51 rue_shop ?
21:51 coppermine i didnt try that
21:51 rue_shop give it a try
21:51 coppermine i have 4 of them
21:51 coppermine why?
21:51 coppermine they're new
21:51 rue_shop new != working
21:51 coppermine dont want it to free-spin
21:51 coppermine but i hooked 2 of them
21:52 rue_shop coppermine, its a test
21:52 coppermine one on each controller
21:52 coppermine both same problem
21:52 coppermine i doubt both wouldnt work
21:52 rue_shop when things dont work you perform tests to work out the problem
21:52 coppermine alright let me login from the other computer
21:52 rue_shop like if people who know more than you do offer you advise for a problem you want to solve, you follow their advise
21:52 rue_shop ugh
21:53 rue_shop tom see how frustrating it is?
21:53 rue_shop like if people who know more than you do offer you advise for a problem you want to solve, you follow their advise
21:53 Tom_itx some do
21:54 Tom_itx i'd let him work on it a week or so
21:54 rue_shop coppermine, are you using the usb software to operate it?
21:54 coppermine ok yes it works direcltly
21:54 coppermine on the 12v
21:54 rue_shop good!
21:54 rue_shop ok
21:54 coppermine yes im using usb on linux
21:54 coppermine and usb on windows i tried too
21:54 rue_shop coppermine, ok
21:55 coppermine same limit/kill problem
21:55 rue_shop it fomes up ok and the problem occurs if you try to move the motor?
21:55 coppermine what?
21:55 coppermine when i connect it directly to the 12v battery it spins
21:55 rue_shop it comes up ok, and the problem occurs if you try to move the motor?
21:55 coppermine when connected to the motor controller it does not
21:56 coppermine no
21:56 coppermine you dont understand
21:56 rue_shop when does the problem occur?
21:56 coppermine using the MC
21:56 coppermine it doesnt spin
21:56 rue_shop yes
21:56 coppermine i get the kill limit error
21:56 coppermine for the 3rd time telling you this
21:56 rue_shop I know that
21:56 rue_shop ok
21:57 rue_shop you wire it all up, and, without giving it commands it sits there doing nothing and not giving errors, right?
21:57 rue_shop oooh its a kill/limit SWITCH
21:57 rue_shop TH
21:57 rue_shop THATS DIFFERENT
21:57 rue_shop ok!
21:58 rue_shop we need to hook up the kill/limit switch
21:58 coppermine i dont have one
21:58 rue_shop (I'm reading hte datasheet)
21:58 rue_shop EXACTLY
21:58 Tom_itx you have wire
21:58 coppermine yes
21:58 Tom_itx make a swithch
21:58 rue_shop THATS YOUR PROBLEM
21:58 coppermine put ti in series?
21:58 coppermine from any point in the wire?
21:58 rue_shop I dont know yet
21:58 rue_shop please wait
21:59 rue_shop its to be hooked up to the analog input somehow
21:59 coppermine it doesnt say that in the manual tha its a requirement
21:59 coppermine does it
22:00 rue_shop I havnt' finished scrolling thru it yet
22:00 Tom_itx 47
22:01 rue_shop I'm only at 39
22:01 coppermine Tom_itx: doesnt say its a requirement
22:01 coppermine says if you want
22:01 Tom_itx 5.1.1
22:02 rue_shop hmm I'm not sure what pins to jumper yet
22:02 rue_shop - and S of soemthing
22:02 coppermine rue_shop: thats what im thinking
22:02 coppermine the jump is not placed by default
22:02 Tom_itx 7. Click the �Learn�� button for the channel in the Input Settings tab. The Channel Setup Wizard will walk you
22:02 Tom_itx through the steps needed to calibrate your limit switch�s scaling parameters.
22:03 coppermine Tom_itx: thats not valid for USB
22:03 rue_shop more or less than half the value, just jump it
22:03 coppermine only for RC/analog
22:03 rue_shop coppermine, how do you know its the kill switch causing the problem, does it say in the program?
22:03 coppermine yes
22:03 coppermine in red
22:03 rue_shop ok
22:04 coppermine and ti says it is prevent from started the motor
22:04 rue_shop jump (- and A1) and (- and A2)
22:04 coppermine ill just wait till their support team answrs me
22:04 coppermine i dont want to short circuit it
22:04 coppermine expensive baords
22:04 rue_shop jumping those is completely valid
22:04 rue_shop they will say the same thing
22:05 coppermine they only provid 1 jumper
22:05 coppermine so that doesnt make sense
22:05 coppermine to jump 4 pins
22:05 rue_shop no
22:05 rue_shop you have to look at the brackets
22:05 rue_shop - and A1
22:05 rue_shop DIFFERENT JUMPER
22:05 rue_shop - and A2
22:05 coppermine GND and A1 ?
22:05 coppermine - = ground?
22:05 coppermine negative?
22:05 rue_shop whats printed on the bottom of the baord
22:06 rue_shop - + A1 - + A2
22:06 coppermine ok i see it
22:07 rue_shop you cant use a 2 pin jumper, you have to jump over a pin
22:07 coppermine they are not adjacent
22:07 rue_shop you cant use a 2 pin jumper, you have to jump over a pin
22:07 coppermine i dont have single pins
22:07 coppermine and how do you know this will fix the limit problem
22:07 rue_shop you might be abel to find a way to change the functionality of the analog port so its not a kill switch
22:08 rue_shop coppermine, how do you know moving the lightswitch in your room effects the light fiture ont eh cieling?
22:08 coppermine i isnalled it myself
22:08 coppermine frmo my solar panels
22:08 coppermine and deep cycle battery
22:08 coppermine i know it works
22:08 rue_shop mmmm
22:08 coppermine using my charge controller
22:08 coppermine to monitor the voltage
22:09 coppermine and i did the wiring
22:09 Tom_itx rue_shop,
22:09 rue_shop yea?
22:09 Tom_itx i'd let him wait
22:09 Tom_itx he want's to
22:09 rue_shop yup
22:09 rue_shop I told him the answer, thats whwere I stop
22:09 Tom_itx so our work is done here
22:09 coppermine you actually trhink im gonna jump that?
22:09 rue_shop there is a tab called input settings
22:09 coppermine rue_shop: where you can define the behavior of RC/analog
22:10 rue_shop 'Alternate use' at the bottom
22:10 rue_shop ' kill switch'
22:11 rue_shop change to 'none'
22:11 coppermine they are all at none
22:11 rue_shop for both channels
22:11 coppermine i checked this in the 2 hours i spent
22:11 coppermine searching
22:11 coppermine all 4 are at none
22:11 coppermine rc channel 1
22:11 coppermine rc channel 2
22:11 coppermine analog channel 1
22:11 coppermine analog channel 2
22:12 rue_shop input mode serial/usb?
22:12 coppermine of course
22:12 rue_shop mixing mode none?
22:12 coppermine its greyed out
22:12 coppermine cant even change it
22:12 coppermine but none is selected yes
22:12 rue_shop you DID click apply settings?
22:12 coppermine yes
22:12 rue_shop hmm, interseting
22:13 coppermine indeed
22:13 rue_shop wonder if their firmware is scrwed, or if just didn't apply the settings
22:13 coppermine nope
22:13 coppermine i have the latest 1.03
22:13 coppermine but
22:13 coppermine there's onee section
22:13 coppermine that gives a clue
22:13 coppermine on why it would cause it to be triggered
22:13 coppermine there's 3 possibilities
22:13 coppermine but i dont understand them
22:14 rue_shop coppermine, set them all to kill switches, hit apply, switch them all back, applying them one at a time after each change
22:14 coppermine page 20
22:14 coppermine it says why the error is caused
22:15 coppermine rue_shop: that causes a 2nd error
22:15 coppermine required channel invalid
22:15 rue_shop aha, you cant change the channel from being a kill switch
22:16 coppermine i need to disable kill switch somehow
22:16 rue_shop jumper
22:16 coppermine anyways
22:16 coppermine ill wait for the support team
22:16 coppermine thanks for trying
22:16 rue_shop use a paperclip to jump it and see if that works
22:16 rue_shop if it does, its just a matter of getting it to disable the function
22:17 rue_shop whatever
22:17 Tom_itx i said that when he left the first time
22:17 Tom_itx you should have saved your fingertips
22:20 rue_shop meh
22:22 Tom_itx got my bearings today
22:22 Tom_itx will attack it this weekend
22:22 Tom_itx again.
22:22 rue_shop cool
22:23 Tom_itx nearly didn't get it back together with all the ballast weight on the drum housing
22:23 rue_shop concrete?
22:23 Tom_itx yep
22:23 Tom_itx not easy to take off the front ones
22:23 rue_shop my next guess was wet geans :)
22:23 Tom_itx 3 of em
22:23 rue_shop its right in the transmission?
22:23 Tom_itx no transmission
22:23 Tom_itx it's a front loader
22:24 rue_shop brushless motor?
22:24 Tom_itx with a cool little pwm motor driving the drum
22:24 Tom_itx i think
22:24 rue_shop mmmm
22:24 rue_shop 3 phase w/controller
22:24 Tom_itx yup
22:24 rue_shop I grabbed a few from the scrapper
22:24 Tom_itx wish i had about 4 of those
22:24 rue_shop hehe
22:24 rue_shop havn't been abel to hack the controller yet
22:25 Tom_itx it's likely been tried or done in emc
22:26 Tom_itx got SS bearings this time
22:26 Tom_itx maybe it'll last a bit longer
22:26 Tom_itx i can't buy a new seal for it
22:26 Tom_itx it's special and comes as part of the assembly
22:26 Tom_itx i was able to pop it out the first time with no problem