Author Topic: $50 robot electronics help (Read 8891 times)

the jeenyus · « **Reply #30 on:** March 16, 2009, 05:45:35 PM »

ok thank you i definitely will.

the jeenyus · « **Reply #31 on:** March 17, 2009, 04:53:45 PM »

Ok, so I replaced the capacitor and the voltage regulator with new but identical parts, 5V Voltage Regulator and 220mF Electrolytic Capacitor. I then gave it a continuity test for good measure and this time was a little better. The servo section was about 3V this time, and the +5 power bus was 1V. I dont know whats wrong, I desperatelyneed help at this point...

Please respond!

the jeenyus · « **Reply #32 on:** March 17, 2009, 06:40:56 PM »

I dont know if it matters, but I did not recharge my batteries since I got them, mostly because it is a battery pack and I have no idea how to recharge those... And I dont know if youre supposed to initially recharge them.

Any additional help would be appreciated!

SmAsH · « **Reply #33 on:** March 18, 2009, 12:25:05 AM »

well that may just be this problem!! check the voltage coming out of the pack. also try using a different battery.
and by 220mf you meant "uf" riggght?

the jeenyus · « **Reply #34 on:** March 18, 2009, 01:57:39 PM »

Ok Ill test the batteries... sorry I meant to say micro farrads, not megafarrads or whatever...Thank you very much I will test them

the jeenyus · « **Reply #35 on:** March 18, 2009, 02:32:14 PM »

Ok I tested the batteries, and there is about 3V coming out of my 6V battery pack.... very interesting.... So does that mean I should recharge them? Or are my batteries defective?

I will invest in a battery recharger, the kind that recharges battery packs, so what is recommended? Please help!

Thank you very much.

dellagd · « **Reply #36 on:** March 18, 2009, 07:29:14 PM »

look here
http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot_step3A.shtml
scroll down about half way
it talks about chargers

SmAsH · « **Reply #37 on:** March 18, 2009, 11:22:02 PM »

lol, you would be suprised how many times the fault with peoples mcus is battery power.

the jeenyus · « **Reply #38 on:** April 04, 2009, 07:56:57 PM »

I charged up the batteries and it worked!!! About 7V going to servo pins, almost exactly 5V going to other pins.... I'm so glad it worked!!! I am going to go try downloading the servo hold program now... Wish me luck!!!!! Thank you guys so much! I really feel stupid that this whole time it was my batteries...

SmAsH · « **Reply #39 on:** April 04, 2009, 08:01:46 PM »

hehe, good luck

dellagd · « **Reply #40 on:** April 04, 2009, 08:26:18 PM »

hope it works!

the jeenyus · « **Reply #41 on:** April 04, 2009, 10:36:48 PM »

Ok guys... something's wrong again.

I plugged in my programmer and it did not work after checking voltages many times, and switching usb ports many times and so on. I used the apparently not so good programmer, but I have the better one too. If I soldered the appropriate-sized male header onto the board, what are the connections I have to make? I read the posts concerning it and I am not entirely sure what to do, Do I just simply ignore all those pins that lead to ground that would not exist in the 6 pin? Where would I solder the lead of the ceramic capacitor? I am very frustrated; I do not know many things yet as you can tell. Please help I am very determined to finish this project.

bionic-man · « **Reply #42 on:** April 04, 2009, 10:53:34 PM »

you could just make a cable that goes from the 10 pin to the 6 pin couldnt you? like a converter type thing?

SmAsH · « **Reply #43 on:** April 04, 2009, 10:57:19 PM »

Quote from: bionic-man on April 04, 2009, 10:53:34 PM

you could just make a cable that goes from the 10 pin to the 6 pin couldn't you? like a converter type thing?

that could work and may be easier than soldering on a new row of headers. but i thought the more expensive one came with a 6pin and 10pin cable and the 10-pin was just stuffed into the case?

Metal Slug 2 · « **Reply #44 on:** April 04, 2009, 11:06:56 PM »

I had a similar problem when i built my $50 robot - one time it would work great, the next time i tried to program it, nothing.

I went through every possible check i could do (or at least every one i knew how to do), wiring, proper set up of the .hex file i was tried to program, double cheaking frequencies etc. yet none of that was the problem. The problem was right under my nose...when fiddling around with my robot i had accidentally knocked the atmega8 mcu slightly out of its socket somehow, which had disconnected one of the pins leading to the program headers...i just pushed the ship back in and everything worked fine...

the jeenyus · « **Reply #45 on:** April 05, 2009, 10:53:04 AM »

My AVR Programmer ISP2 Programmer did not come with a 10 pin header, only a 6 pin. How would I make a 6 to 10 pin converter? Please show me, I would like to be extremely clear on everything, because I do not know anything about programmers at all, but I would like to learn. Thank you for all your help.

Could it possibly be the micro controller? I dropped it once on carpet (not good) and I know it is static sensitive, so I have the feeling that it no longer works...

Metal Slug 2 · « **Reply #46 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:02:09 PM »

dropping your microcontroller on the carpet shouldnt have harmed it.

as for switching from a 10 pin to 6 pin programming header, i would just leave the 10 pin header on and add a 6 pin programing header somewhere else on the board...or just rewire the 10 pin header (and bend the two extra remaining pins down). Read over this carefully: (download the schematic made by Webbot)

http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=3292.0

superchiku · « **Reply #47 on:** April 05, 2009, 12:11:07 PM »

umm...10 pin header generally consists of all the connections as the 6 piin one ...along with that it has got some extra ground connection ...i think i u dont use those ground connection the also it will work..

SmAsH · « **Reply #48 on:** April 05, 2009, 01:45:03 PM »

yup, all 10 pin has is 3 extra gnd and one nc.

the jeenyus · « **Reply #49 on:** April 05, 2009, 08:14:34 PM »

Wow that diagram from that post is very helpful. Thank you very much. I didn't think to check that post... Last time I looked at that post I was not a member and could not download that file. Thank you for directing me there very much.

the jeenyus · « **Reply #50 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:15:38 PM »

Thank you for all your help, I have sucessfully programmed the microcontroller with the hold servo program. I really appreciate all of your help.

dellagd · « **Reply #51 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:31:13 PM »

fell free to ask for help any time or to PM me.
I love getting PMs

SmAsH · « **Reply #52 on:** April 07, 2009, 12:26:26 AM »

Quote from: dellagd on April 06, 2009, 04:31:13 PM

fell free to ask for help any time or to PM me.
I love getting PMs

i know right? that rush to look up at the top of the screen and see a new number!
to superchiku, we are saying we love getting pm's.

superchiku · « **Reply #53 on:** April 07, 2009, 01:11:41 AM »

wth are u all saying ? ?

robotmaniac · « **Reply #54 on:** October 28, 2011, 10:28:09 PM »

i found your problem. Its your Capacitor I'm pretty sure its rated 220uF 35V and 35 is way to high you just went to radioshack and said -o look the capacitor!!!!! its 220uF just what I need-and bought it. Same thing I did.LOL but no worries dud I'm pretty sure is that. You get a message that says-Target has lost power, or ISP programmer was disconnected-?

??

Soeren · « **Reply #55 on:** October 29, 2011, 01:07:47 AM »

Hi,

Quote from: robotmaniac on October 28, 2011, 10:28:09 PM

i found your problem. Its your Capacitor I'm pretty sure its rated 220uF 35V and 35 is way to high [...]

Thanks for reviving an old-old topic.

A capacitors voltage rating doesn't matter, as long as it's at least a bit higher than the voltage it sees, so for eg. 5V circuits, you can use a 10V cap, a 100V cap or even higher.

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Author Topic: $50 robot electronics help (Read 8891 times)