Society of Robots - Robot Forum

General Misc => Misc => Topic started by: blackheart on February 08, 2009, 06:18:21 PM

Title: Last question before first robot. Help choosing right parts!
Post by: blackheart on February 08, 2009, 06:18:21 PM
Hello. I've taken the last 2 days to think about robotics and I think I take it as a serious hobby and also career. With that out of the way, I want to make some things clear before I order the parts and start building.

There are many things.

It's gonna be based on a modified RC car.

1) I want my robot to be fast, so I am gonna be using a brushed motor to power the back wheels and a cheaper motor to change the direction of the front wheels. There isn't gonna be any problem with the coding, as it is gonna be different than the differential drive. I am experienced enough with programming. I will be using a roboduino. WHAT MOTOR CONTROLLER OR MOTOR DRIVER DO I NEED TO ATTACH THE 2 MOTORS TO THE ROBODUINO?

2) The car has a really nice battery pack NiMH btw. But it has only 2 wires. Black and red(I believe positive and negative) and a weird connector.  I will take out that big connector it already has and I will be left with those 2 wires. HOW DO I POWER THE ROBODUINO WITH THAT NICE BATTERY PACK? WHAT TYPE OF CONNECTOR DO I NEED FOR IT AND WHERE DO I BUY IT FROM?

3)The battery may be too powerful for the board, where from do I get some sort of adapter that I can use to not burn the roboduino and other components.

4) I hate soldering. Are there any microcontroller ready photoresistors. I know the tutorial, but I don't have a soldering iron and I dislike(hate, detest) soldering. So I need some photoresistors ready to be plugged into the roboduino.


I went ahead and removed the rc board from the car so all I have now are the wheels with motors in place on the chasis.




I LOVE YOU GUYS AND GALS. ALL OF YOU.


THANK YOU!
Title: Re: Last question before first robot. Help choosing right parts!
Post by: Razor Concepts on February 08, 2009, 06:25:56 PM
You absolutely need a soldering iron. You won't get anywhere without one. How do you make a motor controller work? You need to solder it to stuff. How do you put connectors on batteries and motors, etc? You need to solder it. I would suggest getting an iron and soldering if you want to make your life a whole lot easier.

On the other hand, I have two photoresistors pre-wired and ready for the roboduino if you would like to pay me through paypal  ;)
Title: Re: Last question before first robot. Help choosing right parts!
Post by: pomprocker on February 08, 2009, 06:47:13 PM
If you don't like soldering, than you don't really like robotics :P

Robotics IS soldering!!
Title: Re: Last question before first robot. Help choosing right parts!
Post by: blackheart on February 08, 2009, 07:17:47 PM
FUCK MY ENGLISH. BY saying I don't like soldering I meant I don't like to solder resistors and stuff on the board. I don't mind soldering a connector to a wire. Fine. I will start soldering everything I find in the house to get used to. I still have the questions un-answered, so I would appreciate any help with that ;)


Yes. I would like to buy those off you if you live near me. When I start ordering the stuff, if you still have them, I will take them!
Title: Re: Last question before first robot. Help choosing right parts!
Post by: cooldog on February 08, 2009, 07:27:50 PM
a cheaper motor to change the direction of the front wheels.

use a servo easyer

WHAT MOTOR CONTROLLER OR MOTOR DRIVER DO I NEED TO ATTACH THE 2 MOTORS TO THE ROBODUINO?

you can use anyone you want but i would sujest the sabertooth
http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X5.htm

HOW DO I POWER THE ROBODUINO WITH THAT NICE BATTERY PACK? WHAT TYPE OF CONNECTOR DO I NEED FOR IT AND WHERE DO I BUY IT FROM?

what specs does the battery have and what connector (do you have a pic or a name), why whould you take off the connector?  a standard hitec or futaba 3 pin female connector will work
http://www.servocity.com/html/servo_connectors___pins.html



3)The battery may be too powerful for the board, where from do I get some sort of adapter that I can use to not burn the roboduino and other components.

the roboduino has a volatge regulator but i don't know what the max volatge it will take is.

Robotics IS soldering!!

all the way