Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: polar bear6 on March 17, 2006, 04:23:21 PM

Title: RC tank
Post by: polar bear6 on March 17, 2006, 04:23:21 PM

hey.
I'm kinda new to robotics and electronics, so i thought it would be cool to make a RC tank for the first project.
I'm using motors and gears from old CD drivers and like old stuff.
and i found a cheap 6 channeled RC receiver on internet that i bought.
but when i came to connecting the motors to the receiver, i got problems.
how do i make the motors servoish ???
do i have to buy like lots of servos and rip out the circuit boards?
or is it any neat hack i can do to make it work?

thanks for all the help  ;D

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: Admin on March 17, 2006, 08:58:19 PM

Hey good question.

Servos are not just motors, but instead a motor with complex feedback control circuitry connected to it. So the only thing the reciever does is send a signal to the circuitry, and then the circuitry makes the motor go.

Read this to understand servos:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/actuators_servos.shtml

This to learn more about RC robotics:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/remote_control_robot.shtml

and read this on a method to control DC motors (not required for RC, but could help you devise a hack):
http://www.societyofrobots.com/schematics_h-bridgedes.shtml

my recommendation is to buy servos . . . the cheapest available anywhere would be the HS-311 by Hitec, for around $9/each. they are really good for the price. ive bought dozens.  ;D servocity.com has them and others types. plus more RC stuff.

good luck on the tank treads, they arent easy . . .

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: polar bear6 on March 18, 2006, 04:22:30 AM

yay, i got the best idea ever!
i buy like 6 servos, take out that little curcuit thingy, and attach it to all the motors that i use (old lego motors and motors from old stuff). then i have custum built servos!
and i save the rest of the servos to future projekts like Mini Sumo!

that will work right?

but there is another problem, servos cost like LOTS, i mean like 15-20$ here in Norway.
anyone know where i can get them cheaper?

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: polar bear6 on March 20, 2006, 02:33:17 PM

since none has said it wont work i will asume it will work...
if anyone wanna sell like some servoes i wanna buy :D
i live in norway tho, so like the shipping will be a mess :P

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: dunk on April 25, 2006, 04:59:34 PM

i'd recomend going this route if you are going to be buying the servos anyway:
http://www.societyofrobots.com/actuators_modifyservo.shtml

i used servos as drive motors before and while not the fastest they provide plenty of torque.
my bot is well able to get over small obsticles in it's path.
ideal for a tank i would say.

dunk.

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: garriwilson on October 14, 2007, 05:49:31 PM

nvm  :-[

Title: Re: RC tank
Post by: cooldog on October 22, 2007, 12:42:08 PM

i am thinking of going the same route let me know it it works