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Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: happy_hippo on June 25, 2011, 06:59:45 AM

Title: use power adapter for Axon II?
Post by: happy_hippo on June 25, 2011, 06:59:45 AM

Hello :)
can I use something like this: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AC-DC-POWER-ADAPTOR-1500MA-1-5A-3V-4-5V-6V-7-5V-9V-12V-/190527293445 (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AC-DC-POWER-ADAPTOR-1500MA-1-5A-3V-4-5V-6V-7-5V-9V-12V-/190527293445)
instead of batteries to power a hexapod on AXON ii with 18 servos?
on the website they say each servo take ~150mA without load.
(they are HS-55)
Thanks
 ;)

Title: Re: use power adapter for Axon II?
Post by: Admin on June 25, 2011, 08:12:45 AM

With load, a servo will use from 0.5A to 1.5A, and it really depends on what kind of servo you use.

This power supply can only supply 1.5A, meaning you can only power about two servos with it.

Title: Re: use power adapter for Axon II?
Post by: happy_hippo on June 25, 2011, 01:33:56 PM

I looked everywhere , and I can't really find any portable/cheap power supply rated at 6V and like 10A of current. My servos are micro (HS-55 1.6kg cm torque at 6 v), and without load they are supposed to consume 0.15A of power.

There's an adaptor that I've been looking at: http://www.roboteshop.com/robot-catalogue/innovati/robot-manufacturers/innovati/6.6v/8a-adaptor.html?keyword=type (http://www.roboteshop.com/robot-catalogue/innovati/robot-manufacturers/innovati/6.6v/8a-adaptor.html?keyword=type)

it has 6.6V and 8A , which is quite good (and is designed for hexapoddino. I'm building something along those lines). Is there something similar, but more common and that I can buy in the UK?

Title: Re: use power adapter for Axon II?
Post by: Admin on June 25, 2011, 01:57:00 PM

Servos will die faster if you go above 6V.

No load current draw is power the servo draws without even doing anything. 150mA is a huge waste of power lol.

With load is what matters, and that could be much higher. You need to measure the current draw with a multi-meter to get a better estimate.

For a project I'm working on, I use two 3.3V supplies in series to get 6.6V:
http://www.trcelectronics.com/Cosel/power-supply-pba.shtml (http://www.trcelectronics.com/Cosel/power-supply-pba.shtml)