50$ robot Breadboard problems!

[shaduwz]

So yes, I am a complete newbie to robotics and such. I'm only 13 (i'm not sure if this is to young of an age to start) so I haven't had the opportunity to be experienced with robots. I tried my hand at soldering and ruined to perf boards, and one DIP socket. I decided to use a breadboard. The first one I bought was to small, now I have one that I am sure will work. I know how breadboards work, but I am still confused on how to put the board together. Could someone post a picture? I saw the diagram on the 50$ robot guide, but it is no help to me. I am on a deadline to finish this by the middle/end of January as well.

[z.s.tar.gz]

http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?topic=9538.0
Theres some pictures for you.

Although I would practice soldering some more if I was you. It's so much easier to work with one you get a hang of it.

[SmAsH]

Although I would practice soldering some more if I was you. It's so much easier to work with one you get a hang of it.

Seconded. Breadboards suck on robots IMO, they get loose connections all the time
Really do practice soldering, you will never get far in electronics without it.

Also, search the forum for other people who have done this, there are heaps!

[shaduwz]

I'm sorry, but soldering really is not an option, at least not for this project. Also, z.s.tar.gz, I checked the pictures on the link. It helps, but it seems a little unclear to me still.

[z.s.tar.gz]

Just out of curiosity, why?

[shaduwz]

Like I said before, I am on a deadline. Also, I am sure that my supply of solder will not be enough to finish the perf board, and I am all out of money for it anyway...

[rgcustodio]

Breadboards are good for circuits that are not mounted on a moving platform but even so it can still be used for the 50buck robot.
Make sure you don't skimp on wires. Remove insulator so that the exposed wire goes in at least 3/4 down the "hole". Make the wires lie flat on the board, meaning cutting exact lengths so that they don't get snagged when the robot is moving.

What is unclear?
Do you already know how a breadboard works? Do you know how the bus and terminal strips are internally connected? If you know these, wiring the breadboard should be as easy as connecting the dots.

I attached the beginnings of the 50buck robot.
Initial connections are power and the ADC reference voltage.
You see the + and - that's where I put in the input from my power supply.

[HyperNerd]

SmAsH, I don't know what kind of breadboards you use, but the ones I use and have used for ages, have never failed on me once.

But I still think that soldering is a better option if you can.

 -HyperNerd

[shaduwz]

It seems a bit more clear now, but looking at the completed 50$ robot board and looking at my completed breadboard still throws me off. For instance, you can't have the pins right next to each other or they will connect. What I want is a picture of a completed breadboard for the 50$ robot. Please tell me if I am asking for too much.

[z.s.tar.gz]

That one I posted is about as completed as they come, but I'll see what I can do...

I'm not familiar with the 50 dollar robot, but I'd guess that those wires at the top are either for the photoresistors or programming.

[Soeren]

Hi,

I am a complete newbie to robotics and such.[...]
I saw the diagram on the 50$ robot guide, but it is no help to me.
I am on a deadline to finish this by the middle/end of January as well.

Please tell me if I am asking for too much.

I think it's rather that you're perhaps trying to run before you have learned to crawl. Why not make your life easy and find another project which you understand better and then go ahead with a robot when you can work without a deadline?

I don't think you will be able to get it to run right ahead, even if you get the board done - what about programming? What about all the mechanical problems you could stumble upon? What about a single misplaced wire killing off the controller? Etc.

Not meant to put you down, but to give you a realistic chance of finishing some project in the time you have for it.

[z.s.tar.gz]

Yeah, you'd better step on it if you want to get done by the end of Jan.
And you are going to end up spending more than you thought, it just always works out that way.

[shaduwz]

That one I posted is about as completed as they come, but I'll see what I can do...

I'm not familiar with the 50 dollar robot, but I'd guess that those wires at the top are either for the photoresistors or programming.

On the picture it says to connect the servos on the 6 pin things. The servo plugs only have three pins. This is probably a dumb question but...

[rgcustodio]

@shaduwz

For instance, you can't have the pins right next to each other or they will connect.

The terminal strips are vertically electrically connected. Each vertical column is electrically separate from one another. The bus strips are horizontally electrically connected. These are the basics of a breadboard. If you know this by heart you can create most circuits on the breadboard. Use an multimeter to understand this.
Wiring up a circuit will depend on your creativity. There is very little chance of two persons wiring up a circuit exactly the same.

What I want is a picture of a completed breadboard for the 50$ robot. Please tell me if I am asking for too much.

I read your other post.
It seems this is for a science fair. Science projects should be fun and you should end up learning, more so understand the concepts involved.
If you don't understand how will you explain how it works if someone asks you a question at the fair?

[rgcustodio]

That one I posted is about as completed as they come, but I'll see what I can do...

I'm not familiar with the 50 dollar robot, but I'd guess that those wires at the top are either for the photoresistors or programming.

On the picture it says to connect the servos on the 6 pin things. The servo plugs only have three pins. This is probably a dumb question but...

The top set 6 connectors (with blue/black wires) are for the photoresistors, see they are connected to pin 27 and pin 28.
The bottom set 6 connectors (white wires) are for the servos. Each servo has 3 connectors. The person that implemented this breadboard just concentrated the connectors. The first set of connectors are connected to GND, Vcc, and pin 2. The second set of connectors are connected to GND, Vcc and pin 3.

Look carefully and look at admins diagrams.

[shaduwz]

I am pretty sure my breadboard was built correctly now (I finally figured out how to read the schematics, it is so easy now) but I have one last question: For the wires sticking out (which are for programing) do they simply plug into the programmer (the corresponding copper wires straight into the holes of the programmer)? Tell me if I need to rephrase.

[z.s.tar.gz]

The wires plug in as if you had a little socket on the breadboard that fit the plug.
So, yes. vcc goes to vcc, mosi to mosi, etc.

[shaduwz]

I know I said that the question before this was going to be my last, but here is another, sorry: On the schematics it says that the light sensor connects to pin 27 and the resistor (I think that is what the blue thing is called.) Does this mean that the resistor and photo resistor both connect to pin 27 and each other? The same situation is for the other photo resistor as well.

[SmAsH]

No, the resistor connects to one leg of the photoresistor and then to ground, then that side of the photoresistor goes to an analogue pin and the other side to +5v.
Does this help? 

[shaduwz]

No, the resistor connects to one leg of the photoresistor and then to ground, then that side of the photoresistor goes to an analogue pin and the other side to +5v.
Does this help? 

Nope sorry, that doesn't help. Still pretty confused...

[z.s.tar.gz]

The resistors go between the part and GND, not the part and the PIN.
Simpler?