modifyng servos (again)

[Trumpkin]

I want to modify my servos now but I don't have the batterys for my microcontroller, can I just run it off of a couple of normal batterys?

[cooldog]

yes but i don't know how to connest them

[Trumpkin]

on the molex connector there are slits where the pins are showing I think I can just connect my batteries to that.

[bukowski]

Look in the $50 robot tutorial, it will have a description on how to power your robot with 4 AA's and a 9V instead of the battery pack. Basically, connect the 9v to your microcontroller power supply, and the positive of the AA pack to the positive servo wire, and use a common ground for all of them.

[Trumpkin]

I meant could I dirrectly power my servos for modifying them

[Trumpkin]

PS: bukowski, I meant Without the microcontroller at all.

[bukowski]

You could power the servo's with no microcontroller, but you need a way to send the correct pulse to get the servo to zero. That means either an rc transmitter and reciever or a microcontroller.

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

You would need to create a circuit using a 555 timer to output the correct frequency that tells the servo to go to zero position. I think a 1400us is the standard for the zero position... Look at this page to learn about the 555. It even shows you a circuit diagram. Link

[Trumpkin]

on the bottom of the main gear of my servos there's a slit that fits on the potentiometer shaft should I drill that out so that it can rotate freely from the potentiometer? (I'm guessing I should seeing as how your supposed to glue the potentiometer shaft in place.) thx

[HDL_CinC_Dragon]

Yes, you want to make sure that when the servo's internal gears are spinning, its not affecting the potentiometer at all. Be careful when doing this that you dont damage the gear.

[bukowski]

Ive only done this once, but...
You proboably dont need to drill it out. Often, this "slit" is a separate part from the gear.
On the servo's I modified, there was a bearing preventing me from popping it out, so I just clipped the pot head off instead.
There may also be a mechanical stop, look for a pin on metal gears or a plastic nub on plastic servos.
Read the tutorial on modifying servos!! It has basically all the info you need.

[ed1380]

yes you can mod it.

take the pot out, and replace the pot with a resistor. 2.2k ohm IIRC

http://www.instructables.com/id/modify-the-hitec-hs-325-servo-for-continuous-rotat/