Society of Robots - Robot Forum

Electronics => Electronics => Topic started by: Jdog on October 24, 2008, 08:53:59 PM

Title: Need Help with $50 robot
Post by: Jdog on October 24, 2008, 08:53:59 PM

A few months ago I had tried to make the $50 robot microcontroller, and i shorted the 9 volt battery(I used the 9 volt battery pack and aa batteries method). I was so frustrated, I hadn't looked at it since. Recently i went back and fixed all of my soldering but it's still not working. Could the short of the 9 volt battery have fried some of the components?

Title: Re: Need Help with $50 robot
Post by: pomprocker on October 24, 2008, 10:34:57 PM

Start from scratch, and keep doing it until you get it perfect. You'll learn a lot, improve your soldering skills, and be very proud of yourself.


Don't forget to watch the how to solder video on curiousinventor.com

http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder (http://www.curiousinventor.com/guides/How_To_Solder)



and Read on how to test the $50 robot board with the multimeter.

http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot_step3C.shtml (http://www.societyofrobots.com/step_by_step_robot_step3C.shtml)

Title: Re: Need Help with $50 robot
Post by: Jdog on October 25, 2008, 08:33:57 AM

I did test it with a multimeter, and everything seems to be connected right, so I assumed I had burnt out one of the components. I guess I'll just start over.

Title: Re: Need Help with $50 robot
Post by: Admin on October 27, 2008, 08:13:56 AM

So when you power it up, all the voltages check out? Like 5V on the regulated line, etc?

The damage depends on how you shorted the circuit. Chances are nothing was damaged, or maybe just the voltage regulator. If not that, then perhaps the mcu but not likely.

Robotics is definitely not easy, you'll constantly be challenged. Just stick with it and you'll learn. I don't think there is a single experienced person on this forum that hasn't fried/sparked/exploded/melted part of their robot . . .

Title: Re: Need Help with $50 robot
Post by: Razor Concepts on October 27, 2008, 08:11:46 PM

By the way, can you just use the 4x aa batteries to power the entire thing? Here is the original drawing:
(http://img160.imageshack.us/img160/6576/originalhb2.png)

And now the new drawing with two wires added - the 4x AA battery supply wires, both +5 and ground, go through the same path as the 9v battery would. So would this result in the entire circuit being powered by just the 4x aa?
(http://img162.imageshack.us/img162/125/modifiedhh4.png)