Sunday 10 March 2013

USB Wiring

Slow progress this weekend.  Didn't get much done.  Needed a think as much as anything.  

I wanted to wire up all the USB stuff, but it wasn't as easy as it first appeared.
The 5v body battery needs to supply 4 Arduinos from the main output.  
The battery has an on but no off switch (no draw switches it off)
The bottom front input needs to charge the battery.
The 2nd output is fed to CBI door to act as 5v out for charging phone / pad etc.
Also the top front input needs to be fed to slip ring board to charge dome battery.

So I started by moving the battery to more easily access the on switch, and then made up a USB lead connected to a switch to allow the 5v to be turned off.  Connected the charge input and output leads and that was the battery end sorted.



I decided to power the Arduino's via the USB inputs, apart from the master that uses pins into the Vin and GND.  So I wired all the USB leads to a common point snipped the power input ones back, added 2 pin connectors and added a 2 rail power bus, 5 connection points, 1 in 4 out, all wrapped up with tape it looks pretty neat. :)  I used an LED USB lead to power the 2-3-2 controller, it should give a little light in the droid with the skins on. I also stripped the dome input lead and fed that up top to be finished off later. :)



So as usual I think I'm done, test it and find a dead lead to the master. But fixed now. :)  Just need to wire up a 12V supply from the Rigrunner to the DC/DC and I can start to get it all running again.

I also had a look at that pad issue.  I opened up the pad to find the the Xbee was barely connected, so decided that cant be helping. :)  Pushed it in firm and screwed it back up, I'm hoping that might have been the issue, but pointless debugging further till I can test if that helped.

So my week off made progress, but as always hidden jobs and underestimating the time needed slowed me down.  But skins are done, so that is a nice landmark.  Need to refocus now and try and get a driving droid for next weekend.  Should be doable, but would be nice to sort the centre vent mounts and at least get the Utility arms and CBI working. Will see how much energy i can muster. 


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