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Messages - LukeZ
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316
« on: February 06, 2020, 07:30:40 AM »
Do I understand correctly?
Is there some kind of problem in the code that sometimes the processing position of the smoke machine switch does not occur?
Or am I wrong configuring triggers?
I can’t say for sure at the moment what firmware I have
There was a problem with the code, but it should now be fixed with the latest firmware. To know what firmware you have, simple connect in OP Config, the firmware of your TCB is displayed in the lower left corner of the screen. To update firmware, first check for OP Config updates (go to "Help" menu and select "Check for Updates"). If an update is detected, install it. After OP Config is updated, then go to "Firmware" tab and select "TCB" firmware, and click the "Get Latest Release" button. This will download the latest TCB firmware from the web. Now with your TCB connected to the computer click the "Flash" button and the new firmware will be loaded onto your board. Hopefully that fixes the problem with your smoker switch, but if not let me know.
317
« on: February 05, 2020, 04:14:01 PM »
Hi NS, another user reported this very same problem recently in this thread. It is a bug, if the smoke switch on your transmitter is in the OFF position, the smoker should not start when the engine is started. Can you verify what version of firmware you are using? Version 0.93.68 fixes this bug, but was only just released about a week ago so I would not be surprised if you are using an earlier version.
318
« on: February 05, 2020, 02:38:09 PM »
I am glad you are such a good troubleshooter, some of these problems would be very difficult to diagnose or resolve remotely on the internet. Thankfully the problem was simple in the end (if not simple to find or fix). Onwards and upwards!
319
« on: February 05, 2020, 12:46:43 PM »
Well your test results are good, it shows that the circuit works even with the new Taigen device, and also that the resistor values are not critical, which I suspected. And even though you get a stronger trigger with the higher resistor, I'm guessing it makes no difference to the actual flash part, since the LED is powered by the little Taigen circuit. As long as it receives the signal to flash, it will do so with the same intensity.
We can only surmise what happened with your original transistor, but maybe when you dig it out you will notice something (possibly soldered backwards - I have done that many times). I really don't think it blew out due to use because the current it needs to switch is undoubtedly far below what it can actually handle.
320
« on: February 05, 2020, 06:43:08 AM »
I am just re-reading your post and I see you said "the latest LED flasher from Taigen." I had not known they had a new kind of flasher! I just went and looked, do you mean this one: TAG120620? I have never seen that before nor obviously tested it. I can only assume it functions the same way as the previous one, given that it would still need to be compatible with their same motherboard, but this is of course only an assumption. I wonder how it compares in terms of performance, as I rather liked their older camera-flash version...
321
« on: February 05, 2020, 06:36:55 AM »
Hi Jerry, you're right, that's the only PNP transistor on the board, the reason being the Taigen flash unit needs a positive trigger. NPN transistors are more common for switching things but the way they work is they switch the ground connection, we have to use a PNP to switch the positive voltage side.
I don't believe the current rating is an issue. I don't know for sure, but my best guess as to how the Taigen flasher works is that it charges a capacitor through the always-connected positive and negative leads. The third wire which we will connect to our transistor, is only the trigger signal that tells the flasher to flash. I highly doubt it carries very much current and it may not even be necessary to use a transistor for it, but we do so in order to protect the TCB processor as a matter of practice.
You checked the output of the transistor, but did you check the output from the processor ATmega2560 (ie, before the transistor)? That would let you know if there is a configuration/software issue rather than a transistor issue.
I have not actually tested this with through-hole components myself, so some experimentation is probably to be expected before we find the right values. With your BC337 I would think the 562 ohm base resistor should be fine, but you can try upping it to something like 1k and see if that makes a difference. The precise value is not critical but the higher the value the more current that can flow through that transistor. I actually don't know what current is required on the trigger pin of the Taigen flasher, but like I say I assume it is quite low.
322
« on: February 03, 2020, 06:39:47 AM »
Good introduction, and you have chosen a very ambitious project, but I have seen already you have the skills to bring it to completion.
Do not worry about your language, the translator is working very well and I can understand you perfectly! Hopefully you can understand us just as well.
That is too bad you have not been able to register for the Russian forum, you might try to send Deny a private message through this forum and maybe he will see it.
I will look forward to your future updates.
323
« on: February 03, 2020, 06:22:52 AM »
Whew, glad to hear you fixed your Sabertooth so cheaply!
That is good information on setting the track recoil, thanks for sharing that and I hope it is useful to others. I know many people don't use track recoil but for those that do it might as well work the best it can.
324
« on: January 31, 2020, 01:17:27 PM »
Ok, keep experimenting and let me know what you find, I'm sure we will be able to figure it out. It usually is something simple but if not I'll fix it.
325
« on: January 31, 2020, 01:16:40 PM »
That's a beautiful model!
326
« on: January 30, 2020, 02:23:34 PM »
Sorry to hear that Paul. You say "both your gunfire sounds," do you mean you have two models with the same behavior or do you somehow have two sounds defined on the same model? I am starting to forget myself all the features of my own product but I don't remember two cannons being defined (there are two possible machine guns and of course it is possible to create a second cannon manually with various function triggers). I would make sure for one that you haven't accidentally selected the Bendini Micro (instead of the Mini), as the location of the sounds is different. Then I would go back over the sound setup on your Mini itself using Benedini's Flash software and make sure everything is still where it should be ( see this page in the Wiki). In the meantime you can also post your OPZ file and I will see if anything stands out to me. You can save an OPZ file by first reading the settings from your TCB in OP Config, then going to File -> Save Settings to File and save it somewhere on your harddrive. Then attach it to your forum reply using the "Attachments and other options" button beneath the posting area.
327
« on: January 30, 2020, 02:15:55 PM »
I can't be sure about the shutoff limits of the Sabertooth controllers, but the specs do list the peaks at double the rated current (so 10A for the 2x5 and 24A for the 2x12).
The turning problems for heavy wide-tracked tanks is a known issue with the ball bearing Taigen gearboxes which simply don't have enough inherent friction to force the turn. The Scout attempts to overcome this by braking/dragging the inner track, and possibly the Sabertooths do something similar but I am not sure.
328
« on: January 30, 2020, 10:29:20 AM »
Good work Jerry, another problem solved through persistence and experimentation. I am not surprised that even with the smaller 380 motors the overcurrent issue remained, it is probably not so much a function of the size of the motors but of the amount of inertia they are being forced to overcome so quickly. Needless to say, track recoil is pretty hard on the drivetrain, gearboxes, and the electronics.
The 2x5 work quite well in normal operation but I suppose if we had a sufficient meter (I have a Fluke in the States that could do it), we would see that inrush current when going from full stop to full speed is many multiple times higher than normal operating current. When driving around normally if we were to encounter some obstacle that caused a momentary current spike we probably wouldn't even notice it, but since the track recoil action is so brief anyway, any hesitation or interruption during that small span of time is going to make for a sluggish response. I feel confident, as you have found with the 2x12, that the Sabertooth controllers can easily accommodate very quick changes via serial commands, given they can handle the currents necessary.
I hope you can get your 2x5 repaired and find a suitable model for it!
329
« on: January 29, 2020, 09:14:19 AM »
Well I have just performed a test on my Sabertooth 2x5 and I can get a response even at 5mS (barely visible, of course, but I can tell that it is working). My Sabertooth doesn't exhibit any of the red LED behavior you describe.
Using serial print statements I can confirm that the TCB is sending the signals at the correct intervals, or in other words, at whatever the user has set them to.
The 2x5 manual says the red LED on the Sabertooth indicates either overheating, overcurrent, or depleted battery. Overheating would not be an issue in this instance, but possibly the inrush current of a sudden jump from stop to full throttle could do it. My little model is so small it wouldn't have a problem but possibly on your larger gearboxes it might. That or else you could check your battery, but I suppose that would be too easy.
You could try testing the track recoil with the tank on blocks to reduce current, or just remove the tracks. If it starts to work then we could probably assume an overcurrent condition.
330
« on: January 28, 2020, 04:10:48 PM »
Sorry to hear that, especially as I know the Saberteeths are not cheap. There is a decent chance you will be able to repair it by swapping out the FETs as the Sabertooth processor seems to still be working. It's not entirely evident to me what happened, but it's true the output of the Sabertooth is running at a different positive voltage (v-batt) than the logic side on the TCB (5 volts). Sharing a ground between all that is not a problem and indeed is a good thing, but somehow a differential must have been created. I'm surprised that what fried was the Sabertooth rather than your scope or something else. The Sabertooth has various onboard self-protection features so it is hard to kill them, and in fact I think this is the first time I've heard of anyone doing so. I have fried several cheap scopes in my own TCB testing, but they are powered by USB and I have found it is not good to have them plugged into my computer at the same time my TCB is plugged in, for whatever reason. However your scope is presumably not connected to your computer. As for the signal you saw on your scope - it is quite likely the oscillation is a reflection of the PWM pulse the Sabertooth is using. So I'm not sure it tells us much and I think a scope is not the best debugging tool in this particular instance if you think the recoil is not working correctly. I can say that in my own testing conducted just yesterday I am using a Sabertooth 2x5 and track recoil appears to work, but my miniature travel tank is an excessively over-geared Tamiya toy so no matter what signal I send it the response is going to be very anemic. What might be a good test, if you have not done so already, is to connect your Clark to this tank and see what the recoil response looks like with these gearboxes. If I remember correctly they are not the same gearboxes in your other Clark tank which is the one whose recoil action you are hoping to emulate. If your Clark does not give you the crisp response in this tank as it does in the other tank then you can deduce the issue is really the gear ratio for which there is not much that can be done. If however it is still quite a bit more punchy than what you were able to get out of the TCB, we can dig further.
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