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Tutorial SPS - Sabertooth Packet Serial PID motor driver sketch w/SoftStart

Discussion in 'SimTools compatible interfaces' started by BlazinH, Nov 10, 2016.

  1. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Clarification added to description.

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  2. Wagnard

    Wagnard Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    I plan on going with 2x60 Sabertooth, my only concern is the regenerative current flowing back to the power-supply, are the use of battery in parallel necessary with the 2x60 or we can use some Voltage Clamp Resistor? What are your guys recommending?
    Thanks
  3. mariano68

    mariano68 Active Member

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    Sorry, I'd read all the thread and I can't find a fix for this. Any help? I can set up to 30, after that it goes to negative numbers.
  4. SilentChill

    SilentChill Problem Maker

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    Just type I the number and when it saves it goes blank it's how it's suppose to be ; (
  5. dong414

    dong414 New Member

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    hi new member help have three point motion platform and two dimension sabretooth motor controllers with two kangaroos all tune up but I do not know how get them to run the three actuators on my flight simulator have been in touch with dimension but not much help would using xsimulator software help
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2017
  6. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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    Arduinos are cheap, readily available and known to work...why would you not want to use one?
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  7. Wagnard

    Wagnard Well-Known Member Gold Contributor

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    Hey guys, just to let you know that SMC3 got a new update yesterday and the 2 fixes would probably benefit this one too.
    Just saying...
  8. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    No updates are really needed here. I fixed the min cut off bug when I modified the sketch so that's already done. And since sabertooth's aren't driven by pwm that issue is irrelevant considering the purpose of this sketch.
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  9. evolaco

    evolaco Member

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    @RufusDufus Hello, to use a sabertooth 2X32 with SMC3 which steps should I follow? I read a lot but lately everything goes wrong and I do not know what to do, if I buy a bridge H expensive like this I want to be sure that I will not fail again
  10. noorbeast

    noorbeast VR Tassie Devil Staff Member Moderator Race Director

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  11. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    Since you posted on this thread I assume you're asking about the sketch you can download from this thread. If so then all you have to do is follow the steps in the first post.
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  12. evolaco

    evolaco Member

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    And the resistors that are connected for what they serve?
  13. Pit

    Pit - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gold Contributor

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    AFAIK it's useful only when regenerative braking is used to turn the braking energy into electrical power (re- charging the batteries). Just disable it if you don't use batteries.
  14. evolaco

    evolaco Member

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    Simply do not connect the resistors? Or do you have to modify some of the Arduino code?
  15. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    In short resistors are used to dissipate regenerative current when a battery is not used. If a battery is used then it will suck up regenerative current but without one it has nowhere to go except into your power supply or stay in your motors. However, if regenerative current doesn't trip your power supply then you may not need resistors but its a good idea to use them anyway because the they will help bleed off the extra heat created too. Either way though no code changes are necessary.
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  16. matthew loomis

    matthew loomis Member

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    I was just looking for a definite answer for this. So using the resistors is better than turning regen off with no battery?

    Edit found answer in describe section
    Disable Regenerative Braking
    This option disables regenerative braking. This is typically used to drive plating tanks, Peltiers or other loads that are not motors. A motor driven this way may run much less efficiently. Motors driven this way will also stop less rapidly. If you are running motors, but the system runs from a power supply, it is usually better to leave regeneration enabled and use the power outputs P1 or P2 as regenerative voltage clamps.
    Last edited: Jun 9, 2017
  17. evolaco

    evolaco Member

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    Can that be my problem with ibt2? I explain, as the motors move I increase the voltage of the power supply, from 13v goes up to more than 14v and gives a full turn to leave the range has risen to 19v and I stop the source and burn the vebtiladores of 12v cooling, I have put in a 40a diode in the positive of each ibt2, is it better to use resistors? Where and how should I connect them in the smc3 schema?
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 8, 2017
  18. evolaco

    evolaco Member

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    What resistances should I buy? If I do not put them there may be problems
  19. Blame73

    Blame73 Well-Known Member

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    From what I'm reading, I think using a car battery (a bike one I my case) is always a better choice: it stores the extra power when braking not letting your psu just trip (that's a good and right thing) and it helps providing extra energy for the power peaks (that if your psu isn't strong enough would lead to a driver error)
  20. BlazinH

    BlazinH Well-Known Member

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    I realize its easier to ask someone rather than to do your homework. But the answers to these questions are already answered in the first post of this thread had you bothered to read it thoroughly. So please start doing your homework first before asking questions so those creating threads don't have to continually repeat what has already been stated.

    Also FYI only the 2x32 can use resistors. If you have issues with regen current on a 2x60 and power supply then you must add a battery.

    sab2x32info.jpeg
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