K8055 + Sabertooth + Wiper motors

you can use a relay controlled by a digital output of the K8055 which cuts the supply circuit of the sabertooth. The digital output of the K8055 is controlled by X-sim.

Thanks Stephane, I saw that option on your site and I was wondering if people are doing any different. The relay control board from Velleman is hard to find and is a costly option too.

By the way, I decided to drill on the back of my motor and add a back shaft like you did. Its a great idea and it works fine.

You can use a simple relay cheap. There's no need to use a card VM129 as I do. implementation is simple. and the X-sim programming is not complicated either.

I have a question. Is there a way to make this setup work with wheelchair motors? They are 24V DC and around 30-40 amps. Even if I have to modify the electronics a little to get it to work if someone has ideas please let me know. I am not an electrical guy I only really now mechanical stuff.

are you sure about data on the amperage ? 30 - 40A seems very high. You will need a power supply of 24V / 2000W. And regarding the sabertooth, you will need the model 2x50A which costs 250$ ( here => http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sab ... 2x50HV.htm )
Can you tell us about the motor's torque ?
What the red lever is it for ?

At the moment I don't really have any info. I should have the motors on tuesday so I should be able to find out more once they are in my hand. I will post tuesday afternoon as soon as I have them.

I just looked at that motor driver. That actually doesn't look like a bad option. I mean if I use Tronics controller I would need two of them to run my 2 motors. I think they cost around a hundred bucks to build? Im not sure on that im just guessing.

If I go the sabertooth route what all would I need to get my two motors to work with X-sim? Thanks so much for your help I have been thinking of this project for two years and i'm am just now getting started so I am very anxious

My research on the internet make me think that the engines have an intensity bordering 5A and 30A may be at peak. So the sabertooth match would be much cheaper.We will know more, once you have the engines in hand.

wow thanks I have been looking everywhere and can't seem to find much info on these motors. From what you saw do they look like they will be more powerfull than the wiper motors? If not I might look at other options.

I have not found information on the mechanical torque. But I'm pretty sure it is more important than a wiper motor. This option seems to be very interesting.

yes - the easy way is just to put a switch on the extreme of position with a diode to allow your rig to reverse when it is ready...

check out the following in the K8055 - dual wiper motors control with variable speed thread:

Page18/Post10: VIDEO-DEMO - Switches at Extremes of position with Direction Recovery Diodes

Tim

Yeah you can get these motors on ebay very cheap in great almost new condition. These types of motors are also used in battlebots.... The fighting robots.

http://www.coolrobots.com/builders/newbie.html

http://www.npcrobotics.com/products/index.asp

These two sites have some good info. Also the second site has a lot of interesting DC motors that could be used for our purposes. They give all of the torque specs and everything. I'm not saying we should by from there because it can be a little expensive but thats what pointed me to the motors I bought.

I have some experience with wheelchair motors as I have 8 of them to use for my project that I accumulated through ebay deals. I have two sets of two motor by fracmo I know the amperage ranges from 3.5amps but mine are 7.5a and the other I have is 11.5amps it is possible they may go slightly higher. 24v x 7.5a = 180watts or 24v x 11.5a = 276watts. My other pride mobility motors are approximately the same size but I estimate them to be more powerful approx 300 - 400 watt, I cannot find any information on there amps or power output. RPMs of wheelchair motors range from 90rpm, mine are 115rpm - 125rpm.

Mechanical torque I would estimate from 40nm +.

The red lever is used to engage the drive or to disengage the brakes, all wheelchair motors come with brake that require a separate 12 - 24v to free the brakes, u will probably want to remove them for your project.

I am intrested in finding out how you get on Houdiniact, as our projects will be similar.

I have sellected a sabertooth 2x25 v2 to drive my motors its plenty enough.

Awesome!! Where do you order your controllers and stuff? How much would it be for the one you suggested?

*Edit.... Ok I found the controller thats about $125.00 is that a good price or do you guys know of a cheaper place to pick them up. http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X25.htm

I found the Velleman K8055 at radio shack for $60.00 is that also a good price and is it the right board? http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... =720014104

The other thing I will need is power. Will a decent Desktop computer power supply work? From your post the most watts that some of the wheelchair motors take is around 300 watts so I am thinking like an 800 watt power supply minimum with a high amp rating. I think the one in my desktop currently is about 80amps I think. Will a standard power supply even supply the right volts since the motors are 24volt.

Sorry for all of the questions but I know very very little about electronics.

What else will I need to get the electronics sorted out? I

I am in the same boat as you Houdiniact, I dont know much about electronics. I have the k8055 which I soldered myself, I bought this from Maplins in the UK http://www.maplin.co.uk/usb-experiment-interface-board-42857.

The sabertooth I bought from Dimension Engineering http://www.dimensionengineering.com/Sabertooth2X25.htm for $125 I bought it directs as they had only just released an updated version (V2) and I could only be sure I would get a new V2 from them, imho I think they have the best price but I did have to wait 3 weeks for delivery to UK.

I am trying to wire the sabertooth direct to the PC via ISO and cut out the k8055 altogether altho I am struggling and could really do with some help. I have chosen to do this because I find the k8055 is slow and under dual pwm/dac output the voltage is not a consistant 5v mine is 4.68v on one channel but if i have 2 channel drawing current it falls to 4.59v. This is bad because I cant get 100% speed in 1 direction and also the motor stop is offset. As you probably know 0v is 100% reverse, 2.5v motor stop and 5v 100% forward.

For power supply I am using mobility batteries 2 x 12v in series to make 24v, each battery is approx 40ah - 50ah, batteries provide good solid amps as and when needed where as power supplies need to adjust to the current drawn from them making them slower. Mobilty Lead Acid Batteries are the ones to choose, they are designed to be almost fully depleated and recharged day after day where as Car batteries are supposed to be kept at max charge. You do have the option of a powersupply and batteries in parallel, the supply will keep the batteries charged and the batteries can supply the amps needed altho I only read about this so not sure what you will need.

Also on ebay you can find a meanwell power supply 24v x 14.6a http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MW-24V-DC...Supplies_EH&hash=item56447eba6f#ht_3294wt_957

I like the looks of that power supply I would need two of those for my setup. Not too expensive either only about $60.00. I did notice in the videos at the beggining of this page that the sims seemed slow and sluggish in all of the videos so I have been wondering about this. This worries me. If it is that difficult I might just consider building tronics setup. If you look at the videos with his electronics everything is fast and responsive. Unless someone on here knows a solution to this problem.

tronic will recommend batteries just ask him, its a factor that contributes to the speed and response the simulator will have, power on tap if you like. I think also his controller is 10bit compared to the 8bit k8055.

If u notice in the videos at the beginning of this topic all the guys are using 12v pc psu.

Do you think this Quad Relay Card (K2633) from Velleman will work too?
http://www.electronics123.com/s.nl/it.A/id.2033/.f

The relay would work but you will need a 9V power supply. Try to find one that works on 12V so you can plug into a PC power supply.
Perhaps it : http://www.electronics123.com/s.nl/it.A/id.419/.f

adbgg I have been working with bigtalltims setup for awile now and have come to a stopping point until i have more time.My question is i have hooked up a k8055 and a sabertooth as per your tut but with everything hooked up and the pots in place I get some motion that seems to react to the game being played but other times it seems to be random. Do you have a setup or any advice to what I might doing wrong.I have followed your instuctions word for word but cant get anything to work excactly right.

Hi BartS - only just noticed this post... apologies for the delay

There is a quick and easy fix - use a powered USB hub :thbup:

This subject is well documented on the Velleman forum

Tim