What would be the correct motor controller to match with the Devantech RD02 - 12 Volt Robot Drive System?
I have been using an Arduino Romeo controller for my DF Robot 4WD. Now I want to put a drive system on a new robot…would the DFRobot Romeo All-in-one Microcontroller (ATMega 328) be compatible with the Devantech RD02 - 12 Volt Robot Drive System? Or is there a more suitable controller for the Devantech Drive System? Thanks for your help.
Coleman,
So, do I need to use my Romeo motor controller at all on the new robot? Can I just use the dual motor controller on the RD02 and not use the Romeo at all on my new robot?
Thanks, Dexter
How much weight can the Devantech RD02 - 12 Volt Robot Drive System move? I notice on the Robotshop webpage that it says “perfect for robots from 5 - 10 kg.” But on the Devantech website, which also sells the RD02 Drive system, it says
“The RD02 is suitable for robots up to around 5kg.” Does the RD02 support 5 kg per wheel, thus making it able to drive a total of 10 kg? Or is it able to move only 5 kg total, with both wheels?
Which wheels and wheel mounts would you suggest to accompany the Devantech RD02 - 12 Volt drive system? I have the Devantech drive system now, but this is only 2 out of the 4 wheels required for my robot. I need 2 more wheels and a way to mount them such that they are compatible with the wheels of the Devantech drive system. What does Robotshop sell that would fill this need?
Thanks for the info…I will probably use casters. Another question: I bought a Lynxmotion (now owned by Robotshop, right?) 12.0 Volt Ni-MH 2800mAh Battery Pack (Product code : RB-Lyn-343). I also bought a battery charger (8.4V-12V NiMh Charger w / Tamiya Connector Product code : RB-Ten-03). Should I charge this battery pack right out of the box, or use the battery pack till it is out of charge, and then charge it to full capacity? Or doesn’t it matter?
How long should I charge this Lynxmotion battery pack (BAT-06 12 Volt 2800mAh)? I checked the specs page for Lynxmotion batteries (lynxmotion.com/images/html/battery.htm) and they listed charge times for BATs 01-05, but not BAT-06. Also, you said I should check the “wiring (make sure one of them did not change their product and switch two wires).” I see a red wire and a black wire coming out of the battery back, going into the Tamiya connector…I see 2 black wires coming out of the charger, going into the Tamiya connector. I plan on just clicking the two connectors together, in the only orientation that is allowed…what exactly should I check?
In your ratio, you used Bat 5…did you mean to use Bat 6? If I do the ratio of
Charge time Bat 6 / Capacity Bat 6 = Charge time Bat 1 / Capacity Bat 1, and solve for Charge time of Bat 6, I come up with
Charge time Bat 6 = (102 / 1600) x 2800 = 178.5 minutes. Did I do this correctly? I should charge it for 3 hours?
Thanks for the info…I’ll charge it ~3 hours. Another question: What wire do I need to connect the Uno microcontroller to the motor controller on the Devantech? I ordered both the Uno and the 12 Volt Devantech drive system, but I don’t seem to have the proper wire to connect the two.
What pins need to be connected, i.e., which pins on the Uno need to be connected to which pins on the motor controller?
Another question: How do I tell which is the power terminal on the Devantech 12 Volt RD02 motor controller? There is a light green terminal block, but I can’t tell which side is ground and which side is power…? There are no markings on it. I searched online for a schematic, but couldn’t find one for the Devantech RD02 motor controller.
I looked at that webpage, robot-electronics.co.uk/htm/md25tech.htm, and I have a question: Should I be using the Motor Controller Serial or the Motor Controller I2C setup to connect the Uno to the Motor Controller? What is the difference between the two setups? Also, can I power the Arduino Uno with a 9 Volt battery?
The RD02 includes two motors with encoders, two motor mounts, two wheels and a dual motor controller. Therefore you don’t need to purchase another motor controller. Your Arduino (Romeo) can communicate with this motor controller; you would not use the dual motor controller on the ROMEO.
You need:
Microcontroller -> Motor controller -> Motors
The Romeo is:
Microcontroller -> Motor controller (onboard)
The RD02 is:
Motor controller -> Motors
So neither one is sufficient for a robot and if you purchased both, you would not use the ROMEO’s onboard dual motor controller. Instead of the ROMEO, you might choose another Arduino microcontroller.
The weight it can move depends largely on any angles it will need to climb. 5Kg is conservative on a flat surface, and 10Kg is almost impossible on a 30 degree incline. We suggest you do the calculation using the Drive Motor Sizing Tool and compare the output to the specs of the motor.
We offer the wheels and mounting brackets separately as well, but no specific way of mounting them without a motor. You would need bearing blocks and shaft collars. Alternatively, you can purchase two additional motors. If the wheels do not need to be identical, consider using casters.
Yup
NiMh does not really have a memory effect, so you should charge it out of the box. As with all products from different suppliers, check the specs and wiring (make sure one of them did not change their product and switch two wires). Stay away from NiCd.
The wiring should be ok / standard - for future reference, when using two products together, the manufacturers may have different wiring schemes and reversed the positive and negative leads (better to be a little paranoid than to fry products).
Charge time depends on the capacity. Compare the capacity for BAT-01 to Bat-05 and then do a ratio:
Charge time / capacity (Bat 1) = Charge time / capacity (Bat 6).
This is not exact, but should give you an idea of how long to wait.
Yes - oops. Meant Bat 6. Updated in the reply. ~3 hours sounds about right.
You will find here all the information you need to get the motor controller working, including the pin-out at the terminal block:
robot-electronics.co.uk/htm/md25tech.htm