So actually had some battle testing today. Since we all had events.

In feathers collectively there was 14 fights with 3 pairs of TZ85as. There was no failures. In wanda one of miles and jules bots the ESCs smoked 2 drill motors on 6S and are still running fine. So was a pretty good test and the ESCs seem to provide a good low cost small solution for entry level featherweights.

On the beetle front in NSW angus managed to fry one of his ESCs quite spectacularly. Not 100% sure but looks to have likely been due to a short because of damage but can never be sure.

I am now going to order some more tz85as to replace my sabertooth2x25a which just doesn't work properly.

Steve
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

my guess is shorted motor wires, leading to blown fets leading to 100% shoot through, leading to pools of solder and components in the bottom of the bot.

EPIC!
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Well if its gunna fail at least you know it will do so spectacularly.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

http://www.vapourforge.com/rw/2011/marryong-2011-04-22/angus_esc/thumbs/IMAGE_001.jpg
http://www.vapourforge.com/rw/2011/marryong-2011-04-22/angus_esc/IMAGE_001.jpg
http://www.vapourforge.com/rw/2011/marryong-2011-04-22/angus_esc/thumbs/IMAGE_004.jpg
http://www.vapourforge.com/rw/2011/marryong-2011-04-22/angus_esc/IMAGE_004.jpg
http://www.vapourforge.com/rw/2011/marryong-2011-04-22/angus_esc/thumbs/screenshot4.png
3 second video
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Plush10 hacked ESC's lasted all event in Kruger on 3S. Very happy with them!
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https://www.halfdonethings.com/

Yep i think im definately going to get some TZ85's happening and do a feather - but i would be keen to see the current limiting code implemented for all types of hacked ESC's, based on angus's explosion even though m&j smoked a motor with no damage to the ESC, i still think this is a thing we need
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<Patrician|Away> what does your robot do, sam
<bovril> it collects data about the surrounding environment, then discards it and drives into walls

TBH current limiting can't effectively be done in software. If you want it done you need to buy a proper ESC. And even with current limiting it is not likely to save your ESCs in case of direct short.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

is there anything that looks like a thermal cutout perhaps?
I'd be interested to see what kind of readings you get doing synchronous reads of ADC while the PWM is on.
it probably wouldn't help too much against a dead short but it might help prevent crisping a motor.
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Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets

Temp limiting is already implemented. I just haven't really played with the values of where to limit at for every controller. It has only been done for tz85a and then I just turned it off as I would prefer to fry a controller than have it limit.

Limiting is setup so that when it gets over a certain threshold it cuts to 50% then another threshold it cuts right out.

Still not going to help with short circuit or over current situations.
_________________
Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

So more moving into a tidy up and finish off phase for the standard brushed controllers.

I think I am going to remove the programming mode. This means that I need to tidy up the limit ranges for standard RCs pulses. Anyone who is using the ESCs I would be looking for feedback on high low values.

The code will retain all the options however the default setup will now be.

No calibration mode.
Temp limiting off.
Linear not exponential control.
Smaller dead band
A larger buffer zone for shorter and longer RC pulses.
No motor beeping

Might try and get this done on AVRs tonight and SiLabs during the week.

Other things which I am still working on.
2in1 - aaron gave me some plush10 AVRs which I should be able to continue development with.
Superbrain - This is an ESC which has current limiting which I have been looking at.
Temp sensing on SiLabs
SatRX modules for ants. Possibly DSM2 variant as well.

So still plenty of things which need to be done but other than the Temp Sensing on SiLabs I think most of the core project goals have been achieved.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=922566

Well that sounds easy. Much easier than the HK module.

Couple that with this
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=13418
And 2in1 code.

Write a single channel output for weapon

And you got yourself a controller and radio which might weigh < 20g.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

Have you checked the output from the HK satellite receiver? I've been curious about what format it is since I read a couple days ago that the spektrum satellite outputs serial.

It seems like it most likely just outputs a stream of PWM pulses, but that is what I would have guessed for the Spektrum satellite RXs also.

Even if it was just a PWM pulses, it seems like it would be fairly easy to to run that into the servo input of a re-programmed ESC, have it look for the sync pulse and then store each channels value into a separate variable.

Dylan

It uses a non standard 16bit serial string. I have used it and have a working implementation for pololu-b328

Main disadvantage is you can't buy txs anymore.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

Tutorial is done.

http://www.robowars.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=68066#68066
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com

AVR code has been fixed to incorporate changes.

I have also had some feedback from aaron regarding SiLabs code and it has been tidied up accordingly but not tested.

Hopefully get to that tonight.
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Steven Martin
Twisted Constructions
http://www.botbitz.com