Team Psyclone: The Uprising (Of Build Diaries)

[razerdave]

Do you have a link for this 'Vyper'

If you saved up and got a Wotty you wouldn't need another controller again, very good, and the repair service is second to none .

[TeamPsyclone]

It's the new Robotpower one, that was supposed to replace the Sidewinder AFAIK. http://www.robotpower.com/products/vyper_info.html

[razerdave]

I've been looking at that actually, just forgot the name! Looks kinda like a Victor, and if those ratings hold true (which I think they do), they're a good controller, but it is $400 for a pair, adding in shipping; you would be just as well getting a Wotty.

[TeamPsyclone]

Are wottys single motor controllers, and would you know their price? Thanks for the help so far, I think you may have just prevented a lot of hard work.

[razerdave]

A Wotty is a dual motor controller and the standard Wotty is £370 posted. Takes up to 36v. Can't remember exactly the Amp rating per side..

[marto]

What motors are you running? Out BotBitz 85As will be fine for most motors which have a stall current < 100A. $75AUD + P/h per side. You can run two if they have two sets of brushes.

Have a look at this thread if you want to see me doing stupid things with a pair of them on two brushes. http://robowars.org/forum/viewtopic....er=asc&start=0
I only had issues when I attempted to keep driving after I had burnt all the insulation off the motor windings..... I chose to keep battling than save my ESCs the way it should be. I also worked out when I was melting connectors off 2 x XT90s I had to be pulling in excess of 400A through the ESCs for burst periods.

No idea how they compare to the wotty but I used them pretty successfully in my Middleweight, I just didn't have enough gearing.

Anyway every featherweight bot in Australia uses 85As now (except for a few still with XXLs or Victors) but I don't think anybody has bought anything else since we started selling them a few years ago.

Steve

[maddox10]

Most heavies over here use Bosch 750 @36V. Not something a TZ 85 likes.

But a wheelchair motor @24V sounds plausible.

[TeamPsyclone]

So is it worth trying the TZ85s? I will be running wheelchair motors, at 24v, with lack of access to much else.

[marto]

One of the other Aus builders is using them on wheelchair motors for a different project (Motorised Lounge Chair) so could possibly work. Bosch 750 if you split brushes to 2 x TZ85as would probably also work.

This is all speculation given I have not personally tried them in combat.

Steve

[maddox10]

On the other hand, using 4 TZ's @ £45 is an experiment that costs £180.

[TeamPsyclone]

Just curious, why four?
Also, I've had a think about the Wotty, and I don't know if I could afford it, without some serious saving, and the team chipping in, and there's no Sunday jobs to help around here, sadly. Being 15 (Almost, 16 days), it's tough to get anything done.

[maddox10]

Ah, most bigger motors have 4 brushes. These work together as 2 pairs of contacts , each pair doing half of the windings.

This is very obvious in the magmotors, who have 4 wires coming out.
I believe you can drive a Magmotor S28-150 with a pair of TZ85's, @ 5S

In the Bosch it's done by connecting the pairs on the brush-holder. And that is what Marto suggests, decouple the pairs, and control each pair with a TZ85.

For non-overvolted wheelchairs, a TZ85 will do fine, especialy when you add a fan to the speedo's. Don't expect any world shattering speed or acceleration, but it will move, and if done well, you can build yourself a cheap bot that can take serious punishment. Just use thick enough steel and shock mounting. A nice bodyshell with a cool paintjob, and you'll have a great starter heavy.

[daveimi]

Don't buy anything for a heavy yet. Build something small n get used to it all first The main problem with the smaller controllers is that they get hot. Even though there are small controllers with the amps rating, a small plastic box cannot dissipate the heat a big meaty dual controller can. Buying four small controllers divided between two big motors will be a nightmare to cable and set up.

I may get moaned at for costing someone a sale but £180 would nearly buy you a good quality dual controller. I am by no means an experienced robot builder, but I am an experienced electronics technician by trade. Please message me if you need any help and ask questions before you spend money.

[TeamPsyclone]

@Maddox - That does seem a hassle, and might not work as well, despite being lower cost. I may invest into a Vyper, or a Wotty, depending on what happens.
@Daveimi - I see your point, but the thing is I've done that, bought a couple feathers, and built, smashed and rebuilt more. McCheapo, Shazam, and the original version of McCheapo, what was to be called something else, never worked out, sadly. I could never get them to work, and hated them, to be honest. I'll try to get one feather actually working, although I was close to one, I just never got it going. I'll post updates on McCheapo, the Wonky Wheeled, Weaponless Wonder. As in, "I wonder how that even got into the arena?" I'll be wiring it up soonish, I have all the components.

[daveimi]

Yeah I mean it's hard not to sound condescending and I have no idea of your building experience, you're probably a better fabricator than me! I just couldn't stand by whilst you put nearly £200 down for something your not sure about wiring and so on.