Line Trackers and Communication Light.

[43803490]

Hello,

My team is trying to setup the line trackers.

In one of the tutorials it said that it should be connected to the Solenoid Breakout Board on the cRIO so that the voltage doesn't drop below a certain amount while motors are run.

I don't have any experience with the Solenoid Breakout Board although.  How are have other teams been connecting the wires to the board and in what configuration?

(I'm decently new to connections of several wires) So are there any decent tutorials anyone knows on the Web?

Also, my team never gets the light right.  While the robot is "Enabled", how should the light act?

While "Disabled" it currently blinks at a slow rate, then when "Enabled" it blinks faster.  I currently only have 2 of the Pins on the light connected to the Digital Side Car.

Last year the light wiring seemed extremely "jerry rigged".  I think that one pin on the Digital Side Car was connected to just the center pin on the Light, while the other pin on the DSC was connected to both of the outer pins on the light.

Thanks for any help,

Davis Catherman

[sciencewhiz]

The RSL wiring is described in <R54>. It's also shown on the robot power distribution diagram.

[webby]

This is in the Control System Introduction document. I found it in discussions here and bookmarked it for my students to expalin the states of the RSL. Hopefully, you have your questions answered before now.

Robot Signal Light – this amber light allows teams to troubleshoot their robot while on the field. There are 5 states:

• Solid ON = Autonomous Enabled
• Solid ON, but blinks OFF every 1.5s = Teleoperated Enabled
• Slow Blink (900ms on / 900ms off) = System Disabled; caused by system watchdog, user watchdog, or Driver's Station set to disabled
• Fast-Slow Blink (200ms on / 900ms off) - Low battery (<12 Volts) or no user code and system disabled either by system watchdog, user watchdog, or Driver's Station set to disabled
• Fast Blink (200ms on / 200ms off) - System error: No driver's station communication, bad cRIO Image, bad team ID, extensive communication errors.

Only the RSL goes in the Solenoid Breakout. The tracking lights go directly into the digital sidecar in the digital inputs. http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=89268 this is a great thread on the sensors and wiring.

Best wishes for a great season.

Jean-Ann

FIRST Team 2145

[43803490]

Thanks,

By reading how it should act, I believe I have the light connected properly. (Just need to test solid for autonomous).

The wiring of the line tracking sensor helped a lot.  Going to get on that real soon.

Thanks again,

Davis Catherman

[43803490]

hello,

Just about the light, I had forgotten to jump the two outside pins.

bout the line trackers, when connecting the power source to the solenoid breakout for 24v power, do i connect the positive (brown) wire to the signal terminal on the solenoid breakout, and the negative (blue) wire to the ground on the solenoid breakout board, and the signal (either black or white) wire goes to the signal terminal I/O on the Digital Side Car.

Well, im not sure if that is correct, so can someone clarify before i destroy a sensor...

Thanks,

Davis Catherman