Help me hook up my Sabertooth 2x25 motor controller to ez-b

Question

I have an electric wheelchair that i currently control with a spektrum dx5e transmitter, receiver, and sabertooth 2x25 motor controller. I want to connect to my ez-b. The only problem (which should be simple) I just need the ez-b to talk to my motor controller.I need to know, what type of output the ez-b sends outbecause the sabertooth can receive 4 types of incoming signal. (I just have to flip the correct switches.) Sabertooth can receive 4 types of inputs: Analog, R/C, simplified serial, packetized serial

The sabertooth has 4 low level connections... 0v,5v,S1,S2 (negative, positive, signal 1,signal 2) It controls 2 motors. It has 6 other connections... M1a,m1b,b-,b+,m2a,m2b

I know to hook it up in this order... Motor 1 positive (color may vary) Motor 1 negative(color may vary) Negative power for the big motors Positive power for the big motors Motor 2 negative(color may vary) Motor 2 positive(color may vary)

I know It is ok to reverse the motor #2's wires if the wheels don't move the right direction.

Here are the specs on the sabertooth. (I will update this post later, I'm on iPhone so I can not upload pics at this time.

Click here for sabertooth 2x25 info

I just need to know, which ARC controls I need to control it manually (it only has two drive wheels, just like zero turn mower). I need to have the ping radar to make it avoid obstacles too. I know basically how to get the Movement Panel working with the ping radar, and Movement Panel because it would highlight the movement panels's buttons when I put my hand in front of the ping sensor. Just not sure which baud rate and serial type or other signal type that ez-b will put out.

Forgive me for repeating myself, I'm on iPhone. It's hard to edit and remember what I already wrote since I'm at work and it's taking me a while to finish this post. Thanks in advance. TJ TheGoodRobot

DJ Sures · Answer

It'd be easiest to connect it as r/c (i.e. modified servo). It pretends to be a modified servo and will accept modified servo commands. You will be able to use a modified servo movement panel and control the robot. You will require two of those controllers for two motors. Since it only controls one motor per controller. And that's perfect, because the modified servo movement panel takes two servos, or in this case two sabertooth thingies That's easy. Look at the datasheet for the controller by clicking here Look at figures 2.2, 5.1, 5.2, and read about configuring for mode 2: rc/input in that datasheet. That's mode 2: R/C Input, they seem to call it

thegoodrobot · Answer

Thanks for the reply DJ, But i have the "sabertooth 2x25" motor controller that controls 2 motors up to 25 amps per channel, and you listed the datasheet for the "sabertooth SyRen 25" which is good for 1 motor up to 25amps. The datasheet for mine is: Sabertooth 2x25 data sheet link. Sabertooth 2x25 product page link close up pics:   i still think i should be able to connect it using the r/c input mode like you said, but it did not work a few days ago when i tried it in r/c mode. when i used my spektrum tx and rx, i could control it with my airplane joystick just fine. so then i didnt change anything, disconnected my receiver, and connected my ez-b, opened up the modified servo panel and it didnt work. i rebooted the ez-b and the power to the sabertooth. i was thinking maybe it is serial but i wasnt sure. page 7 of my datasheet for the "sabertooth 2x25" actually contains an error since on that specific page it DOES show the "sabertooth SyRen 25" but the other pages show the real sabertooth 2x25. i will email the company and let them know about that. emergency fail-safe: when i had it connected to the spektrum tx and rx, i could just turn off the power of the tx and it would automatically stop the robot. it was very handy a few times. this base to an electric wheelchair is kind of dangerous since it is very strong. i MUST have a fail-safe some how. if you can think of anything more than just the ultra sonic ping obstacle avoidance radar, let me know. i need a remote cut off i guess. here is a quote from page 13 of the data sheet. If switch 6 is set in the DOWN position, then Microcontroller mode is enabled. This disables the Timeout Failsafe and auto-calibration. This means that the Sabertooth will continue to drive the motor according to the last command until another command is given. If the control link is possible unreliable like a radio - then this can be dangerous due to the robot not stopping. However, it is extremely convenient if you are controlling the Sabertooth from a microcontroller. In this case, commanding the controller can be done with as little as three lines of code. Output_High(Pin connected to S1) Delay(1000us to 2000us) Output_Low(Pin connected to S1) i thought that the 3 lines of code above were possibly needed in ARC, but wasnt sure where to put it (if i was suppose to put it in at all...) sorry to write such long posts. i'm just so excited that my bot will be smart by this weekend (i hope) i think its greedy to want our robots to take over the whole world... but just a few countries would be cool... TheGoodRobot

DJ Sures · Answer

Do what i said. Use it in R/C mode and use a Modified Movement Panel. Voila You got everything you need to rock! PS, if your robot takes over the world, can i be on your side?

thegoodrobot · Answer

Of course you can be on my (and my robots' side)! Well I already tried it in rc mode with modified servo movement panel. The arrows on screen show up green so ARC is working right. When I connect ez b to my sabertooth, I was using D10, and d12. I only hooked up the signal wire coming out of ez-b... (the middle wire only into the sabertooth S1 and S2) Is that correct?

Canadian Robot Maker · Answer

HI JUST TO HELP YOU, See the picture number 2.2, 5.1, 5.2, on the 2x25 manual and you can see the right connection https://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/Sabertooth2x25.pdf exactly the same as RC mode Thanks Michel Canadian Robot

thegoodrobot · Answer

I tried the r/c mode with my normal r/c controller then immediately connected to ez-b as r/c mode and it doesn't work. I will try again to make sure I didn't miss anything, Thanks

winstn60 · Answer

I think that just disconnecting your RC gear and plugging in the EZ B will cause the controller to do a safety shut down through loss of signal. Also it's the outside pin of the EZ B not the middle one. I would put a big red cut off button to the batteries for safety be careful out there people!

Canadian Robot Maker · Answer

Hi if you use the Sabertooth with your RC Radio does not change the configuration DIP switch, you just need to add two virtual continuous servo (modified servo) on your ARC software The continiuos servo have the same definition of the sabertooth in RC mode The Sabertooth works on the same configuration for both unit ( receiver or ez board ) Good luck Michel

thegoodrobot · Answer

please email me at thegoodrobot@yahoo.com its 1-15-12 and i just now seen your reply to my post, i'm about to get back in robot making and i HAVE to get this rc wheelchair turned into a smart ez b bot. thanks TJ https://www.thegoodrobot.com i can not post another message, i waited like 15minutes. i dont know why its locked up! here is my next post... why would i need 2 modified servo boxes? also would i need that or modified servo movement panel. now i use a rc transmitter and i just have 2 motors. its a zero turn radius like a lawn mower. taking off the rc tx and rx and going from ez-b directly into the signal 1 and signal 2 inputs on the sabertooth. so since i'm not using the tx or rx, there should not be an auto safety cut off. also do have a master power switch on the battery,and i got it jacked up on a block. its a big electric wheelchair bottom. very powerful.

Canadian Robot Maker · Answer

I'M here no problem , if you whant to contact me ! Thanks Michel

thegoodrobot · Answer

i tried to post but it didnt let me, so i added it to my last post.

can someone email me please i dont want to keep posting in multiple threads. cause nothing i do works.

hooking up sabertooth 2x25 using modified servo movement panel. [email protected]

GotRobbed · Answer

hey canadian robot , Can you help me out? On my Sabertooth 2x25, I have a red error light on. I can find the reason why. I have the syren10 also and I followed the same setup as I did with the Syren10 but the red error light is on. Is it because I have 2 12volt 18ah baterries in series, making it 24v 36ah? Thanks

thegoodrobot

Help Me Hook Up My Sabertooth 2X25 Motor Controller To Ez-B

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