I am collecting parts for a future 'large scale' robot project. I already have gears boxes and motors from a Peg Perego Jeep (PowerWheels).

Before I parted out the Powerwheels, 60 lbs was easily moved at low speed (6V) and high (12V) speeds (not super fast but good enough I think).

The motors are 170 watt motors (about 14A max load at 12V). I plan to use a 20 - 25A Hbridge.

I am planning my design to easily be able to pull a wagon or my 7 year old around.

I hear the Sabertooth Hbridge is now working with EZ-B but I have not started shopping around.

Good luck and keep us up to date on your progress!

Find yourself a cheap power chair/wheel chair ... nice geared motors and very good motor controllers already there, just interface the EZ-B to the controller.

Dave

Hey Dave, Have you done the EZ-B conversion on a wheelchair? If you did how did you connect the EZ-B to the chairs controller? Pics or wiring diagram would be great!

Wheelchair motors can easily move 300lbs of robot at a good speed. Be sure your H-bridge or controller has a fail safe or it could kill someone.

Another option for the <100lb bot is windshield wiper motors. You can get brand new ones for $16 each from http://monsterguts.com/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=4

I too haven't settled on the H-bridge or controller yet though. Too many options, not enough knowledge in my head yet. Too many years since I did any electronics so I don't trust what knowledge I do have yet. (and I am trying to keep it really cheap, and it looks like once you go over a 2 amps, things start to get really pricey).

Alan

@Robotz012248 "Hey Dave, Have you done the EZ-B conversion on a wheelchair? If you did how did you connect the EZ-B to the chairs controller? Pics or wiring diagram would be great!"

I have a chair that I'm going to use but have not as yet interfaced the controller...I do have the programming cable and the programming software thou which can set every option that the chair can do, it gives me full control over every setting, speed, braking, etc.

@thetechguru

I always try to apply the three main laws of Robotics....

 A robot may not injure a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

A robot must obey the orders given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the First Law.

A robot must protect its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the First or Second Laws.

And yes the chair can move over 300 lbs but a 1 lb robot doing 60 mph can also kill.

Dave

Alan, You sound like you might be at a similar level to myself. May I ask your age and location? Perhaps we could compare notes and possibly help each other out. You are welcome to email me at my personal email; [email protected]

@ Dave; I would very much like to pick your brain and resources if you'd be open to sharing. Please feel free to email me personally. Lloyd

Lloyd,

I am in the Maryland suburbs of Washington DC, and I am 47 years old. I am a reasonably good programmer with Visual Basic 6, but trying to learn VB.Net, and want to follow that with C# (would have jumped straight to C#, but I have a project at work that I need to do in VB.Net, so it has to come first).

I am pretty technically inclined, particularly around software, but the last time I did any significant hardware electronics I was in high school, so it has been about 30 years.

I would be happy to converse directly. I am at alan at thetechguru dot net, however I think it would be useful to others if we share what we learn here on the forum, and we'll also get others to chime in with answers on the things we are struggling with.

Alan