Asked
— Edited
Resolved by Robot Doc!
What do you all think? Is it possable to use one pot for two devices for feedback? I have one motor I have one pot attached to it so I can send position feedback to one of EZB'S ADC ports. I'm hoping I can just tap off the sensor lug and run that to another device. That device is already attached to EZB and shares a common ground. It's' a Kangaroo x2.
As far as I know you'll need to use the UART port on the V4 for 2 way communication between the V4 and the Kangaroo...
All I know is that Dj has always steered us away from encoders. I don't think he ever said that EZB did or did not support encoders. Any time the topic of encoders comes up it's the consensus that they cant be used with EZB. It would be great is someone would give them a try. I think optical encoders are different then the mag sensor Robo Doc mentions. I've been wanting to give the magnetic sensors a try. We had a forum member on here last year (Robotmaker) that brought these sensors up saying they acted and read the same a a potentiometer but could turn around an unlimited amount of times. A regular common multi turn pot usually only lets you have 10 rotations as far as I've found.
And yes, The Kangaroo will accept either a pot or an encoder and I've confirmed that it will work with the V3 EZB. You send a serial command to the Kangaroo / Sabertooth combo board and to will move in the way (Speed, position) your command is written. OR you can put it into RC mode and run it through a Radio Controller ( I haven't tried this though).
Well with big wheelchair motors I figure it can't hurt to give it a try, ample room under the cap and two unused signal wires. Those $9 ones I linked to above are what I plan to buy, I like the magnet idea because, unlike the wheels, I don't have to search kingdom come for something that fits a 17mm shaft. Would be pretty awesome if it would work on the digital port, then maybe I could use the forward commands. I just would like to be more accurate than timing a move with a clock as Richard suggested, for sure I'll do it but hope to eventually use forward. Now that I'm thinking about it though, how is an encoder on my motor different than any 360 servo in my ez robot kit? Surely it's a motor with some sort of sensor to tell its position right? Seems mine coupled with the encoder is just a larger version of the small servos I have. The ez-b reads those signals ok. I'm sure I'm not thinking about something.
In the previous page Dave linked to pots not encoders... as mentioned you can't use pots for your purpose due to most having a limited # of rotating(s). You need wheel encoders...