Hello Kurt! Welcome!

There is a manual, you can find it on the FAQ page or here: /Manual

The max voltages are in there, i forget what they are without checking. It's a good idea for you to check anyway because there are relevant other stuffs.

I wouldn't recommend using the existing battery pack with rechargable batteries. Rechargable AA's are only 1.2 volts, and deminish quickly. Within a few recharge, they won't provide enough play-time. Rechargable AA's are bad bad bad.

What I would suggest (since you're asking about something pretty custom) is to visit your local battery store. We have a few here, and they have neat battery packs. What you'll want to get are Lithium Ion battery pack that has a built in PCB charging circuit. That way, you can give the battery 8-12 volts (and around 600 mha) .. It will charge itself :)

I get these 2 cell lithium ion battery packs with built in PCB from our battery shop locallly for around $40 . I might go pick a bunch up and put them on the website for sale. How about that idea? :D

Well, You just answered one of my questions. I was trying to use my NiCD rechargeable AA and was having problems. Now I know. Can ya recommend a source for a wall wart I can use with the EZ-B? I'mfinding that I'll need to have the board on for extended periods as I learn .

This looks good: eBay 12v DC 5a switching power supply

That looks like a good power supply DJ I didnt even get that one on my searches.

I was thinking more along these lines though because eventually everyone will want there robots running on battery's anywhoo this is how im going with something like this.

sla (solid lead acid)

i believe any 6 volt wall wart will work for charging its just the fewer mah the charger puts out the longer it takes to charge. I also have used the ezb with battery's like this

CHARGER like these here

here or this one

here

BATTERY like this

here

I will need to add there are warning about lipo batterys..... not sure about lion's i think there a tad safer but not sure.

Crap.... I think i just made this all more complicated....

ok dj sends you a battery holder that holds 5 AA batteries, it is 1.5volt x 5 = 7.5 volt battery pack

so isnt 12 volt too much?

no... i think its safe up to 14 volts? I think it just makes the voltage regulator's work harder and get hoter? I believe being closest to 5 volts is best.... I think DJ would have chosen a cheap 6v supply if the amp range would have worked most are not high enough in amp's

Yeah the manual says the EZ-B can take maximum 14V and Minimum 5V , but the recommended is 7.2V. The closer it is to 14V though the hotter the regulator will become.

That Power Supply Adapter looks pretty cool. Wouldn't it be good if it was possible to connect the EZ-B directly to a power point. Without it blowing up

I had these batteries for an R/C car here, so thought I might use them. They are 7.2 V, 3800mAh, Ni-MH. (see Pic)

Quick question. What size is the barrel jack on the EZ-B pwr in? I attempted to add a pic of the batteries I want to use. The add image asks for a URL. Do I have to post my pic on an online album somewhere to get an URL? Tried using my file name on my computer. Don"t work. Thanks, Lloyd

Those 7.2s will work fine. I have nearly the same size packs and they work good.

I can't remember what that plug is called. What i did is if you look at the top of the board between the jack and the voltage regulator you will see a tiny Gnd and below that a Vin + I just soldered some jumper wires there with the same style plug as all my battery's have.

If you change the battery pack plug to that barrel plug... you will most likely need to change the plug on whatever charger your using also.

You will need to upload the picture to a site then link it here.

Anyways If your RC car's battery plug is common a hobby store may have one for your ezb... If its really common i may have some here ill give you for free (i cut the plugs off of everything) all my battery's have whats called deans plugs.

Good, glad to hear that I can use those battery packs. I'd like to make an adapter cable so I can plug in the barrel. If you have any of the barrel plugs like the ones on DJ's batt pack; that would great. Thanks for the offer. Let me know and I'll send you my address. Lloyd

What if I ran 2 of the original style omnibot batteries (6V) and used one for the board and other for periferals (like my high torque servos)? Could that work? Or do I really need 7.2V for the board to be optimal?

Can anybody tell me the size of the barrel plug used on the battery pack? Is it neg. outside/pos. inside, or other way around? Thanks.

sorry Loyd i have none of the barrel plugs but DJ is selling some on the buy page Alternate Power Adapter $3.84

Bret I would think just one of the omnibot batterys would work just fine all by itself.

Well ,thanks anyway Ron. Guess I'll order a couple from DJ. OK. I checked the manual before I asked this question. I want to supply a seperate battery pack for the servos. There is a reference in the manual to V.2 of the EZ-B but not for V.3. I checked carefully. If I missed it I gotta get better glasses! So, can anyone get me up to speed on wiring the servo power supply? Next: On the SparkFun motor controller. I got the positive hookup ( I think) which is "VM". This positive should come from a seperate battery( per one of DJ's posts.) That being true basic electronics says that to complete the circuit it must return to ground on that seperate batt.pack. Right??? so, should I connect the battery neg. to the last (or bottom) ground on the output side of the motor controller? Since I will be using a seperate batt.pack for the servos, can"t I use that same batt for "VM"? Should I install a seperate bus terminal ( inside my bot) for the seperate batt. pack? Hope I didn't make that confusing.

:) You can connect the GND to anything. Either the EZ-B or the battery. The GND is not isolated so it is common everywhere. Technically you can call it Common GND if you wish :D

The alternate power for servos on v3. You can do it, it's just a bit tricker and there's a reason. The v2.1 had a jumper. We had to remove the jumper becuase it was robbing current. The jumper was a weak link in providing the full capability of the peripheral Voltage Regulator.

So you'll notice that the pins for the jumper are still there. It's located on the bottom right of the board. On the backside, you'll notice there is a trace pad. If you cut that trace pad, then you will seperate the entire right side +5 power plane from the rest of the EZ-B

Then, you can put a pin there, and provide power to it.

If your ez-b is for a specific application, i'd suggest this. If it isn't, then i'd suggest ordering a small breadboard from eBay and making a tiny adapter board.

@lostcreekstation figured I'd mention that the barrel jack is 2.1mm with tip positive. ;)

Thank you skater. Much appreciated.

i wanted to share this battery pack link from ebay its 7.2 volt if you use rechargeable or 9volt if you use akaline.

7.2 / 9 volt AA battery pack on ebay link

Hi guys,

I just got my custom kit and I need some opinions on power sources that I picked out? I really dont know which is best to use with the EZ Controller. Can you guys help me choose? I figure, I should be looking for a wall adapter/chargere and a battery pack.....

well, here is what I picked out for my locol shop in town....

combo battery /charger

1. www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11051772

Battery

1. http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=A2416228&pid=F3293880

2. www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=B2492564&pid=NPQ7116

3. http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=B2492564&pid=C1136721

Wall Adapter

1. www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=B4035458&pid=B3945422

2. http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=B4035459&pid=C3631991

Multi Tester

1. www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id=B1018380&pid=D0736126

Thanks for the help...I really value your opinions

first, dont buy from radio shack, they will over charge you! do ebay.

did i see a 7.2 volt battery in your list that put out 7.2 volt at 22 amp? the ez b only handles up to 5 amp i believe.

if you can wait, get it from ebay from china. if you cant, you will pay more from usa sellers, but alot cheaper than radio shack.

you can buy some 7.2 volt on ebay and cut the wires and put them in parallel for longer lasting mah and stay at 7.2 volt.

there are $10-$15 12 volt power supplies rated at 5amp, you need a 2.1mm plug ones, and find them on ebay, these are the wall adapters for testing at a desk. one auction said 2.1 and 2.5 is close enough to be the same but i dont think so.

someone correct me if i'm wrong.

you can also use up to 14 volt, so a 12 volt battery will work, but ez-b will get hot. i was looking at 12 volt steppers, down to 9 volt. they are cheap on ebay! will these work? the ones i seen were good for 3 amp.

Everybody seems to be very privileged in Canada and America. I have never heard of or seen a battery store in my life and there are now hobby electronics shops anywhere near me.

Here is a direct replacement for the omnibot battery - only 10.00 at All Electronics http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/GC-64/6-VOLT-4.5-AH-GEL-CELL/1.html

They also have a 12V 5AH battery for 12-15 bucks. And they are re-chargable.