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USA
Asked — Edited

Sabertooth Troubles

Hi guys,

I am currently trying to use a sabertooth 2x32 but am unable to get it to work and think it might be related the the DIP switches?

just for background:
-I have updated to the latest ez-builder
-the signal and ground of D0 are connected to s1 and ground of the sabertooth
-i have tried using both the sabertooth Movement Panel and custom Movement Panel using serial commands and have read how the interval 0-255 affects the motor coding.
-I have tried many combinations of DIP switches but I either get the motors spinning out of control (without command from the movement panel) or no movement at all

I am sure that it is something simple and figured someone has come across this in the past

Thank you for any input possible!:)
Aaron


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PRO
USA
#1  
I don't know too much about sabertooth but I have a 2 x 25 connected as EDIT ** sSimplified Serial Mode at 38400 baud edit *+ not seriel I see your data sheet does not say simple seriel but anyway d0 correct to s1 you only need to have the signal connected to S1 hope it helps Richard if you chime in you know these better than I think anybody else
PRO
USA
#4  
@merne I have that in front of me right now and cannot get either the rc or serial DIP switches to work

@Dj Sures Yes that was what I originally tried but one of the motors would just spin the moment I tried to use the Movement Panel or set up an init script send serial(D0,38400,0) . I figured there had to be something I missed since there was a supported control for the sabertooth lol

Aaron
PRO
USA
#5  
Robot 56 can you let us know what dip switches are set currently and are you using battery or power supply thanks
EDIT** Is your dip switch set for Legacy simplified seriel which I'm sure you tried since you have it in front of you
Canada
#6  
I use the Custom Movement Panel for my 2 X 12 Sabertooth. The instructions for your Sabertooth should have the DIP switch settings. Here's my codes that may be of help to you.

Code:



# Both motors stopped, I also use this to initialize the board,
SendSerial(D0,9600,0)

# Forward
SendSerial(D0,9600,127) # motor 1 127 is full speed
SendSerial(D0,9600,255) # motor 2 255 is full speed

#Turn Right
SendSerial(D0,9600,255) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,1) 

#Turn Left
SendSerial(D0,9600,127) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,128) 

#Reverse
SendSerial(D0,9600,1) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,128)
PRO
USA
#7  
Your DIP switch settings are: 1-OFF 2-OFF 3-OFF 4-OFF 5-ON 6-OFF

This is set up with the battery also stupid question but your wiring to the motors are they both the same

Also I am not familiar with your level of expertise so sorry if I'm giving you too many down the roads wrong answers
#8  
One more thing that others haven't mentioned. Make sure the battery powering the motors shares a ground (but not power) to the ez-b.

Alan
PRO
USA
#9  
ok... it has been a long day... but I finally got it to work! I had the exact same code that @bhouston had written except for the braud rate of 9600. I changed the braud rate and re-configured the DIP switches to what I would have expected them to be and now it works perfectly!



thank you to everyone that helped me out it was really appreciated:)
Aaron
Canada
#10  
Good deal, glad to see you got it working.
PRO
USA
#11  
Wow robot 56 very nice I like your robot
#12  
So, you got it to work by changing the baud rate and dip switches. It’s not clear to what you changed them to. Could you please tell us? :)
PRO
USA
#13  
@Dave Schulpius sorry i was just excited to see it move. i used a custom Movement Panel with the code changed to a 9600 braud rate.

the DIP switches I used was:

1-4 off
5-6 on

Code:


# Both motors stopped, I also use this to initialize the board,
SendSerial(D0,9600,0)

# Forward
SendSerial(D0,9600,127) # motor 1 127 is full speed
SendSerial(D0,9600,255) # motor 2 255 is full speed

#Turn Right
SendSerial(D0,9600,255) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,1) 

#Turn Left
SendSerial(D0,9600,127) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,128) 

#Reverse
SendSerial(D0,9600,1) 
SendSerial(D0,9600,128)
PRO
USA
#14  
Just a curious question what determines the braud rate I was looking at the data sheet and it said nothing about that braud rate that I could find it was a quick glance if memory serves me right Richard R and BHouston have the same board and I believe Richard R is set to 38400 I'm just curious what determines that thanks
Canada
#15  
I don't know what determines to Baud Rate but I was having trouble with a motor not starting when it should and not shutting off when it should. It was totally random and effected both motors. It was suggested by Richard to change the Baud rate from 38400 to 9600 and it fixed things up.
I don't know if this is a coincidence or not but I had been running the EZB that controls the motors in AP mode and it seemed like my problems started when I started running the EZB in Client Mode.
PRO
USA
#16  
@BHouston, thanks for the edit** explanation, I am going to change mine to 9600 too, because mine seems to do that every once in a while too. Again thanks for the explanation .

@robot56, didn't mean to hijack your thread, is there a way you can get more lighting on your video your R2-D2? is very cool thanks
#17  
For the 2 x 12 (and most likely other sabertooths) the dip switches on the sabertooth control the baud rate... 1,3 and 6 up (on) sets the sabertooth for simplfied serial at 38400 baud... 1,3,5 and 6 on is simplified serial at 9600baud...
PRO
USA
#18  
@merne no worries at all we are all here to help one another:)

I do not have a video of my astromech moving around in the daylight yet (hopefully tomorrow) but my build thread is on here with tons of pictures!

Link: R7 Astromech

also you can see it randomly in a video from a club event a couple months ago


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