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Asked — Edited

Strategies For Minimizing Ezb Disconnections

The EZB is connected to my router. The laptop is connected to the router.

My laptop is not disconnecting to the router or is exhibiting any issues with the network connection or traffic.

Does anyone know why the EZB unexpectedly drops connection to EZ builder?

What conditions cause this is happen?

Does the EZB have an error code stored indicating why the connection was dropped?

Is there a way to test send receive between the EZB and the laptop using EZBuilder? Like a lag test or performance test?


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United Kingdom
#1  
Here's three things to get the ball rolling that can cause the EZ-B to disconnect from the router...

Low battery,

Distance between EZ-B and router (weak signal if EZ-B is too far away from router).

Not suppling enough current (amps) to the EZ-B (using servos will need at least 20 amps. The more amps, the better.)
#2  
Good start.

I've got it hooked up to a 12v 5A power supply plugged into the wall. The EZB and laptop are less then 15 feet from the router.
#3  
Frequently when the EZB disconnects it is left in a corrupted state that requires me to cycle the power on the EZB.
#4  
If you are running servos, a 5amp supply is not sufficient. You are experiencing brownouts. Need a 20 amp supply to handle the servo inrush current.

Alan
United Kingdom
#5  
How many servo, sensors ect do you have connected to your EZ-B? If you have any of these connected to your EZ-B, 5 amps will not be enough (especially using servos). A minimum of 20 amps is needed. This could be another reason why the EZ-B disconnects. (I've added it to the list in post #2).
#6  
Try assigning a static I address in your router to your ezb.
United Kingdom
#8  
Current could still be the problem, even with one servo. The moment a servo begins to move they need a lot of inrush amps as Alan mentioned. Also Dave's advice is good about assigning a static IP address.
#9  
I wouldn't say that current is the issue because it happens when no servos are moving.

Would the ezb reset on a brown out?
United Kingdom
#10  
Reset.

If your asking about the connection mode (AP/Client modes) then no, it won't reset the connection mode you last set it to.

If your asking about the hardware itself, a power cycle as you have already mentioned will reset the board from a "Brown Out" (board locks up and a solid red LED is illuminated).

The only other thing I can suggest is narrowing down the variables of what's causing the brown out. If you have a powerful enough battery laying around like a LiPo or NiMH, charge it up and plug it in to the EZ-B and see if you experience the same problem.
#11  
If it's not a power problem.... Check your router... I used to have high number of disconnects... Turned out it was my crappy router... Bought a new one and now my connections are rock solid...

By the way what power supplies claim that they are rated for might not be what they are actually outputting...
#12  
The hardware not the connection method.

Thanks guys, great suggestions. Will check router issue.

Still on the fence concerning power for the reason I am also powering an Arduino Mega on the same power rail as the ezb and it functions normally when the ezb disconnects. I am not ruling the power issue out yet tho.
#13  
99% of the time that users have posted about EZ-B resets it has turned out that they were using power supplies of less than 15 amps output. that being said, most of them experienced the brownout when the servos were moving due to inrush current. Richard R's crappy router is the 1% that wasn't a power supply issue (actually, I think Dave S had the same thing, so 2%).

Alan
United Kingdom
#14  
FYI 1 tower pro MG995 can have an inrush current in excess of 5A. My V3 was experiencing brownouts due to a single Tower Pro MG995.
PRO
USA
#15  
a 15 or 20 amp power supply for servos and the EZB? wow, holy smokes thats a lot of current froma simple battery isnt it?
#16  

Quote:


a 15 or 20 amp power supply for servos and the EZB? wow, holy smokes thats a lot of current froma simple battery isnt it?



It only pulls that much for a fraction of a second when a servo first starts to move. It is called Inrush current (or in-rush current). It doesn't need that much sustained, but it needs to be able to deliver it very quickly in short bursts.

NiMH, SLA and LiPo's (and non rechargeable Lithium) can deliver it. Alkaline can't, which is why EZ-Robot recommends NiMH if using the AA battery holder or LiPo's for longer life and lighter weight.

Alan
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