Asked — Edited

Dynamixel Settings Question

This question is directed to anyone running dynamixels. I am wondering if any of you have attempted or found a way to override the thermal cut off. I've looked thru the Dynamixel wizard and the documentation is lacking to say the least. In a perfect world the ability to turn off these safeties would be ideal.

I'm trying to either override the thermal, default is 70 deg c temp can be set (0-99 deg c) and turn it off OR override that torque goes to 0 when temperature reaches over the thermal cut off.

The Alans I have on the other side of the world are thermal shutting down do to a hot environment. We are going to be working to cool the area but it would be better to override the protections (I'm sure voiding the warranty) or the ability to change the settings in software.

The Dynamixel Wizard will allow you to set thermal cut off anywhere from 0-99 deg c and change the torque settings but I do not have access directly to Alan and would be better to have a software solution. Right now Alans have to be turned off and the motors to cool down for 20-30 min to reset the thermal and bring them back online.

An example of a fix would be adding two buttons to the EZ Robot Dynamixel plug in so one could change the thermal settings and or change the torque setting if thermal limit is reached. I assume those could be added as we can turn on and off the leds, rename Ids and change baud rates within the plug in.

Any help would be appreciated.

you can see the settings for the thermal shut down at 5:05 on this video.


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Synthiam
#1  

I can take a look at disabling the thermal shutdown in the plugin. It’ll take a few days because I’m traveling

PRO
USA
#2  

Understood and thank you. That would probably do it or disabling the torque falling to 0 if thermal reaches limit.

Thank you again.

PRO
Synthiam
#3  

I don't know what "disabling torque falling to 0 if thermal reaches limit" means. You can always contact the manufacturer of the servos and use their configuration software. EZRobot can move the servos, but the options to configure and such are specific to their software.

PRO
Synthiam
#4  

Perhaps it's best to have a cooling fan installed on the back of the plastic surrounding or what ever is covering the servos. Give the container some heat flow - rather than disabling an important safety feature.

I don't think it's a good idea for ezrobot to support disabling the temperature limit on the dynamixel servos. According to the Dynamixel manual, it's discouraged, and I'm guessing that's to prevent fire.

Manual: http://support.robotis.com/en/product/actuator/dynamixel/ax_series/dxl_ax_actuator.htm

Screenshot: User-inserted image

PRO
USA
#5  

disabling torque falling to 0 if thermal reaches limit

The way it works to protect the motor is to automatically move to torque to zero ie the motor will not move if motor reaches above 70c for me that’s only 152 deg F.

There is an option to change the temp to 0-99deg C, in the Dynamixel wizard. That’s their built in limits.

Do you feel comfortable with adding access in Dynamixel plug in to this control. So user can change this variable (0-99)?

PRO
USA
#6  

Check your email for additional info.

PRO
USA
#7  

@dj we can stand down from this. It was a software glitch, not the Dynamixels, not from overheating.

Thanks for your time !

#8  

Fxrtst, are using the ezb4 controller to control the dynamixel servos?

#10  

Thank you, and now I'm going to try again.

PRO
USA
#11  

Remember to make sure the baud rate matches the dynamixel and the plugin and you change Ids if you are using more than one servo. They all come with the same ID.

#12  

I changed them in the cm530 controller 2yrs ago, so do I got to do the same in the ARC?

PRO
USA
#13  

Just match the baudrate you changed them too in the plug in and be sure to put a tick mark next to the servos ids you want active.

#14  

What do you mean about tick Mark, and so I have to Id them in the plugin? Bro, you are Ver Helpful and I Do appreciate it her much.

PRO
USA
#15  

Make sure these are active (ticked) for each dynamixel ID you have in the chain.

User-inserted image

PRO
Synthiam
#17  

Follow the tutorial on the plugin page for the dynamixel servo here: https://synthiam.com/redirect/legacy?table=plugin&id=39

#18  

Sorry guys for being a big pain, but with school and others projects it's hard to focus. I do appreciate all of your help believe me much love to all thanks again, Mike.

PRO
Synthiam
#19  

There's a step by step tutorial that you can follow here: https://synthiam.com/redirect/legacy?table=plugin&id=39

Every single mouse click and step is documented in that above link.

#20  

To mr. DJ Sures, I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because I have a heavy workload from school and work. I hope you know I'm not lying to you, but with the load that I'm carrying and going into my last year school it's a big burden on me. I love Robotics and everything about it ever since in young child. That's why I'm so grateful that a person of your magnitude and intelligence have came in and shown many of us a different way of programming robots. I really do thank you once again for taking up your time and others to go step-by-step on helping me building towards my goals yours truly, Mike.

PRO
Synthiam
#21  

Glad I can help, mike! Thanks for the kind words

PRO
USA
#22  

May I make a suggestion? I think its important to add the functions of the Utility section to the tutorial. This is where I got "Stuck", when working with them for the first time.

First its a good idea with a new dynamixel to change the baud rate on the first page to 57,600 to match the servo out of the box.

Then in utilities I changed the ID, But i would forget to change the "V" port on the same page to match the new ID, and could not figure out why I couldn't change the baud rate on the dynamixel.

Then when i figured that out, I changed the baud Rate I forgot to change the Baud on the settings page to match it. So alot of errors on the utilities page can cause less hair on your head.

#24  

I'm not new to the dynamixel servos on which I bought the kit back in 2015, and knowing ez was coming out. I set those servos in the roboplus. I hate the cm530, and I think or know the ezb4 has much killer potential in it.

#25  

Question, if I hook up the dynamixel servos to the 6 pin hub how can I tell with dynamixel servos are in each slot? Because I'm using ezb servos on the ezb4.

PRO
Synthiam
#26  

Dynamixel servos are identified by their unique id. Each servo has a unique id. That id corresponds with the virtual port.

So dynamixel id 5 is ARC v5

The documentation for the plugin explains in more detail. Find the documentation here: https://synthiam.com/redirect/legacy?table=plugin&id=39

#28  

Hello there, I'm finally out for the semester, and now I have the chance to work on my robot. I'm using hobby servos and Dymanixel servos. Ok I've hooked everything up dynamixel servos in 0,2,8, and10. The hobby servos 11,12,13,and 14, but only the hobby servos move. All of the servos when the ezb4 is on the servos as a whole doesn't move,but the dynamixel servos are not responding at all on which I've done everything that I've read in the detail plugins, but now don't know. Also have a 3pin adapter hub.

PRO
Synthiam
#29  

You have to connect the dynamixel servos in a chain from the specified port. On the ezb v4, it’s the hardware uart. Check the manual for the dynamixel plugin. The IDs of the dynamixel servos correspond with the Vx ids in ARC.

PRO
USA
#31  

*** Not good ***

Did you read the tutorial ?

User-inserted image

The Dynamixel servos are chained together and connected to a single digital port on EZB (D5) or IotTiny.

PRO
USA
#33  

That seems much better

BUT

EZB has a forward voltage diode to protect against reverse polarity.

you are feeding the EZB via VIN (D5 Red Pin) doing that you don't have the reverse polarity protection.

also bear in mind EZ-Robot servos are 7.4 v, don't connect them in that setup.

IF you want to have both servos connected, EZB must be powered with 7.4 v (base/dean connector) and you should use only two wires between EZB and the servo hub: GND (D5-Black) and Data Pin (D5-White)

PRO
USA
#36  

What changed between #33 and #36 posts ?

swap the the EZ-Robot cable (white-red-black) with a dynamixel cable (3 black wires). It helps matching the D5 (colors).

PRO
USA
#38  

A pic of your hub powered with multiple servos. Use the Ez-Robot Dynamixel cable (red-white-black) between EZB and the hub.

User-inserted image

Please check the cable colors match the correct dynamixel 3 pins. User-inserted image

1: GND - BLACK 2: BATTERY - RED 3: EZB D5 - WHITE

PRO
USA
#39  

You can daisy chain them post #32 and power EZB with 12V via EZB base.

The hub is useful if you want to power the servos directly:

  1. connecting 3 wires you are powering the EZB
  2. connecting 2 wires (White + BLACK) you can power EZB with a different voltage e.g. 7.4
PRO
USA
#41  

seems good.

EDIT 1: The colors are inverted on the EZB side ?

EDIT 2: It seems they are inverted also on the hub side... Q: Why not match the colors and the pin position ?

PRO
USA
#43  

can you post a snipet of your dynamixel plugin configuration screen ?

PRO
USA
#45  

this: User-inserted image

PRO
USA
#47  

If you read the tutorial, and the posts #14, #16...

I'm without clues.

You need to try the servos with the original vendor software.

Check the Id's and the baud rate.

#48  

Ok, thank you a lot I'm trying to finish this project for my BFA last semester in Dec. Have a good night.

#49  

To Ptp I believe why my servos wasn't working with the ezb4 I had to change 3 servos that was damaged. Now I am waiting for dynamixel2 smps to arrive so it will return the firmware to the last servo. I believe in the EZB4 and ez robots products because I've bought a lot stuff from that company. So, I will let you know

#50  

Hello ez family, just off topic I would like to know is there any clip ons that I can use for 2 of my ez robot servos and Dymanixel servos? Here's my image. User-inserted image

#51  

Hi @Jerseylance - a little more detail about what you are trying to achieve? Are you talking about being able to extend? confused

#52  

Thanks for getting back to me, but yes so I glued on my ezb servo to my dynamixel servos. Also do you carry micro continuous servos? Please let me know thanks Mike.

#53  

That's one way to do it! :) To answer your question, we do not at present time have a "micro" continuous rotation servo @Jerseylance - what were you planning on doing with the smaller servo?