Question 2DOF+Arduino R3+ Sabertooth 2x32 First Start Up Issues

If you are using this https://www.xsimulator.net/communit...ket-serial-pid-motor-driver-w-softstart.9277/ then you should have set your mode (Packet Serial) in the DEScribe utility and your Baud Rate as well.
This is referring to my 2X25 v2 Sabertooth so just double check if it applies to your Sabertooth in the relevant manual.
You will need a USB to TTL Converter to be able to access the Sabertooth if you don't have one. Cheap and easily obtainable.

To quote Dimension Engineering's Help Desk -
" At this point, I would recommend connecting the 2x25 to DEscribe and downloading the settings.
Then go to File > New (reset to Dimension) and click.

Upload the reset to the 2x25.
>>>>this step is required>>>> Power cycle the 2x25 (the Status LED must turn completely off)

Connect and download.
Then go to the packet serial tab and choose the baud rate that your utility is going to be using for the packet serial option of tuning.
Upload the settings to the 2x25.

>>>>>Power cycle the 2x25.

After done with DEscribe, prepare to use your tuning utility in Packet serial by verifying that the 2x25 DIPs are set 1&2 OFF for address 128. Or if using a different address, consult the 2x25 doc for the additional DIP setting for the address. Don't look at the simplified serial section for the DIP settings. Go to the packet serial section. In packet serial mode, DIPs 1&2 are always off no matter the address. Addresses other than 128 require additional setting(s). "

Feel free to amend what I just just quoted as I am only using my own experience, or lack of, to help out and this quote was referring to my 2X25 v2 Sabertooth which has some differences to the more common 2x32's.

Hi Deane,
thanks for your suggestion.
I'd already set the baud rate but I haven't even checked about the mode and its settings. I will do so when I get back from work.
Sorry to hear you had to go through so many steps just making your sabertooth 2x25 work.
My 2x32 works just fine in terms of conneting it with the pc.

It connects to the PC no problem but it is comms or software problems possibly due to the Arduino that has been giving me grief.
The difference with the 2X25 v2 is it's max baud rate is 38400 and it's default setting is 9600 so it has to be set with the DEScribe utility.

Sorry my bad, I didn't read your post carefully before replying.

The tutorial you are using is the same as I am and that is for Packet Serial Mode , whereas the other link you posted was a Simplified Serial Mode which is what I was thinking that you might have been using the wrong mode for the Arduino sketch that is in Blazin's tutorial.
I would read your manual https://www.dimensionengineering.com/datasheets/Sabertooth2x32.pdf and reconfirm what mode you are in by default and if it needs to be changed or not .
Good luck.

Okay I'm back at testing both motors.
Both "work" as far as hitting the feedback line as described in the tutorial.

But Motor 2 behaves a bit funny as it is more like an wiggling in place instead of staying in position. See the pictures below:



Maybe the potentiometer is causing this?

Motor 2 kd is 50 and motor 1 kd is 0.

Yes I tried changing any additional values to see if it will do anything.

Did you try increasing the dead zone for motor 2?

Also have you varified you have good solder and wire connections on pot 2 and arduino?.

Yes but at first it did nothing.

After lowering the PWMmax from 50 to 30 a dead zone of 5 stops the wiggling.

Is this acceptable?

No its not. It appears to be overshooting. If your not doing so do your testing on a weighted rig.

perhaps your pot is slipping on the coupler - shaft - pot mount.

Okay until now I did not attached the ctc's to the plattform.
I will do that and reply back asap.

Thank you for trying to help me out.

Changing the potentiometer did the trick. (turned the deadzone back to zero)

Now I see how it behaves when the rig is under minimum load (ctc's attached to base + seat).

Changing the potentiometer did the trick. (turned the deadzone back to zero)

Now I see how it behaves when the rig is under minimum load (ctc's attached to base + seat).

I left out the seat and only attached the plattform to the CTC levers and everything works as it should.

I tested the "Monitor" line up to PWMmax= 255 and it stayed rock solid.
I tried the "Square" profile as well but not up to PWMmax=255 because I didn't want to risk a turn around.

As next step I tried to setup my SimTools GameEngine according to the tutorial and followed all the steps but when I want to test via Output Testing nothing moves when I try to do the steps described in the sim tools user manual.

I don't get it. I hope you can help me out again.

These are my current settings:

One possibility is a port conflict if smc3 utilities is still running. Make sure it's not.

It is not.