Lalancelot's Rigs Experimentations

I've made 2 actuators move with No Limit 2 using Mover 3.53.
I have still some issues with the new 3.7 that we try to solve.

Pierre.

My actuators are now working well with Mover 3.7. But this video is about small improvements.



Pierre.

I`m a bit late with that one, but I had some problems with my editing software.



Pierre.

It's ALIVE!
Well, no, it's just moving.
With all three actuator.
Some parts are temporary.
But it's moving.



Pierre.

This video was scheduled to be released sooner, but I had other urgent matter to attend to.
Better late than sorry.



Pierre.

This one is on time.
Elite Dangerous. I could make it work with Simtools, but not yet with Mover. Will look into that.
I'm getting closer to a working simulators.



Pierre.

I run into little problems.
But that's part of building a simulator.



Pierre.

Hotas!
No money to buy new ones.
Repairing my old ones.



Pierre.

Small update, currently configuring my existing X52 and new rudder pedal peripherals.



Pierre

Ok, looking at this thread with only link to video, I feel that it is becoming quite boring. So, why not come back to a few picture, bad English commentaries, and unwanted Dad's jokes.
What have I done lately.
I made my rig move to No Limite 2 and Elite Dangerous. All the electronic is done with house electric cable, so I don't expect wire melting like I used to do. 3 actuators, 3 DOF (Roll, Pitch, Heave), I simulate Sway and Surge with small rotations.
But all of this are done with plastic parts, so, I cannot add any weight to it for now.



But, this will change soon as two of my part are done. Only the 45 degrees wheel support still needs to be manufactured. They should be done next week.



I repared one of my 2 hotas lately. I use it mainly for Elite Dangerous, and a bit of DCS.



And I got myself Flight Rudder Pedals as I have never use those.



Only to find later that someone says it's better to use keyboard and mouse to pilot in Elite Dangerous. Oh well.



Since I should get the aluminum part for the rig, it's time to dust off my VR set:



Pierre

Indeed. Still, some pressure will be put on the little wheels and they could break. We'll see. Finger crossed.

Nice video so far.
I have noticed something odd. On your sabertooth at the power input you seem to use the diode of a rectifer.
The way it is set it will prevent the back emf (regen) to go anywhere. Unless I missed something ?
On my system, the diode is between the battery and my PSU so My driver push energy back into the battery only.

Also curious about the relay that you used for the limit switch. I'm trying to find one and I have the same motor as you.

Indeed, my diode prevent current from the positive sabertooth to go backward into the batteries. I though this was the right way to do, but I could be totally doing this wrong. I will have to look it up, as I don't know what is the right way to do.

As for the relay, I put the information in page 2, post #11, as I did not want to loose it myself. Let's see if I can make a link to it.
Lalancelot's Rigs Experimentations

"Regenerative braking is used to turn the braking energy into electrical power, that is used to re-charge the batteries. This is possible because motors are also generators. That is, if you spin the motor, it generates electricity."

Our motor goes both directions. I guess we don't really have to worry about that. I want to force the current into the input of the Sabertooth (not the motors outputs) to only go in the right direction. Is it useful? You make me doubt.

The case is still open.

For my personal test and usage, it is essential.
Like you say, we don't bring power to the motor output. Only the motors goes there.
It's all about the power input on the sabertooth. Technically they will output when there is regen.
Here is the main info page ( https://www.dimensionengineering.com/products/sabertooth2x60 )
They do mention this :
Your batteries get recharged whenever you command your robot to slow down or reverse.
Use a battery or at least put a battery in parallel with a DC supply.

So with your diode position at the moment, you are preventing that.

I personally don't have the sabertooth (I have theses : https://www.xsimulator.net/community/threads/reasonably-priced-100a-motor-controllers.17638/ ), but I have the same 3 motors as you.
I think I remember in the past that you had a sabertooth terminals that was heating up or even soldered ? That could have been the issue.

Regen often happen more than we think, for example lets imagine that you use the "sine" and you sit on your simulator.
The sine is not really fast and most likely when you are moving down, your own weight is probably enough most of the time to make it go down and the controller will use power to slow down if it goes down too fast. The moment it doesn't slow down and only use your weight to move the actuator down, it is regenerating at that moment.
On this particular case, on my simulator, the actuator would give a small bump (mini stop) when there was no battery because of accumulating power.
The moment I installed a battery for accepting that regen, problem went away.

On mine the diode only prevent the power from the battery / regen to go to the PSU (protecting the PSU)
Also, the PSU voltage is set at the Float voltage of the battery. The reading of the voltage is done after the Diode (diode does a little voltage drop).

So to sum it, Diode is essential but use it to protect the PSU only, the regen power should be able to go to you batteries.

Here is a pic of mine (kind of a mess at the moment haha ):
If you need more details, we could PM, or even speak directly, I'm in Quebec at Mirabel so I speak French

I will have to change my electronics. But it's a small rerouting. It shouldn't be too hard. That would be the reason why my wires were melting... I will change that for sure.

"If you need more details, we could PM, or even speak directly, I'm in Quebec at Mirabel so I speak French."
I already knew, of course. With your simulator made out of hockey sticks.

Haha yeah there was 1 hockey stick on it. It has been retired and I built a new (simulator) since then.