My 3DOF project is born!

big improvement :clap:

Thank you Kubing!

Hello all! here very bad news.
Today I had to do the new tests but when I plug the battery to the new Jrk so I heard a bad bzzz..

Yes, my new Jrk12v12 (the one which replaced the old burn 2 weeks ago) is dead.

I am really disappointed because for now I have not the budget to buy another one Jrk and I will have to wait some time before back to do new tests.

I don't understand good what the hell is happen.
The welds are ok, the battery is ok (tested directly to the motor and the motor run good), the motor is ok. I used a new USB port to avoid to use the one burned with my old jrk.

Like all the time so I plug all the wiring (with the battery cables plugged to jrk but not to the battery), so I plug the jrk to my USB, start the jrk config utility, made the pot configuration.. all really ok!
So at this point I plugged the - battery cable (already plugged to the jrk) to the battery and some seconds later I plug the + battery cable (already plugged to the jrk too) to the battery and I heard the bzzzz sound.

From this moment I notice that with the battery plugged so my jrk had just the orange led slowly flashing.
I tried to restart pc and tried to plug the jrk to my usb ONLY when the battery was already connected.
For some seconds my PC recognized my jrk, I run jrk config utility and I could see the card working but some seconds later I heard a new damn sound..
I can't describe it propely but it seemed like a hair dryer (but very low noise)when it is turned off. From this moment my jrk is definitely dead.

So, bad day today. I don't know what the hell is happen and I feel really fear for buy another one jrk and to burn it too.
If someone can help, please do it.

what ever you do..never give up

Hi mate, and you are right. Never give up. Sure this was a bad blow for my project. Was all ready for the cabin tests
And now I am in the situation that I need again to buy another jrk (not the cheapest thing in the world.. 101 €)

I just finished doing some tests to understand the situation and I reach 4 possible scenarios for this bad situation..:


1) Can be the bad motor isolation (earthing) after the accident of 2 weeks ago in witch the Iron bolt head of the bracket touched and ripped off the iron - minus thing in the motor. Maybe this mean that inside the motor something is touching the inside armature of the motor.

2) Pot malfunctioning after the accident of 2 weeks ago (but I am not sure about)

3) USB cable malfunctioning (very little chanche I think)

4) My motherboard USB section is broken or malfunctioning after the accident of 2 weeks ago. Today I loose another one USB port after I lost another one in the accident of 2 weeks ago.

One time I connected a DIY circuit board to the power supply, and suddenly there was a sound like a pressure cooker, followed by a small explosion. Turned out that I had interchanged polarity of a capacitor in the assembly procedure

So are you sure you havent interchanged polarity on the power supply (battery), or created a shortcut somewhere?
If not, you may be entitled for product warranty, I guess.

regards

Hi egoexpress, Yes seems something like a shortcut but the battery polarity was right as all wires.

I tried to plug another one jrk (one working, the stern jrk) to the motor in witch I burn my other 2 jrk and I was near to destroy this jrk too...

So this motor have some problem and probably this problem comes from the accident of 2 weeks ago when the iron - (minus) plug was ripped off the motor body.

Probably (I hope, will mean that I know the problem!) inside the motor something is touching some other causing a bad earthing or something similar.

PS. I try to connect my motor directly to battery and it works! This mean probably is not a shortcut but maybe a bad isolation (earthing)

what do you think?

Have you checked off from this list?

Hi, here the light description of Jrk12v12:

green static and red =
1) jrk connected to USB
2) jrk not choosed in jrk config utility or not communicating
3) motor disconnected or no powered

green flashing and red =
1)jrk connected to USB
2)jrk choosed in Jrk config utility or x-sim - jrk communicating
3) motor disconnected or no powered

green static and yellow flashing =
1)jrk connected to USB
2)jrk NOT choosed in Jrk config utility or not communicating
3)jrk connected to the motor and to battery and waiting command

green flashing and yellow =
1)jrk connected to USB
2)jrk choosed in Jrk config utility and communicating
3)the motor should move if you give the right command in jrk config utility or X-SIM and if the cables are connected right

Check carefully the cables to the jrk and the weldings.

Failing that, email pololu and they may be able to assist.

You can check this by using a multimeter. Unplug the motors from power, and check the resistance of the motor wires to the motor housing (or mounting screw, in case the housing has a paintjob). If the motors are connected to a conductive frame, check resistance between the wires of a pair of motors. The multimeter shouldnt display resistance=0 in any case.

regards

pololu has anti reverse polarity FET i think

correct kubbing.

Aldoz mate i would be taking the motor apart for a check, quiet a simple task with the winchs. 2 Screws. Sounds to me ya could have an issue with motor shorting and feeding power to the earth on the pot about the only thing the didnt protect on the jrk. Happened once to me with window winder motors but reckonized the sound and tripped me saftety switch which cuts power. Same earth problem took out my g25 pedals which were bolted to my steel frame. Make a post on Pololu forum or send them an email if ya dont get warrenty replacement they normally give ya a good discount on replacement. Mine blew the voltage regulator(5v) on the board i got 50% off a new one and bought the smd component to fix it, but new card turned up and i forgot about it.
Not good wish ya the best.

Thx for support guys! and thx eaorobbie! Yes I think that after the famous accident (the incident that happened two weeks ago) my motor have some serious bad isolation problem.
Now I have not a camera so I post the paint of my damaged motor. I hope you can obtain more information from this pic.

The incident:
the head of the bolt that connects the bracket to the leg touched the - minus bolt (the bolt in witch I plug the cable minus from motor to jrk) ripping off it (as you can see in the pic) and causing the dead of the first destroyed jrk..

I am pretty sure that after that incident so inside the motor something is touching the inside shell causing the bad isolation (bad isolation -earthing- of the motor OR the pot) that probably causing the dead of the new jrk (the one has replaced the first burned).


When I plug my motor directly to the battery so the motor works without problems but If I plug the motor to the jrk and from jrk to battery so I obtain the bzzzz

I will try to obtain to get the warranty since I'll have to buy another card.
Today I will order a new one with my last money... meanwhile I hope I find the correct and final solution for this bad and ugly problem

Earobbie is right about pololu. I destroyed three boards and got one free and the other two at 1/2 price. Send them an email and perhaps do not mention the motor problem.
Otherwise, CHECK EVERYTHING!!! I did and this time no blow ups, so far.......

Hello all guys!

Today finally my x-sim platform came back to life! and finally I tested the cabin system.
I got some issues and little/medium problems about mechanical and PID configuration (I broken one pot today too..) but the result was great!

The way to reach a perfect mix between mechanical and software configuration it's again long but sure today I felt sensations really realistic thinking to be in a racing car.

The difference between try the platform without or with cabin is really big.
Using the cabin the immersion to simulation goes up dramatically, never I felt some near real racing situation as today (+ a bit of sick effect, really near to the sick effect that one person feel when is driving fast with a real car!) hard to explain, I am really over my best hopes for this my project!

Now all my attention will go to the PID and mechanical optimization (more manual work await me in the next weeks.......) because the result was great but every time I use the platform there is always some problems and I am very far to obtain a ready for use without problems motion system and this is sure a NOT good thing.

Here the vids of today! :hi:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcZ8foxFbC4&feature=youtube_gdata

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crJAZc70-mQ&feature=youtube_gdata

Thats a great setup! It's got some serious motion.Maybe toss a flight sim program in there for fun!

Yes I understand the constant issues. I have been having plenty. Always the way with a first project, and a second, and third........

Thank you dude! Yes I am making the flight simulator X setting (near to be ready) and I am really curious to see the result! I want to feel the touchdown in the runway!! :thbup:

Good job Aldo! Please make sure to follow all safety rules and don't let this machine hurt you.

You need to have an easy way out in case of emergency, I hope you already have a big red EMERGENCY STOP in the cockpit!

Thank you Frakk! About safety, the actual procedures make the use with no particular dangers (except in the motors area).
Mechanically, the structure components are all oversized and solid. I check costantly all bolts and nuts, spring and motors.
Main button inside cabin cut off the 3 batteries alimentation to block the motion in case of emergency!

Today I discovered the reason (pot-motor joint system failure) of the accident happen to the motor 1 month ago where I loose the motor and 2 jrk.. so today I make a great step to obtain soon a really more stable and safety system!.

I hope to show you some inside cabin videos soon!

Just a suggestion regarding power supply, I know you are using batteries, however, have you considered computer PSU's?
http://web2.murraystate.edu/andy.batts/ ... SUPPLY.HTM
Purely only one persons opinion, I have had less troubles since hooking up PSU's as power to my setup. I run two 550watt PSU units rated at 12v at 25 amps max (one for each motor). The unit seems to respond better under load than the car battery I had been using. They cost me $40 each from the local computer parts shop. Second hand car batteries were $30 each.
Cheers, David.

Awesome job AldoZ !!!