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π¬ Re: Tug Dual ESC Electronics
4 years ago by π©πͺ RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
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"Still learning to try and keep it simple...."
I recognise the problem SCπ€ Good luckπ Cheers, Doug π ▲
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Remove Ads π¬ Re: Tug Dual ESC Electronics
4 years ago by π¬π§ Gone Gone Gone ( Petty Officer 1st Class)
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Agree with this. I did try and pick up the motor servo but it does not exist. I had the official circuit diagram too. Hence this build, having to start again from the motor outputs.
I did put up a block diagram originally on the Electronize forum, but will repeat it on the build blog shortly, tidied up with comments. So I made a decision to deal with the inputs first as I intended the blog to teach a little electronics, as requested by 2 followers. This is a problem with threads, early comments, questions and answers get forgotten. I could have just derived a circuit to recreate the motor servo signal from the motor signals, then bought bits to do the job. However, this boat version has a huge dead band and minimum motor speed is just under 25%, which is not really slow. I think using the motor outputs makes this design relevant to all of these tugs and variants, as the interfaces are common to all. If I commercialised it as a kit of a built PCB with connectors for most of the hook up, the parts cost in 100 quantities would be about 10 pounds including PCB. On normal commercial markups that would be nearly 100 retail or much less than 30 if made and sold from China....Bionic Bill has a working FM radio costing just a pound or so. Not too bad but as you say, not really commercial. On the other hand it has only cost me much less than 20 pounds including replacing 2 blown up bridges that used badly chosen components. I worked in precision and expensive design high end electronics for 40 years. Still learning to try and keep it simple.... ▲
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π¬ Re: Tug Dual ESC Electronics
4 years ago by π©πͺ RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
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"No commercial part will do this job."
"If you can buy a mixer that picks up the forward and back H bridge signals currently on the motor, as I have to do for this device, then yes I'm reinventing the wheel." SC, I'm not in the least surprised. I really don't think that any commercial concern would have the slightest interest in developing and producing a product to do 'this job' in this manner. It would hardly repay them for their investment. How many Southampton / Richardson (same model just different name) are there out there? THAT would be their MAXIMUM market potential. Less those skippers that are quite happy with how the bog standard model performs. Hardly profitableπ€ Don't let my sober commercial considerations discourage you though. More power to your soldering iron for tinkering about to see what's possibleπ A few years ago I assisted a fellow member to decipher a Richardson circuit board in order to pick off the switching signals so that he could augment the lighting circuits on his model. With a little more research, experimentation and a half decent scope I'm sure it would have also been possible to find the throttle and rudder servo outputs and the driving PWM outputs from the RX. For the throttle for instance it would be easy enough to work back from the output FETs. The rudder servo control signals can't be that difficult to trace back either. A word to the wise:π If this thread is intended to be a tutorial for members (not sure how many actually have a Southampton /Richardson model) it would be helpful to structure it a bit.π A few tips from one who spent decades writing system descriptions to explain what they have been designed to achieve, the end user objectives they meet (for the Admiral) and how they work (for the navy engineers and operating personnel). E.g. first set out the objectives, and illustrate with a block diagram and a flow diagram; IF THIS THEN THAT; IF NOT THEN THIS etc. Then step by step describe how each of the blocks can/could be realised, with circuit diagrams and component lists. And a description of what each block does, how and WHY. At the practical level; diagrams and component layouts of the strip board layouts and wiring diagrams showing any alterations within the model so that readers can duplicate them, even if they don't quite understand what the individual components do. "Question re a build by Alan Blond. Commercially available?. This was shown as a veroboard build. I don't known if/ how it was marketed. " Alan Bond's site (and similar) is not commercially oriented. They are purely 'How To' sites to swap ideas and pass on info and experience to interested and imaginative model builders. Cheers, Doug π ▲
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π¬ Re: Tug Dual ESC Electronics
4 years ago by π¬π§ G6SWJ ( Midshipman)
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Looks a great project.
You say no commercial part will do this job - is the functionality not similar to Alan Bond's Rudder Mixer ▲
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π¬ Re: Alternatives suggested by G6SWJ
4 years ago by π¬π§ G6SWJ ( Midshipman)
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I may not have picked up on the fine detail of what you are working with/ trying to achieve so maybe this is a red herring - I may have misunderstood - I picked up that that yoo were scrapping the original "electrickery" and staring again...
Alan Bond is a well known modeller (Aircraft and Boats) This is his website ▲
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π¬ Re: Software vs hardware
4 years ago by π©πͺ RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
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Well said Jonathan π
π ▲
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π¬ Re: Software vs hardware
4 years ago by π¬π§ G6SWJ ( Midshipman)
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Well SeamanCook you have confused me!
I am really not sure what you mean by rivalry or what my post about Alan Bond's mixer & your ESC project has to do with Arduino in any way shape or form. If there is any rivalry it's in your head not mine. You raised a point about "a lot of hardware" I want to set the record straight - the image below if a fully functioning Bare Bones Arduino - as you will see not a lot of hardware hanging off the chip. I wish you well with your ESC project Jonathan ▲
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π¬ Re: History and progress
4 years ago by π©πͺ RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
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Hi Rick,
Do you have the Southampton or Richardson tug model then? This rather complex mod is only relevant to and specific to those models due to the proprietary combined electronics module that they use. It is not an ESC design for universal application. And yes, you would need to do a fair bit of neat soldering. Cheers, Doug π ▲
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π¬ Re: History and progress
4 years ago by π¨π¦ Newby7 ( Fleet Admiral)
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Is it possible to give a parts break down and cost of the ESC.
As someone not great at electronics would I be able to build and do I need to solder well . Rick ▲
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π¬ Re: Newb7 query
4 years ago by π¨π¦ Newby7 ( Fleet Admiral)
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Thank you I have read this post but will keep reading it often to get a better grasp of the terms used and components needed.
Again thank you ▲
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Colin H
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π¬ Re: No apparent reason for fail
4 years ago by π¬π§ Gone Gone Gone ( Petty Officer 1st Class)
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I think the educational bit will start when I have learned a little more....
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Remove Ads π¬ Re: No apparent reason for fail
4 years ago by π¨π¦ Newby7 ( Fleet Admiral)
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The unfortunate part is you didn't get a picture with the flash.
Rick ▲
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π¬ Re: No apparent reason for fail
4 years ago by π¬π§ Gone Gone Gone ( Petty Officer 1st Class)
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We have a UK warning of "Don't try this at home". I always prefer to learn from the mistakes of others. But in everything where you part invent, cut and shape bits, it's amazing how you measure three time, cut once and curse when it doesn't fit.! We learn, get up and plod on....accepting that when it goes wrong its usually from a direction we never expected.
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π¬ Re: No apparent reason for fail
4 years ago by π©πͺ RNinMunich ( Fleet Admiral)
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A most curious 'educational series' SC!
Under the title of 'Don't try this because...' perhaps? Doug π ▲
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