Subject:
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RE: accu pack with rcx
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.robotics
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Date:
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Fri, 30 Nov 2001 17:55:48 GMT
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Original-From:
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Dick Swan <d.swan@att(SayNoToSpam).net>
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Viewed:
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651 times
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There are two ways to obtain the battery level.
1. The" PBBattery" opcode (0x30) returns a message containing the battery
level. This opcode was available in RIS 1.0 and that is what is probably
described in Spirit documentation.
2. In RIS 2.0, battery level was defined as one of the "parameter sources"
(i.e. 34) that can be read within a program. See page 7 of the "LASM Byte
codes.pdf" in the "2.0 SDK".
The battery voltage returned by the above is a "smoothed" level. The RAM
firmware samples the battery level every 100 to 200 milli-seconds and
calculates the average battery level of 32 samples. What is returned is the
last calculated average.
If you're using Legos, I think it may simply return the instantaneous level
and not a smoothed voltage level.
I don't know if you need 8 nicds to get 9.6 volts. The RAM firmware
illuminates the low battery LCD segment when the voltage drops below 6.7
volts. When it drops below 6.3 volts it shuts down the RCX. Hence I think
the RCX should operate satisfactorily below 9 volts.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mathias Uhr [mailto:uhr@mathias.net]
Sent: Friday, November 30, 2001 6:04 AM
To: lego-robotics@crynwr.com
Subject: accu pack with rcx
hi list!
did anyone ever tried to attach an accu pack to the
rcx - in addition to the batteries inside the rcx?
my idea is to add a 9.6v (8 cells nicd) rc-accu to a
robot which should act indepentently for a longer time.
i thought about leaving normal alcaline batteries in the
rcx and wire the accu in parallel with them.
because of the higher voltage of the accu, it would
"run out" faster than the normal batteries, which them-
selves would still grant a basic voltage to avoid memory
loss.
the program could detect the drop of voltage and -
presuming that the accu is empty - driving the robot
to a recharging station.
(pretty though task, i know...)
now some questions:
- is it possible to run the rcx on 9.6v without damage?
- are my "physical thoughts" correct or would the normal
batteries be consumed as well in operation?
- would it be possible to recharge the accu while connected
to the rcx and the normal batteries in it?
- according to the spirit ocx docu (pbrick.pdf), measuring
the battery level is only possible in immediate mode,
not in a program. is this true and if yes, is there a way
around this (maybe with legos)?
any thoughts greatly appreciated!
many greetings and happy programming
mat
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