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Subject: 
Re: Use RCX motor output to switch devices
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics
Date: 
Wed, 4 Sep 2002 12:35:16 GMT
Viewed: 
1296 times
  
In lugnet.robotics, Mark Riley writes:
...
Also, don't try to hook up more than one switched device to the RCX in • this fashion.

The transitor will blow up (overheat), because of the large current (I)
through it?

No, just that because the motor outputs can reverse
polarity and you're dealing with more than one output,
you can easily end up with a short circuit if you don't take
care to keep track of what is "ground". It can be done,
I was just trying to caution that you should fully understand
the circuit if you're going try anything more complicated.

Can't I secure my circuit against this 'switch', or even use it to achieve
the same with output in both directions: by using diodes for example?
I have tried to model something like that in software called "Crococlips"
(screenshot: http://dabyte.dynu.com:7070/html/crocclips.gif).

To be safe try the circuit first by connecting it to a 9v
battery box (try both polarities).

I was planning on doing that. I have a 9.6V, 300mA powersupply, I suppose
that works just as well for testing purposes.

Perhaps.  But again you have to be careful about ground
issues.  If it's an electrically isolated supply then it's ok.
Otherwise, if you connect the negatives of both supplies
to circuit ground, they could fight one another.  Just a
plain 9V battery will work for testing purposes.

And how exactly do you 'make' a ground in your circuit? Connect it to the
ground wire of a wallsocket or powersupply?

...
The transistor is easy to find (Radio Shack in the U.S. carries it).

I live in The Netherlands, so instead of Radio Shack I buy at Conrad. Is
there a universal transistor description in this case?

BC557

This appears to be a PNP transistor according to this datasheet:

http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/pip/bc557

The transistor in the circuit diagram I provided is NPN.  Also, the
maximum current the BC557 can handle is only 100ma (I think
you needed 250ma or so).  In other words, this won't be a
good substitute for the MPS2222A.

Yes, I know I need an NPN type. Conrad also displays the BC557 as being an
PNP type.


BTW, I went to the Conrad (International) website and I couldn't
find any semiconductors listed, so you might need to find another
supplier.

Yes, they do have it (on the dutch mirror) You can find the table of
transistors I use at

http://www.conrad.nl/cgi-bin/conshop/ConShop.pl?TK_PAR[USER_ID]=0101090520997101431&TK_EV[SHOWPAGE]=&TK_PAR[PAGEID]=92634&TK_PAR[MEDIUM]=

N.B. cut 'n' paste the URL (you also may have to scroll down quite a bit for
the table).

Thanks very much again, Mark!


Grtz.,
Remko



Message has 2 Replies:
  Re: Use RCX motor output to switch devices
 
(...) (URL) (22 years ago, 4-Sep-02, to lugnet.robotics)
  Re: Use RCX motor output to switch devices
 
In response to the following, Ran Talbot e-mailed me. (...) "A "full-wave bridge rectifier" (as used in AC-to-DC power supplies) will do that nicely. I believe some of the Lego "active" sensors do this. I don't know if anyone makes an AC (...) (22 years ago, 8-Sep-02, to lugnet.robotics)

Message is in Reply To:
  Re: Use RCX motor output to switch devices
 
(...) This appears to be a PNP transistor according to this datasheet: (URL) transistor in the circuit diagram I provided is NPN. Also, the maximum current the BC557 can handle is only 100ma (I think you needed 250ma or so). In other words, this (...) (22 years ago, 3-Sep-02, to lugnet.robotics)

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