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 Robotics / RCX / 2680
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Subject: 
Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.rcx
Date: 
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 07:26:33 GMT
Viewed: 
4020 times
  
I'm building a custom active mindstorms sensor, but it requires 28mA to operate,
while the sensor port only provides about 15mA. Any advice? (The mA requirements
of the sensor cannot be halved - improvements may be possible, but it seems
unlikely I could get it down to 15mA).

I've using a ver 1.0 RCX, do later versions of the RCX give more power to the
sensors?

I've tried wiring two sensor ports together, and together they provide enough
power to run the sensor. Are there any problems with doing this? (I figure I
could give the sensor two connector-brick wires instead of one, each with a
bridge rectifier, that way I should be able to connect it directly on top of the
two ports being used by touch sensors, continue to use the touch sensors, and
then when I want to take a reading with the custom sensor, switch their type to
light sensor, thus powering the new sensor, then, switch back to touch when
done.)

Can anyone think of any better way to solve this? I'd prefer not to put
batteries in a sensor, that seems wrong. I'd love to have it work with just one
wire like a light sensor, but I'm guessing the higher power requirements just
rule that out :(



Message has 3 Replies:
  Re: Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
 
Maybe you could use one of the output ports. It might be worth running the sensor schematic by some of those on the board, while I understand the need to keep things under your hat - others may be able to suggest ways of bringing its consumption (...) (19 years ago, 30-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx)
  Re: Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
 
Hi Justin, (...) No, the internal circuis are more or less the same. (...) I don't think you could break something. But of course using two input ports is not so great... (...) You might try the kind of trick I used for my GP2D12 sensor ((URL) store (...) (19 years ago, 30-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx)
  Re: Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
 
(...) I take it all back. I'm so brilliant that I found a way to make a (rather large) change to the circuitry that brought things under the limit. Ok, ok, forgive my indulgent self-back-patting, but I'm pretty bouyant right now - everything is (...) (19 years ago, 30-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx)

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