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Subject: 
Re: Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.rcx
Date: 
Thu, 30 Jun 2005 08:54:00 GMT
Viewed: 
9084 times
  
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 down
that you hadnt thought of yet.

I have always felt the inability to get, or to use external power with
the RCX is one of its failings - although the RCX 1.0 at least had an
external power input socket.

Danny

On 6/30/05, Justin <archvillain@earthlink.removethis.net> wrote:
> 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 :(



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Message is in Reply To:
  Custom sensor current drain - use two sensor ports?
 
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 (...) (21 years ago, 30-Jun-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx)

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