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Subject: 
Re: power levels clarification
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.robotics.rcx.robolab
Date: 
Sun, 13 Mar 2005 17:44:41 GMT
Viewed: 
3389 times
  
In lugnet.robotics.rcx, "Elizabeth Mabrey" <emabrey@storming-robots.com> wrote:

Hi

I am curious how the power levels  are being implemented.   I am not talking
about the icon level navigation.  How the motor actually adjusts to the
different levels setting?  Gear slipping?

Thanks in advance...
--
Elizabeth

Others have explained Pulse Width Modulation.  However, if the kids are old
enough to understand the difference between linear (straight line) and square
law (curving ever upwards) and electrical voltage, resistance and power, you
could say that the power of the motor is proportional to the square of the
proportion of time for which power is applied.  For example:
Power level 3 = 4 parts up + 4 parts down = 50%.  Squaring this gives 25% power.
Power level 5 = 6 parts up + 2 parts down = 75%.  Squaring this gives 56.25%
power.
Power level 6 = 7 parts up + 1 part down = 87.5%.  Squaring this gives 76.5625%
power.
Power level 7 = all 8 parts up = 100%.  Squaring this gives 100% power.

A model with a high load on the motor might be able to demonstrate this by the
inability of the motor to move the load at low power levels.

That reminds me - has anyone managed to change how the RCX sets it motor power
levels (the proportions of time for PWM)?  I guess it means rewriting the
firmware.  The idea would be to make a scale of speeds with linear power
increments rather than linear proportions of time.

Mark



Message has 1 Reply:
  Re: power levels clarification
 
Hi Mark, (...) is it really true that there is a square law for PWM? Can you explain the reason why this is so? I understand that this is true if you change the voltage (half the voltage gives half the current so a quarter of the power). But I (...) (20 years ago, 14-Mar-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.robotics.rcx.robolab)

Message is in Reply To:
  power levels clarification
 
Hi I am curious how the power levels  are being implemented.   I am not talking about the icon level navigation.  How the motor actually adjusts to the different levels setting?  Gear slipping? Thanks in advance... -- Elizabeth (20 years ago, 13-Mar-05, to lugnet.robotics.rcx, lugnet.robotics.rcx.robolab)

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