Prop1 to Motor Wiring Questions

[Specter]

ok that makes sense- sort of...

Here's the problem. How do you get it to rotate, say, 10x before going to the home position? If you leave PIN5 connected for anymore than 1 sec, the motor starts/stops incrementally with a loud clicking sound.

If you connect Pin 5 for just a moment, the motor will finish whatever roation it's currently on and stop in the home position.

The problem comes in getting it to rotate more than 1 time around.

Am I missing something? 
Thanks a TON for all your help! This will actually help a TON of us out on a couple other forums having the same problem!

[JonnyMac]

Sorry, we don't have answers on how to make that work exactly the way you want -- we can only make educated guesses based on the information [links] you provide. 

What we suggest you do -- as we always suggest with everyone -- is to take some time to experiment before getting to your prop.  John and I are really good engineers and coders because we're constantly experimenting.  We know it's close to Halloween and you're probably under pressure, but we can't do anything about that.  It is our firm belief though, that if you take some time to experiment instead of focusing on your end result, you'll get to the end result faster -- and will be able to help others using that same motor.

Use the circuit we provided and try it with different time values until you get the performance you want.  That's what we would do if we had one of those motors.  I'm betting that an hour or so of experimenting is going to net some really great information.

[Specter]

ok- just did some more testing. Essentially, PIN2 just grounds the chasis of the motor, that's it. But the rest applies as stated previously-

Momentarily connect Pin5 to Ground, and it'll spin 1 rotation stopping at home. If you keep it connected, it's intermittent start/stop all the way around.

Connect Pin 7 and it runs until you disconnect, but then it completes 3 more rotations before stopping at home. Both my wiper motors do this- as well as many others out there in the forums.

The other problem is- the momentary connection on PIN5 is not consistent. Sometimes you have to connect for a split second longer to get it to engage. Most the time, if you get it to do it- it'll start/stop once, then complete the rotation to the home position. This causes a problem with fluidity in the movement of the prop- AND, not sure how to program that with the prop1.

The ONLY solution I can see is to use PIN7, which is +12v. This would mean hooking up PIN7 to the prop1 and turn it on/off that way. I assume that changes things in your diagram?

[JonnyMac]

If your goal is to use that wiper motor like a regular gear-motor, and you're not worried about getting back to a specific home position, this should work (again, based on information you provided).

[Specter]

No, I really need it to return to the home position. Let me go try something else- I"ll report back.

[JonnyMac]

I've given you as much as I can -- you're going to have to figure this out; you may be wanting that motor to do something is is not cable of doing (run smoothly until you stay stop and then land on the home position).

[Specter]

ok- here's a new UPDATED schematic. This is how I need the motor to run- +12v going to pin7 which is switched off of a relay from the Prop1.  I believe I isolated the power supply from going directly into the prop1. There's a +12v going into the relay, which I believe serves as the NC (is that the right abbreviation?)  Essentially, the prop1 triggers the relay, and then when the relay is triggered, it uses the power supply's current (and NOT that supplied from the prop1).  Correct?

Will this work ok without frying anything?  Or do I still need to hook up a separate power supply to the V+ on the prop1 itself?

[Specter]

oops- that should read Pin7 in the schematic, NOT Pin5  :-[

[JonnyMac]

I can't tell you if that will cause smoke or not because I can't tell what's connecting to what -- it's not a proper schematic.  You might need to enslist the help of a friend who actually understands electrical circuits; I'm becoming nervous that your present experience level could lead to tragic results.  So long as the relay is used to isolate the Prop-1 it won't be harmed, but you could trash your power supply if you make the wrong connections with the relay and motor.  You "diagram" doesn't actually show how you intend to connect the contacts side of the relay.

On the good news front... while out to lunch (okay, I know there's a punch line in there about me) this afternoon I had a thought that might get you to what you want.  This is my thinking: Connecting the 12v source to Pins 7 (+12) and 2 (ground) causes the motor to free-spin.  Connecting to pins 1 (+12v) and 2 (ground) causes the motor to complete the current rotation.  My idea is to have the relay switch to free-run mode when active and when it relaxes drop to single-cycle mode.

Here's the circuit:



Note that the only thing connected to the Prop-1 V+ is one side of the relay coil. DO NOT connect an external supply to V+.  I've said and illustrated this many times now....

[Specter]

oh man, now you're making ME nervous!  LOL...

Here's the problem with that idea- Pin 1 and pin 2 must stay connected in order for it to run. If you JUST connect Pin2 and Pin 7, it just sits there with no activity. Pin 1 must always be connected to +12v, Pin2 to GND. Just those 2 alone- it does nothing. It needs a trigger from Pin 5 or 7 for it to do something. Once it's triggered- Pin 1 & 2 must STILL stay connected in order for it to run.  Does that make sense?

Man, I really appreciate you helping me with all this! I thought my little drawing was pretty clear! LOL.

Maybe I need to back up a question here- when I use the OUTx ports- I MUST use an input voltage connected to V+, is that correct? Will doing that cause the OUTx port to run at the same voltage that the prop1 itself is powered off of?

OR- is it the opposite- if I use OUTx, I HAVE TO have a separate power supply for V+ as well for it to work?

[JonnyMac]

Like I said, it was just an thought that I had over lunch.  I'm at a gigantic disadvantage in that 1) we didn't make that motor, 2) the information seems flawed/incomplete, and 3) I don't have one.

I think you ought to go to RadioShack and get a couple DPDT switches that you can sub for a relay in order to experiment without having to connect to the Prop-1.  Once you figure out how the switching should work, you can connect the relay and let the Prop-1 control it for you.

WHY?  WHY?  WHY? ....do you keep wanting to connect an input voltage to V+?  No!  Stop already, I'm about to punch my computer!  ;D  Please, take your pal JonnyMac's advice: just use a wall-wart for the Prop-1 (plugged into the 2.1mm barrel connector) and only use V+ as the common for relays, valves, etc.  Got it?  V+ is an OUTPUT for the common side of Prop-1 controlled devices; the OUTx terminals take care of the switching side of those circuits.

[JonnyMac]

Oh... maybe you haven't read the Prop-1 docs.  When you do, you'll find that the incoming voltage on the barrel connecto is routed to the V+ terminal when the power switch is in the P2 position -- this is what V+ is a voltage output.

[Specter]

LOL!  Oh man, I think I owe you a drink or two, that's for sure!  I have read those docs, but it was 2-3 years ago... looks like I gotta read them again!  LOL...

ok- *Raising my right hand* I Promise, to NEVER connect a power source to the V+ port on my prop-1...

LOL. OK- so whatever power source I use to power the prop1 itself, IS the same power source that will be coming out of the OUTx ports on the right side of the board. So I'll use a SEPARATE power supply to run the prop1. THEN, I'll hook, say, OUT3 to the relay. The 'other side' of the relay will have +12v input from the same power supply that is hooked to pins 1/2 on the motor itself.

The prop 1 will 'flip the switch' on this relay, which, in turn, uses the +12v from the separate power supply to run to Pin7. When the prop1 switches it off, that switch opens back up, killing the circuit and essentially stopping the motor. 

Correct???

[JonnyMac]

Yes.  The relay coil is powered by the Prop-1's power supply (using V+ and an OUTx terminal); the motor is powered by the separate supply that is controlled via the relay's contacts.

I take a two bottles of Guinness, thank you very much!

[Specter]

ok, I think I get it now...