Fred: Sounds like your on to something! I would have never guessed they were programmable. It's ideal, a two channel, 24 volt, high current, programable, motor controler! What brand is good?
Mark On Feb 8, 10:19 am, Fred Thomson <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi Mark, > > The interesting thing about wheelchair controllers is they are > programmable. Most are setup ultra conservative form the factory or > dealer. The joystick is programmed with a delay so that accidental > activation does not launch the chair like a race car, this can be > reset. The motors are typically set to 50 to 70% of max rpm as well as > 50 to 60% torque for forward speed and less for reverse. The are also > set to reach max rpm very gradually. Braking can be setup to either > coast to a stop or slam to a stop. Turning is also setup > conservatively. > > In the test I did, I rest all the values for top speed (both in High > and Low range), turning, and acceleration to their respective max > values. I then set the braking to 10%. This worked wonders as the > motors now have no delay once the joystick is pushed forward and hit > max rpm in about 2 seconds. Fully proportional speed control. :-) > > I have thought about controlling the POTS directly but I am unsure > how to do this (still searching the internet, tho) and I am leery > about ripping apart the joystick as I don't have a spare in case > (when?) I screw it up. I thought that for proof-of-concept using a > mechanical joystick control will do. > > The real trick to all this is either getting a programming unit with > the controller or sweet-talking the nearest dealer into it. The dealer > may refuse due to liability issues as he only has your word it won't > go into a chair and injure the occupant or someone else. I imagine if > you show up with it INSTALLED in a tank they *might* accommodate you. > Otherwise, your choices are limited to finding someone with the > programming unit for your controller or biting the bullet and buying > one, which can be as much as the cost of a speed controller. > Fortunately, one of the speed controllers came with the programming > unit. > > I bought two de-commissioned power wheelchairs, for less than the > fuel to go 40km to pick them up, with the understanding that they > would not be repaired and sold. Both were fully functional, even the > batteries are good. > > Cheers, > Fred -- You are currently subscribed to the "R/C Tank Combat" group. To post a message, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe, send email to [email protected] Visit the group at http://groups.google.com/group/rctankcombat
