power distribution

Posted by: @egers

In the sixth video, on the power distribution board, what fuse connectors were used? I am trying to put together a parts list for the DB1.

Sorry, correction: it was the fifth video.  

I have fuse holders from Tayda Electronics # A-5015, the only issue is the solder pins are larger than the holes in the perf board. I need help, looking for schematic for Power Distribution Board. I have looked through all of Bill’s documentation and can seem to locate if one does exist.

@fire-chief

I found some fuse holders on Amazon that fit the perfboards.  Enter the following description into the search window, 10pcs BLX-A Type PCB Mount Fuse Holder 5mm x 20mm 15A/125V.  With regard to a schematic of the power distribution board, you will not find one but Bill does describe the board in Ep. 5 of the Build a Real Robot series.  Look at the 2:40 mark in the video.  There is also an article attached to the video https://dbot.ws/rbt005 that has a section describing the board.  Check out Ep.16.  Bill talks about improving documentation.

Bif99

@fire-chief & @bif99

Here is a power distribution board schematic I designed with KiCad.  I even had some boards made, but I think I need to beef up the 12V traces.  Don't think I made them wide enough to handle the current of the motors.  If your using KiCad, I'd be glad to share the project

@codecage

Nice job on that schematic.  I use DipTrace to document circuits and create PCBs but I think I will download KiCAD and run a comparison.  I used DT to design a digital clock using only counters, flip-flops and combinational logic (no micro-processors).  I found a bug in the seven-segment driver model that wired pins 6-10 backwards.  I didn't spot it right away so boards were ordered and assembled.  When the clock displays malfunctioned, it took me some time to figure out what the software writer had done.  Very frustrating.  It cost me parts too.  I fixed the problem, ordered new boards and built five clocks for Xmas presents.  Happy ending.  Have you found any bugs in KiCAD?

@bif99

Thank you, I will check it out.

@codecage

Thank you, that will be a big help. 

@bif99

I haven't found any, but as with any large software applications I'm sure there are bugs lurking yet to be discovered.  KiCad has such a large following that they will turn up somewhere eventually.  Good luck and I'm sure you will find the program an excellent choice, as several here on the DroneBotWork have already started using it.

Posted by: @codecage

Here is a power distribution board schematic I designed with KiCad. 

The numbering 1 and 2 at J6 swaps at J10?

Posted by: @codecage

If your using KiCad, I'd be glad to share the project

I recently downloaded KiCad, and I have no experience whatsoever in PCB designing ( I  just use perfboard). It comes with a multitude of of tutorials and I'm a bit lost. Do you have any recommendations as to what tutorials I should start with?

Thanks. 

@casey

Never noticed that myself, but the numbers of the terminals are actually part of the terminal block component of KiCad and I just left them as is.  Notice that all terminal block numbering reads left to right or top to bottom.  Their numbering really makes no difference to the functionality of the schematic.  The only thing to be concerned with is what physical pins are connected together.  And in the case of the motors you may have to reverse wiring at the J4 and J6 terminal blocks since "forward' for one motor will be "reverse" on the other motor if they are both turning in the same direction.  Maybe a better description would be to hold the unmounted motors with the shafts pointed towards you and then start them running.  If they are both turning the shaft in a CW direction, then one of them will drive its wheel in the forward direction once mounted on the robot frame, and the other would be driving its wheel in the reverse direction.  Thus requiring you to reverse its leads at the power distribution board.

Have I made that way to confusing?  ? 

Posted by: @egers

Posted by: @codecage

If your using KiCad, I'd be glad to share the project

I recently downloaded KiCad, and I have no experience whatsoever in PCB designing ( I  just use perfboard). It comes with a multitude of of tutorials and I'm a bit lost. Do you have any recommendations as to what tutorials I should start with?

Thanks. 

This is the first one that came up on my Duck search 🙂
kicad tutorial

@egers and @frogandtoad

Try this site: https://techexplorations.com/pc/learn-computer-aided-design/

This is a guy in Australia, Peter Dalmaris, that wrote a book entitled "KiCad Like a Pro 2nd Edition."

The link above takes you to a page where you can choose from a video course for $50.00 or an Ebook bundle for $34.99.   I can HIGHLY recommend the ebook!  You'll also get access to web help with this bundle.  He has at times had sales on the items and I think I got the video course and the ebook all bundles together for what he now has the video course list as.  I thought he might have a Christmas special going on, but maybe if you delay a little bit maybe he will!  But even the price of the Ebook bundle today is less than on Amazon today.  $39.99 Kindle Edition on Amazon, see link below.

https://www.amazon.com/KiCad-Like-Pro-comprehensive-hands-ebook/dp/B07M9HH2WW

He leads you by the hand on several beginning project that you can even go ahead and order the designed boards from a choice of several manufacturers.  PCBWay is who I used and the first set of boards were actually free as they covered the board cost for your first of boards and all I paid was shipping via DHL which was $17.00.  On the power distribution board I ordered on a Sunday afternoon, and they were in my hands on Wednesday afternoon.  And that was 5 boards, which is the minimum order.  So $1.00 per board.

By the way the book can be downloaded in PDF form as well.

Yikes!

Sorry everyone!!!!  I just thought it would leave the links as I pasted them, not display everything with additional graphics!

Guess I should have used the preview button.