Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Vic ,Belgrave South
Update and request for advice
Hello all
I’ve been rather quiet lately and just giving an update.
I have been working at a laser skirmish site http://www.laserstrike.com.au/ as a ref and have been taken on as a trial technician for there weapons (got to love it) and more relevant to this forum I’m also building my own weapon with parts from this site http://www.fragtag.com.au/. If it can make it up to standard I may also end up making these for the field.
Now that you are all up to speed a few questions.
I am trying to locate cheap chargers that don’t need to be very fast for NiMh. The main thing is cost, as we need a lot of them. For one idea do the drill chargers we use have a cut-off when there fully charged?
Another item I am trying to get is an Infer Red camera for focusing and testing the IR LED’s. Any suggestions?
Thanks all
Just a note I plan to get back into my robot ASAP but as this is going to get me money it has to take priority for the moment _________________ Team KO
Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:13 pm
prong Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 839
If you are charging slowly then you can just use a low current charger, the batteries will just disspait the power as heat when fully charged, while this is not the greatest way to do it if the current is low enough the batteries will be fine.
This is how the drill chargers do it I believe
As for IR receptive camera, just about any digital camera or ccd or cmos unit is sensetive to IR, pretty much anyhting will do the trick.
Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:30 pm
Timothy Forde Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Vic ,Belgrave South
My only worry with those cheap chargers is over time will it damage the battery? These things get used and charged a few times a week _________________ Team KO
Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:34 pm
prong Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 839
Well, from my understanding if the charge current is low enough then it will not harm the batteries. Of course that low a charge current might take 12 hours just to charge the batteries.
I would suggest some research into making you own smart charger circuit.
That way you will know you batteries are getting the correct charge. Of course then things get more expensive.
The other options might be running these things of removable AA batteries and using a seperate commercially available charger or chargers. Once again, more expense.
Mon Nov 13, 2006 12:56 pm
Spockie-Tech Site Admin
Joined: 31 May 2004
Posts: 3160
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Factors to be considered when seeking a suitable charger.
How Many Volts (cells)
How User Friendly (LCD menu's, or push-and-go idiot proof)
Needs to run from 12vDC or 240v AC ?
and how many of them do you need ?
You can get a 12v powered version for around $80-$90 if you hunt around.
They will charge your NiMh packs properly as well as doing lots of other batteries as well as allowing you to capacity test them. _________________ Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people
Hi Tim - welcome to the wonderful world of recreational jungle combat
as Brett said - the Swallow advance is great.
Besides 4 OMNI chargers (running through converters) to pump up my guns batteries, we now also have 4 of the new Swallow advance chargers going straight from the mains.... great stuff.
We do all our guns at just 2 amps. The batteries get cycled once per month to keep them in good condition.
Don't get concerned over the price of the chargers... the tax man lets you have all kinds of spent money back when there is one of those magic ABN numbers involved...
IR cameras - try a security equipment shop (the kind that sells cameras and stuff). They are cheap as. _________________ There is no such thing as excessive carnage.
Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:10 am
prong Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 839
Just note that any camea will pick up IR, the ones labbeled IR just have IR leds for invisible night time illumination!
Wed Nov 15, 2006 11:16 am
Timothy Forde Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 247
Location: Vic ,Belgrave South
Thanks! didn't know that! _________________ Team KO
Wed Nov 15, 2006 9:14 pm
Valen Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 07 Jul 2004
Posts: 4436
Location: Sydney
your actually probably better off with cheap cameras.
The better ones have IR filters (and better IR filters) on them.
Why don't you just use an IR laser? they are worth ~$10 or so?
put a red laser on it too just for the look of the thing. ;-> _________________ Mechanical engineers build weapons, civil engineers build targets
Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:19 pm
prong Experienced Roboteer
Joined: 19 Jun 2004
Posts: 839
IR laser would be very hard to hit anything with. Back in hgihschool some friends and I made a prototype laser gun game, we used a red laser pointer to trigger some phototransitors. Even with a bunch of them it was rediculously hard to aim the laser accuratley over a room, even while still.
You need to diffuse the IR laser, or use IR leds and a lens to get a decent sized dot.
I have yet to see a camera, expensive or otherwise, that cannot pick up IR!
In fact many video cameras have IR leds for that exact purpose, they use them for nighttime illumination.
Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:35 pm
Grotto
Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 38
Location: Morisset NSW
Best cameras I can think of for the focussing would have be
any old and dirty CCTV camera but preferably one that is
Black & White ONLY. They almost never have IR filters on them.
Try to connect it to a B&W tv/monitor if you can as its easier on the eyes.
Shine you IR leds onto a sheet of matt black cardboard for the
best visable result.
Oh, and kill all fluro lights in the vicinity, they can sometimes generate
IR as well...
G'luck _________________ "The future is not set. There is no fate but what WE make."
........CEO Cyberdyne Systems
Tue Nov 21, 2006 2:47 am
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