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E61 GSA Surf System Controller Development Thread


dbrayton1

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So you are using pulse width modulation for lenco actuator control? is this for more precise positioning ?

 

Partially yes, it's difficult to do precise positioning with Lenco given they do not have an internal potentiometer. However, we are able, with this motor driver chipset, to sense current, detect faults like over/under voltage, over current, over temp, etc..

 

PWM does allow us to move the actuators more slowly when turning the dial as well.

 

Also, we don't have to rely entirely on timing to maintain state because current demands change when the clutch kicks in so we can sense when we've reached the end or something is wrong.

 

BTW, here is what the internals look like now...

 

Stacking Design: http://youtu.be/ZxDWO7crI9k

 

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I will pick up boat this weekend from Ryan at GoSurfAssist.  Can't wait to try it out...... or actually I will have to wait since I hate cold water.

That sucks. That would be like having this super nice ChrIstmas present you have to look at for a few months, know what it is, and can't open it up till it's warm.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I guess you guys are not doing wave soldering for components?

 

This test board has headers that attach with through holes to plug in a micro A star / Arduino and the GPS, etc.. Mainly for convenience when testing. I can flash a few different versions on the micros and just swap them out on the water. The IC motor driver chips, MOSFETs, and other stuff is surface mount. The rest of the through hole stuff is for screw terminals to make attaching the button cable quicker.

 

This version won't make it beyond testing. I am already working on a final design that surface mounts all of the chips and integrates into a special marine enclosure like the main control units on Mastercraft and other boats. That one should be assembled mostly with wave soldering on an assembly line. It will also have the ability to control a center tab as an option.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Looks good.

I'd be curious to see how you are able integrate the center tab in. I primarily wakeboard and would love to have the center tab auto deploy and retract when the zero off is turned on.

 

Sent from my LG-D851 using Tapatalk

 

FYI, center tab is something I'm working on.  Won't be available as a finished product this season, but subscribe to this thread if you want to see updates. Next rev of the prototype hardware is in fab right now.  Hint, it has three motor drivers.

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  • 3 weeks later...

My wife tried to tell me I could build a controller! Haha, I laugh every time I think about it. I said dear, I build Legos...

Funny thing is the hardware seems easy compared to the 1,500+ lines of C++ code required to implement things like GPS based automation and positional awareness ;-)

 

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

 

 

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