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I would like to run a train with the Mindstorms RCX.
I seem to remember reading about someone applying 9 volts to
the rails, picking that power up through the powered bogey (sp?)
to run the RCX onboard the train, and using one of the motor outputs
of the RCX to run the train motor.
I believe this involved "surgery" to the train motor.
(sacrilege[1], yes I know, but I see no other option [2])
Does anyone have directions for this surgery?
(or a less blasphemous solution [3]) I want to be a "purist",
but it's a difficult path) I've searched LUGNET for everything
I can find on TRAIN+RCX, and not found "the answer".
I have the train motor, and see no obvious/easy method of
opening it. (I vaguely remember a post about its disassembly
but am unable to find it either.)
I hope I have asked worthwhile questions and provided sufficient
opportunities for witty repartee. Cheap shots and flames invited,
as long as everyone has a good time. :?)
thanx,
:?) bishop
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[1] While we are fessing up, my train designs are...(gasp) 8 wide!
I hope this won't cause me to be shunned.
[2] Can one feed power to the motor though the connector on the top of
the bogey, which I assume is for connecting the light?
[3] Always interested in new data/input.
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It's dead easy if you are willing to have the RCX be stationary... just
run the wallwart into the RCX power port, then have one of the motor
controls go to the track.
If you want to have the RCX onboard, powered by the rails, and
controlling the motor, there is no known way that does not involve
surgery or some massive kludging (1)
If you just want the RCX to control a train motor, you can feed power in
at the top, but it has to come somewhere other than from the rails that
the motor wheels are in contact with, such as a battery box.
If you just want to power an RCX from the rails, you can do it via the
motor, but it will need to be running full bore and you have to do a non
lego transformation from 2x2 connectors to wall wart socket, you can't
feed power into the RCX via a sensor connection.
1 - make a drive train out of something else, make power pickups out of
something else. Both kludgy but doable
--
Larry Pieniazek larryp@novera.com http://my.voyager.net/lar
- - - Web Application Integration! http://www.novera.com
fund Lugnet(tm): http://www.ebates.com/ ref: lar, 1/2 $$ to lugnet.
NOTE: Soon to be lpieniazek@tsisoft.com :-)
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Larry Pieniazek wrote in message <3813D4A3.2E69C446@voyager.net>...
> It's dead easy if you are willing to have the RCX be stationary... just
> run the wallwart into the RCX power port, then have one of the motor
> controls go to the track.
>
> If you want to have the RCX onboard, powered by the rails, and
> controlling the motor, there is no known way that does not involve
> surgery or some massive kludging (1)
I'm willing to do the surgery (gasp), just wanted some idea of how to open
the train motor housing in some non-horrifically-disfiguring manner.
> If you just want the RCX to control a train motor, you can feed power in
> at the top, but it has to come somewhere other than from the rails that
> the motor wheels are in contact with, such as a battery box.
That's what I looking to do, (train proudly bearing "RCX Onboard" bumper
sticker).
I'm willing to power the train from the RCX if necessary (using NiCads,
use one set while the other charges etc.).
> If you just want to power an RCX from the rails, you can do it via the
> motor, but it will need to be running full bore and you have to do a non
> lego transformation from 2x2 connectors to wall wart socket, you can't
> feed power into the RCX via a sensor connection.
That was the elegance of what I remember reading, by parting the
connection from the metal wheels to the motor, you could solve both
problems. (RCX gets power supply from track, motor is controlled/powered
from RCX).
I just am not bold enough to cut plastic at this point, which is the only
way I see to get into the driver unit. (What is the proper terminology
for that dingus, "drive unit", "motor bogey", "5300"?)
> 1 - make a drive train out of something else, make power pickups out of
> something else. Both kludgy but doable
>
> --
> Larry Pieniazek
Now we're talkin'.
One day when I "get five minutes", I'm going to talk my brother into
machining
some brass or stainless wheels of the appropriate size/shape and build some
power-pickup bogeys. That would be slick.
I bet I could get some interest in a few of those...
</dream>
thanx for the response,
:?) bishop
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> I just am not bold enough to cut plastic at this point, which is the only
> way I see to get into the driver unit. (What is the proper terminology
> for that dingus, "drive unit", "motor bogey", "5300"?)
Will Chapman's page (you can get to it from PNLTC's site), has a description
(and animation) of what's inside train motors.
James P
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Thank you sir.
That told me what I needed to know.
You must cut the plastic...
... but I can't cut the plastic!
You must cut the plastic...
... but I can't cut the plastic!
You must cut the plastic...
... but I can't cut the plastic!
(slobber...slobber ...slobber... must...cut...plastic)
too many toons,
:?) bishop
James Powell wrote in message ...
>
> > I just am not bold enough to cut plastic at this point, which is the only
> > way I see to get into the driver unit. (What is the proper terminology
> > for that dingus, "drive unit", "motor bogey", "5300"?)
>
> Will Chapman's page (you can get to it from PNLTC's site), has a • description
> (and animation) of what's inside train motors.
>
> James P
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