magnet trouble

**Mouldy** · 22nd March 2012, 16:02

ok.. time for me to ask a quetion;

got a magnet in 540 for traction in steel arenas...

used to drive ok with the magnet in and the dewalts for drive (apart from the fire)...

basically when i put the robot down on a sheet of hardox, i loose drive totaly to one side... but the other is fine... lift the robot up, drop it on carpet and both drive trains run fine...

the LED's on the sidewinder that indicate the direction etc of the motors arent even lighting up on the one side when its stuck to some hardox.... but again works perfectly when its driving over wood/carpet/slabs etc...

possible issue with the sidewinder on the one side?

**PJ-27** · 22nd March 2012, 17:07

How bizarre! Any chance there is a short somewhere being exploited by the chassis being pulled down?

Your base is Ti right? I could imagine that has some flex.

**beast** · 22nd March 2012, 17:07

no i think thats fine

as we are fighting you LOL

hmm you could try another sidewinder ? ( i do have one but big red andersons on it )

god what am i doinging helping the enemy

**Mouldy** · 22nd March 2012, 17:16

nah its 5mm thick PJ- no flex in that

John your a good egg- think ive sorted it now though...

For some reason the magnets interfearing with the sidewinder... if i put something between the magnet and sidewinder it runs fine... ran fine like it last year.... ah well! guess id better nock something up that looks better then a bar of hardox lol

**PJ-27** · 22nd March 2012, 19:15

nah its 5mm thick PJ- no flex in that

You wait until Bitza Mk2 hits it!

**Mouldy** · 23rd March 2012, 10:12

ok problem wasnt as straight forward as putting a plate of steel between the esc and magnet... for some reason when i cut the bar used in the video down to meet the top of the robot... the old problem came back... only way i can get it to work right is having a plate going down between the esc and magnet... coming up..then another plate going across to the armour to kinda *ground* the magnet force out into the shell.... wierd.... ill make a hardox top plate for it and see if it solves it

**mark_m** · 23rd March 2012, 10:44

Does the sidewinder use hall effect sensors for current limiting? The magnetic field could be affecting them.
If it is that then any grade steel shaped to close the magnetic loop should work.
Do you have anything to help the magnetic field loop between the magnet and the floor? Adding a horseshoe above and to the sides of the magnet could fix the ESC issue and increase downforce.

**Mouldy** · 23rd March 2012, 13:38

not sure how the sidewinder works

Did think about having a bar from each side of the magnet going down to the floor... but it gives issues with ground clearance etc... cut out a hardox lid now, seems to of solved the problem... i needed to make one anyhow to keep cobalt and little hitter away.