Power/failsafe LED

[the__kraken]

I€™ve skimmed through the 300 odd posts so please forgive me if a full and workable answer has been given, (in this thread or another), but the way this thread has gone off topic, please bare with me.

LED to show robot is powered. I think is good idea, easy to fit and has been covered. This is NOT what I€™m asking about.

It€™s the Failsafe LED. Rule 4.3

Quote; Feb 2 2004 from Sam, FRA safety executive.

€œThe failsafe light is due for a rewrite in the rules and is being moved to advisory status both because of technical difficulties in fitting for some and for the reasons of confusion that many of you have discussed above, it is currently not being enforced by any FRA events.€

The New rules are out and from what I can see this has NOT been moved to advisory.

I€™ve got my Power/Link LED, but wasn€™t going to bother with the failsafe LED, if it was to stay advisory only, mainly due to the fact I€™m not sure how I would go about fitting it!

Should it still have been moved to advisory but was over looked in the rewrite, or has it now become fully required?

Guy.

[the__kraken]

Don€™t tell me I€™ve killed this long running thread by going back on topic!!! ;-)

Anyway€¦€¦€¦

Been thinking of a simple way to show a robot is in failsafe mode - which I take to mean lose of signal.
If you have a spare channel on you RX you could plug in a FS1 failsafe unit connected to a servo which operates a micro switch. This micro switch operates a LED.
Normal operation - the micro switch is open, leaving the LED Off.
Lose of Signal - the FS1 activates (along with all other failsafes in robot), moving to its failsafe position, which closes the micro switch, leaving the LED On. There by showing failsafes are active.

You may also be able to incorporate the €˜remote kill€™ into this set up.

[_jl_]

In my opinion, that does not seem so good.

I wrote (before the thread went off topic) an far simpler idea, with a similar effect. (With the exeption that interference will make it blink)

Still, this shows that the LED-controlling FS1 is in failsafe mode. But there could be a lot of reasons for that, i.e. the connection to the reciever is broken. What you want is a LED showing that the failsafe device that actually controls the motors is in failsafe mode.

[the__kraken]

Jonas,

Had alook but couldnt see you original post. What was your idea?

Guy

[_jl_]

Placing a LED directly on the output of the reciever. I know that its not very good, because of the reasons above....

[chompalot]

So do my robots eyes lighting up when the safety link is inserted count? 14 ultrabright blue LEDs
http://www.chompalot.co.ukwww.chompalot.co.uk

[wenman]

Hello is there anyone from the FRA out there?

Since Guys above post got no official response Ill ask it again. Do we need the light to indicate when the robot is in failsafe mode. Given the cofusion and contraversy this rule generated I understood it was to be dropped.

Quote; Feb 2 2004 from Sam, FRA safety executive.

€œThe failsafe light is due for a rewrite in the rules and is being moved to advisory status both because of technical difficulties in fitting for some and for the reasons of confusion that many of you have discussed above, it is currently not being enforced by any FRA events.€

Richard Wenman
Team Mayhem

[stu]

Link goes in - light comes on.
Link goes out - light goes out.

If YOU wish, you can have other lights to help show if your bot is on remote kill or in failsafe mode or if a weapon is active - BUT all lights must go out when the link is pulled out to show the bot is dead and theres no way it can move.
This LED/Power Light rule is for all weight classs. (Apart from AntWeights and below).

Mr Stu
FRA Featherweight Rep