Motor wiring to prevent back feed Cytron

Haha! No I didn’t, don’t wory…

What aog pcb board are you using?
Do you use a 12v or 24v motor?
Do you use a step up converter for 24V?
What awg are your motor leads, and length?

Is your enclosure metallic?

Would really like to solve this. I have had no problems so far with 5 boxes with this modification.

PCBV2
Phidgets 24v motor, without step-up. so i’m using 12v.
The wires are about 1,5mm (diameter), and not longer than 1,5 meter.

Enclosure was plastic until last weekend.

Any chance we could see your wiring?

All that happens with this modification is 5v is supplied from pwm 2 to the nsleep pin. If you are letting the smoke out its something is unique to your setup but its hard to troubleshoot without visual.

Could you give some helping hand. Which approach I should use, the one which is shown in @buched or @PotatoFarmer pictures? The wire has been soldered to a different place. Ive soldered two Cytrons and after the modification they are not working. Ive soldered to the pad which is shown in everybody elses pictures except buched (upper vertical). I`ve tested the Cytrons by pressing the MA and MB buttons, but the motor is not turning anymore.

I tried the last Cytron before the modification and it worked like a charm, except the resistance of course :). I think the soldering itself went nicely, so I have hard time believng that the issue would be there (twice). I believe I`m in the same boat with @kasp4691.

image

This picture from @buched is an example of an error, he said “I hope you do not wire same”.

The difference between @PotatoFarmer’s picture & @buched’s earlier picture could just be a different place for the same trace. Both report it as working. I used @PotatoFarmer’s example myself.

@PotatoFarmer

@buched

1 Like

Thank you for clarifying. After the modifications the Cytrons test buttons should still work even Cytron wouldnt be connected to AOG pcb? And the NC connection goes to Pwm2.

If I remember correctly, they did not work on mine. I think it needs that PWM2 signal to enable the output.

Yes

1 Like

Ok…very good…I think. :slightly_smiling_face:

Then it is worthless to test, if it works just by testing with those buttons. Need to jump to the simulation mode maybe to test further. Do I still keep Cytron selected as the motor driver in the settings or will that disable the pwm2?

You definitely needs to select Cytron in the settings, otherwise your Arduino will output signals for the IBT2 which is not what you want.

Yes its an example of what i Seen from user who complain it dont work ^^

I have never touched the test buttons after the modification, I will need to test after harvest.

The modification as described at the beginning of the thread toggles the Cytrons nSleep pin. So when pwm2 gives a 0 or 5v signal the cytron toggles between on and off.

So unless you have 5v at the NC pin after the modification the Cytron is off, according to the above description. I would try jumpering 5v to NC and see if it comes back alive.

I used to have to cut power to the steer box or decouple the steering gears every time I wanted to turn before this change.

Hello,

I am using AOG v 5.2.2 so will this modification work with it? Also, do I need to change anything on the code?

Thanks!

The mod works with no code changes but take note that the manual testing buttons on the cytron won’t work anymore unless autosteer is engaged.

2 Likes

Are you sure nothing can be damaged?

One season with no issues.

It just automatically puts the Cytron in sleep mode when it is not required.

But also if I only deactivate Autosteer without the above wireing?

If the Cytron is not modified you have to remove the motor from the steering because it acts like an electric brake.

autosteer off + no cytron modification = electric brake effect, motor must be manually decoupled from steering, or powered off

autosteer off + modified cytron = freewheeling steering

As I said motor will generate some voltage when you turning steering wheel.
To generate 24v motor should be rotated at 588 rpm.
If boost converter used - output diode has enough strength to hold twice this voltage.
Without boost controller - voltage regulator on alternator should handle it (I did not test setup without boost converter).

But my NC Pin isn‘t anywhere connected (the red cable is not installed).
I use the old PCB Board from Autosteer.cc

What I have to do?

Would it be possible build in a Diode in each cable from the Motor to prevent the electric brake effect?