Help with "Car"...

[ski_power]

We're making a "car" that's to run for a racing competition.

 

The track consists of plenty of obstructions like 5mm steel rods for speedbreakers, sand pits, gravel beds, S-bends, 50 degree inclines etc etc...

 

The thing is that it cannot be wireless, and must have wires. This makes it simple for us in sense that all we need to do is strap 4 motors and then connect the left side motors in a group and the right side motors in another group to a 2 way switch each.

 

Here's where I need help:

1. We've thought of putting the motors in a T-joint of pipe and then connect both of them. Will this be good enough.

2. The motors we are using are 12V motors@300 R.P.M, but on the track we run it at 15V. This makes the "car" feel more responsive but makes it difficult for turns which is comfortable at 12V... Is there any way we can vary the supply to the car WITHOUT touching the power supply like some potentiometer on the (tiffin box) remote. This is because then the person controlling the car can also vary the voltage on the fly without having to meddle with the supply.(Yes, I made that power supply in the other thread, and it is variable).

3. Since max. voltage is 24V, and I want to put some LEDs on the car. So which resistance value should I put. Should it be the one meant for 24V? If yes, won't the LEDs run a little dim when the voltage is lowered?

4. Can USB ports take 24V and 5 amperes(the plugs), as we are planning to use it for our connections?

[insane_alien]

Can USB ports take 24V and 5 amperes(the plugs), as we are planning to use it for our connections?

__________________

Only if you wish to fry the insides of the computer.

[ski_power]

No no no...we're just using the ports. There's no computer involved at all. We're just planning to use it for easy connections instead of keeping it all soldered onto the car and then needing to take long dangling wires everywhere along with the car

[calbiterol]

You could use pin connectors - like this one, for example.

 

USB, I have no idea. But those should take just about whatever the attached wires can take, and seeing as you can choose the wires...

[ski_power]

the parallel port eih?

Good idea actually.

 

I'll try that out as well.

I was thinkin of USB primarily because we'll have no screws to bother with, and instant snap-on. Anyway, I'll just check your idea out