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9. Motor Troubleshooting Flowchart
Start
Do the
Motors spin
NO
at all?
YES
Do motors
intermittently lose
power or stop
working?
NO
Are your
motors
NO
drifting?
YES
The Joystick may need
to be recalibrated. For
instructions, see section
6 of this guide or refer
to the help files included
with you programming
software.
Page 12 of 14
Cortex Microcontroller and VEXnet Joystick User Guide
Are
you using
Motor Controller
29 Modules on all
2-wire motors
plugged into ports
2-9 on the
Cortex?
YES
This could be a programming issue. Try switching
to the Default Code to isolate the problem.
The Cortex is equipped with two 4 amp circuit breakers
that may trip if the motors pull too much current. Motor
ports 1- 5 on the Cortex share one 4 amp circuit breaker.
Ports 6-10 share a second 4 amp circuit breaker. It's
YES
recommended that you balance the load from your
motors across these two breakers to prevent the circuit
breaker from tripping unnecessarily.
Are you
having Issues
with using your
YES
Power
Expander?
NO
In order to run a 2-Wire Motor off a 3-Wire PWM
motor port you must use a Motor Controller 29 Module
(276-2193) for each 2-wire motor. This motor controller
acts as a converter between a 2-wire motor and a 3-wire
NO
motor port. Ports 1 and 10 on the Cortex are equipped
with built-in Motor Controllers, allowing you to directly
control a 2-Wire Motor on these ports.
If a motor still looses necessary power it is likely that the motor's
internal thermal breaker is tripping. This is almost always
attributed to the motor being stalled or placed under too high
of a load. First check your drivetrain or mechanism for any
unnecessary friction. The best way to do this is to disconnect the
motor from your mechanism and then turn the shaft by hand.
Ideally, your mechanism or drivetrain should spin relatively freely.
You may also need to add additional motors to your application or
switch to a slower and less aggressive gear ratio. If you have a high-
load application and are using 2-wire Motor 269 modules, it may
be a good idea to change them out for 2-wire Motor 393 Modules,
which, in their factory setting, can output 60% more torque.
Refer to the Power Expander Inventor's Guide which
is available at the Product Page at vexrobotics.com.
If you're still having problems with motors you can refer to the other
guides or contact VEX Technical Support by phone at +1-903-453-0802
or email support@vexrobotics.com. You may also want to post a question
on the VEX Forum and someone in the VEX community will assist you.
If any motors are still not
responding, try switching out
motors, motor controllers and
motor ports in order isolate the
issue to a particular piece of
hardware. For additional help,
you can post a question on the
VEX Forum (vexforum.com) or
contact VEX Technical Support
by phone at +1-903-453-0802 or
email support@vexrobotics.com.
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