Monday, July 21, 2014

ArrBot: Servo Tester


When you're ready to modify your servos to be continuous rotation servos, it's important to test the servos at three stages of the work:

  • before you start. Make sure you're starting with a working servo!
  • after you've soldered the two resistors in place, while the case is open.
  • after you've reassembled the case.


Here's a simple servo tester you can use if you don't have a store-bought tester.  Wiring is simple:

servo ground (black or brown) to Arduino GND.
servo power (red) to Arduino RAW.
servo signal (white or yellow) to Arduino pin 9.

and then run the ServoTester sketch.


Once the sketch is downloaded and running, you will need to use Putty (Windows) or screen (Mac) to talk to the program, with commands similar to these.  You will need to set the com port (Windows) or serial device (Mac) appropriately
  • windows:  putty com8 115200
  • mac:      screen /dev/tty.usbmodem1421 115200
Default operation is to move the servo continuously, but you can also change the specified position manually.  Commands are:
  • v -- variable sweep mode
  • c -- center at 1500
  • j -- subtract one from position
  • k -- add one to position
  • J -- subtract ten from position
  • K -- add ten to position
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