2019-02-07, 12:00 PM
Firstly I would like to thank everyone involved in this project, and particularly Sean.
I am on a very steep learning curve, so please forgive any obvious or silly questions. So far I have installed tiny pilot (using the image) on an early RPi model B+, connected and successfully calibrated a MPU, connected to openCPN running on my laptop using the plugin and a wifi dongle - so far so good.
I have chosen the Pololu g2 high power driver for the following reasons:
1. My boat is a heavy displacement motor sailor (Fisher 46, displacement 27 tons 1977 vintage) with the original rod steering. The autopilot drive is a Whitlock/Lewmar rotary drive which comprises a 1/4hp 12v motor driving a sprocket through an epicyclic gearbox, and fitted with a electromagnetic clutch, so the current requirement is quite high.
2. It has two channels so my intention was to use one for the motor and one for the clutch.
3. It's form factor is a RPi hat so reducing the amount of physical connection.
However I am now struggling with how to interface the Pololu to the pypilot. There is a library for the pololu board, and I have successfully driven a dc motor by writing a simple python program using that library - so the physical connection between the RPi and Pololu is working fine.
I would really appreciate any suggestions and pointers.....
I am on a very steep learning curve, so please forgive any obvious or silly questions. So far I have installed tiny pilot (using the image) on an early RPi model B+, connected and successfully calibrated a MPU, connected to openCPN running on my laptop using the plugin and a wifi dongle - so far so good.
I have chosen the Pololu g2 high power driver for the following reasons:
1. My boat is a heavy displacement motor sailor (Fisher 46, displacement 27 tons 1977 vintage) with the original rod steering. The autopilot drive is a Whitlock/Lewmar rotary drive which comprises a 1/4hp 12v motor driving a sprocket through an epicyclic gearbox, and fitted with a electromagnetic clutch, so the current requirement is quite high.
2. It has two channels so my intention was to use one for the motor and one for the clutch.
3. It's form factor is a RPi hat so reducing the amount of physical connection.
However I am now struggling with how to interface the Pololu to the pypilot. There is a library for the pololu board, and I have successfully driven a dc motor by writing a simple python program using that library - so the physical connection between the RPi and Pololu is working fine.
I would really appreciate any suggestions and pointers.....