Along with the Tramps HD60T the VESC 6 Mk3/4/5 ESC appears to use a momentary, normally-closed (NC) button switch for powering the ESC on. I have three questions for owners of these ESC’s who use button switches…
Do you have to press the button for a certain minimum amount of time?
Does anything happen if you press it again multiple times after the ESC is on?
Has anyone used a latching button, one that kept the the contacts open the entire time it stayed pressed? Then you would press the button again, unlatching it and closing the contacts, when you wanted the ESC to start its auto-off timer? Did the ESC function normally?
Yes, I deserved that.
But I have been dealing with ongoing medical issues that have left me unable to do a lot of things. I want to keep working on this project but the dizziness and fatigue makes reviewing schematics and code almost impossible. I was hoping to call on the time and generosity of the community to help out until, hopefully soon, I am feeling better.
I will not post more questions about this topic though. My apologies for any frustration I have caused.
usually about 3 seconds to turn off, less time to turn it on.
usually not. typically its a press and hold to turn off situation, about 3 seconds or so most of the time.
latching buttons, more specifically the mechanics inside them, have proven to be somewhat unreliable under the vibrational stress of urethane on street. They last a bit longer on pneumatics but generally momentary buttons with little or no complexity within are the way to go.
no you didn’t. Expecting somebody to pour through source code for a simple answer when lots of people already have that answer on hand is utterly ludicrous.
A short press is enough. The vesc 6 or HD will then boot up. After booting a short push is enough to send it to sleep mode again. Pressing the switch while booting does nothing. Pressing wile riding does nothing.
Generally I’d agree with this, but I’ve been running a latching setup that works quite well for the last nearly 2 years. It’s a latching N.C. pushbutton with a deep latch; pushed in it’s off, released/out it’s on. The latch fails ‘on’ and isn’t having to be held latched/engaged to stay on.
PS: Agree we shouldn’t be scoffing at anyone asking questions.
Seems my answer here was misunderstood. im not expecting everyone to to pour through source code, i barely understand 50% of it myself. just trying to remind that all technical questions on vesc operation can be answered from there.
Its often common here for opinions to be given as fact or things repeated Chinese whispers style but usually the answers can be found on the github for those able to look.
From my reading it seems like the HD60 and MK3 to MK5 use the same code to check the switches. seems that for some reason this is done with analogue readings and the switch is checked every 10ms.
It seems like when the vesc is off the switch fires an interrupt that wakes the vesc from sleep. once on it seems that a press needs to last at least 20ms to ensure a successful trigger to shut down again.
from my experience you only need to tap it to turn on or off, however the trampa switch is noticeably heavier to push in than other switches and has a long travel time (how far it can be pushed in), if i try to turn it off immediately after power on it seems to need a second press to turn off
