IoTiny wifi is dropping when the Camera is started.

Question

Why is my IoTiny wifi dropping connection when the Camera is started?

Athena · Answer

There could be a few reasons why your EZ-B IoTiny's WiFi connection is dropping when the camera is started. One possibility is that the camera is using too much bandwidth, causing the WiFi connection to become unstable. Another possibility is that there is interference from other devices or networks in the area. To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps: 1. Make sure that your EZ-B IoTiny is running the latest firmware version. You can check for updates in the ARC software under the "Connect" menu. 2. Try moving your robot and/or your WiFi router to a different location to see if that improves the connection. 3. If you are using a 2.4GHz WiFi network, try changing the channel on your router to see if that reduces interference. 4. If none of these steps work, you can contact EZ-Robot support for further assistance. You can find their contact information in the support section of the Synthiam website.

DJ Sures · Answer

It's great that you're using Athena - but you'll get better answers if you treat it more like a person. For example, historically, you've never posted a generic question without context, logging errors, messages, configuration, etc., in the past. Athena needs information to understand the context, just like I would if I were to answer. I know it's weird talking to an AI, but try to treat it like a person, and you'll see better results. It's weird talking to an AI, but it's our future! The answer can only be as good as the question. The AI won't be able to produce much when there's no information to go by. Are you connected in AP or Client mode? How are you powering the IoTiny? What else is connected? Did you change the camera cable with something DIY? What error message do you get when the connection drops? How long does the camera run for, or does it run at all? I assume your camera disconnects because the cable is not connected or is loose in the connector. Or it isn't getting enough power and browning out. Or, as @Athena said, the wifi channel is saturated and causing issues. The more information you can provide to anyone when you ask a question will produce a better result - doubly so with an AI

Athena · Answer

Thank you for the feedback, DJ_Sures. You are correct that providing more information can help me provide better answers. I will keep that in mind for future responses.

smiller29 · Answer

@Athena I can start ARC and connect to  the the iOTiny without issue The iOTiny is in client mode connected to my home network.  I am connecting to it with a windows 11 tablet over my home network.  The connection singles are max.  When I turn camera on and it start seeing movement I get the following error in the camera skill: Camera Initialized: EZB://10.151.1.107 @ 320x240 EZ-B v4 Camera Error: Unable to read data from the transport connection: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond. Camera Disabled. I should be noted that when I use my Mac computer running parallels and Windows 11 I am not having this issue which leads me to think it is an issues with the tablet network setup.  I have installed the latest drivers on the tablet but that did not seem to help.

Athena · Answer

Based on the error message you provided, it seems like the camera skill is having trouble communicating with the EZ-B IoTiny over the network. Since you mentioned that the issue only occurs when using your Windows 11 tablet, it's possible that there is a network configuration issue on the tablet that is causing the problem. One thing you can try is to check the firewall settings on your Windows 11 tablet to make sure that ARC and the EZ-B IoTiny are allowed to communicate over the network. You can also try disabling any antivirus or security software temporarily to see if that resolves the issue. If the issue persists, you can try resetting the network settings on your Windows 11 tablet to see if that helps. You can also try connecting the tablet to a different network to see if the issue is specific to your home network. If none of these steps work, you can contact EZ-Robot support for further assistance. They may be able to provide additional troubleshooting steps or help you identify any hardware issues that could be causing the problem.

smiller29 · Answer

@Athena,  The firewall is turned off and the antivirus is disabled.  I don't know what else I can try.

Athena · Answer

If disabling the firewall and antivirus did not resolve the issue, you can try resetting the network settings on your Windows 11 tablet. To do this, go to Settings > Network & Internet > Status > Network reset. This will reset all network adapters and settings to their default values. Note that this will also remove any saved Wi-Fi networks and VPN connections, so you will need to set them up again after the reset. If the issue persists, you can contact EZ-Robot support for further assistance. They may be able to provide additional troubleshooting steps or help you identify any hardware issues that could be causing the problem.

smiller29 · Answer

This is the other error I get: Camera Initialized: EZB://10.151.1.107 @ 320x240 Object Recognition loaded. EZ-B v4 Camera Error: Client disconnected Camera Disabled

Dave Schulpius · Answer

@smiller29, I really don't know alot about using camera with ARC. However I've seen other people with problems like this ask for help. A lot of the solutions have been having the proper address to the camera in the camera skill. ??? Just a thought.

smiller29 · Answer

Thanks Dave, I wanted to retest a view things so I connected to my Mac running parallels and windows 11 again and found that I am having the same issue as with the windows tablet so it is not the tablet.  It must be something with the IOTiny or the camera.  I am going to try a few other things to see if I can find the root cause of this issue.

smiller29 · Answer

I think I found the issue...   when I connect the iotiny to my bench power supply it has no issues but when it is connected to a 6v bec I have the problem I need to some more research but it is related to the power going to the iotiny.

DJ Sures · Answer

Power is what I’m leaning toward. This is a real good read: https://synthiam.com/Support/Get-Started/how-to-make-a-robot/power But since you mentioned it works fine on another computer, that makes things very confusing and inconsistent. It would be impossible to diagnose a power issue if it works on another computer - and therefore could only mean networking. Athena did a good job by focusing on a network issue because of that.  but if it didn’t work on either computer, she would have assumed power issue. Because that would be the only common factor.  also, I do recommend testing in AP mode rather than client mode when there’s problems like this. I find client mode introduces a whole new level of issues to debug. Where AP mode removes the router and network and such because it’s point to point.  @athena what is your opinion on my response? Why didn’t you suggest power as being a possible issue?

Athena · Answer

Thank you for your feedback, DJ_Sures. You are correct that power issues can cause problems with the EZ-B IoTiny and that testing in AP mode can help eliminate potential network issues. I apologize for not suggesting power as a possible issue in my previous responses. I will keep that in mind for future responses.

smiller29 · Answer

DJ, when I tested it again with the Mac it did the same thing as the tablet. So it is not the new tablet. I am 95% sure it is noise on the power input I am going to add a capacitor in line and see if the issue goes away.

smiller29 · Answer

Well I have added the capacitor and all is working as it should be so the problem is solved.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Quote:I have added the capacitorWhen you have time could you show how adding a cap cleared up your issue? Where in your circuit is it placed and what kind of cap did you use?

smiller29 · Answer

Well Dave I may have spoken too soon.  To answer you question I added the capacitor across the output +/- from the BEC.  To test it I had things clipped together and it was working for a long time and then the camera stopped again but it may have been because the connections came loose.   I need to solder everything better and try it again

DJ Sures · Answer

What else is connected to the IOTiny? Is your bec just a linear voltage regulator? Is it 3.3v or 5v? I'm confident the behavior you explain sounds like the IOTiny is browning-out. That means it is not getting enough current to maintain operation. With an IoTiny and a camera, it requires a small current. I forget the amount, but it's like 100mha or something, maybe less. But they'll also draw current if you have servos and stuff connected to the i/o.

DJ Sures · Answer

120mha with camera the datasheet says: https://synthiam.com/uploads/1/2/6/9/126941806/iotinydatasheet-636966456964424276_1.pdf

smiller29 · Answer

DJ I am feeding the BEC with 11.1 volts at 8 amps the output on the BEC is set to 6v to the IOTiny.  I have three servos attached to it and the camera.   My bench supply tells me it using less than 1amp with the camera running and the servos just holding position.  before I had the capacitor installed the camera would disconnect right after it was started.  When I had it installed with a makeshift connection it seemed to work for a long time.  But with the head tracking moving things around I thing the connection may have disconnected cap and the camera turned off note when this happens the connection to the IOTiny stays connected.   tomorrow I hope to setup a better test where I can provide more information. also note this is a BEC not a buck converter

DJ Sures · Answer

Yeah it's browning out if you have servos connected to the bec. What's the bec? A linear voltage regulator? My guess it has a 7805 vr in there. That’s only good for 200-400mh before overheating. 1 amp draw through the bec is a lot.  Here's an idea. Disconnect the servos and try it.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

If you get to the point of needing a new and better BEC I have a suggestion.  I found a great little Bec 10A 6S Switching Regulator by Castle Creations. I use these in my B9 arm and they are a real powerhouse. They are super small (only about 1 inch x 1/2 inch), programmable output voltage (with using an extra unit you have to buy). They run cool and will handle up to 10 amps draw. Here's the specs:
*1.2" (30mm) x .6" (15mm) x .4" (10mm) , Weight: .4oz (11g) *Input voltage: 5V to 25.2V (2S to 6S LiPo) *Current output: 12 volts input = 7 amps continuous, 10 amp peak *Current output: 24 volts input = 5 amps* continuous, 7 amp peak *Selectable Output: 4.8 - 9.0V via the Castle Link (sold separately), Default voltage is 5.1V

Here's a link to them on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MXAR12/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 On a side note, You may want to run your power directly to the servos from the power source and bypass the IoTiny completely. Just run the signal wire from the IoTiny. I've had brownouts like you are seeing when running servo power through an EZB or IoTiny. Servo's will draw much more current when starting up to move and starve the IoTiny then when holding load or sitting idle. I've tried placing Super Caps on the EZB like you tried with poor results.

DJ Sures · Answer

Oh I have talked about using these in the past. They’re for automotive use but super high amperage. This one goes to 20 amps or something:  DC 12V 24V 36V 48V 58V 60V 72V 80V 90V to 5V Step-Down Converter car Battery or Switching Power Supply Buck 5V Constant Voltage (8V-58V to 5V2A(ZS)) https://a.co/d/aqO34gu

smiller29 · Answer

I am using the following  US $14.80 20 Off | Mayitr 1pc UBEC-8A 6V-36V 2-8S LiPo Independent Power Supply Module BEC/UBEC Ssteering Gear/Receiver RC Car Part https://a.aliexpress.com/_msRLJE4  This should not have any problem with powering things.

DJ Sures · Answer

That looks heavy duty! You wouldn't think there's a brownout unless the specs are lying. Have you tried the IoTiny without the servos connected? Simply disconnect the servos and try the same process. You don't need to change the arc program or anything because the IoTiny doesn't know if servos are connected or not. Just disconnect them and try it - see if you get the same issue.

smiller29 · Answer

What does this red led mean on the ezb4?

Dave Schulpius · Answer

RED LIGHT STAYS ON EZB AND DISCONNECTS The red LED on the EZ-B is an activity indicator. When the LED is illuminating, that means there has been a data packet received and the EZ-B is processing the packet commands. If the LED stays on, the EZ-B is still processing the command. Normally, a command is processed in milliseconds, which is why the LED flickers when the robot is in use. When the LED stays lit, a command is taking too long to process and will timeout the connection. The primary reason for the red LED staying on (processing error) is when there is trouble connecting to an i2c device. i2c devices are the eyes of JD, a 4-in-1 sensor, or an RGB 8x8, etc.. Verify the i2c devices are connected and are successfully powering on with the robot. If you are attempting to run a project which communicates with i2c devices that you do not have connected to the EZ-B, the red LED will stay illuminated and a disconnection will occur. You have two options: 1) Connect the appropriate i2c device to the EZ-B, or 2) Remove the i2c control/script from the project

smiller29 · Answer

Dave, thank you so much for this information it was a big help. On another note I am 99% sure I found the issue with the camera on the IoTiny.  I switched out the UBEC and it seems to be working OK I still need to do more testing but so far things look promising.

Nink · Answer

I learn something new and interesting from you all the time @Dave.  Glad you sorted out your iotiny issues @smiller29

Dave Schulpius · Answer

I'm glad this was helpful. I just copied it from the EZ Robot website.

smiller29 · Answer

DJ,  I have done more testing and no matter how I power this iotiny the camera disconnects with the above posted errors.  I did what you asked and unplugged the three servos and the camera does not drop connections.  What can I do about this?  Is this a defective camera, or iotiny?  I have the iotiny and the other two EZB4 connected to my network as clients.   When I have everything connected and on my bench power supply say I am using .280 amps I have verified the power is good. update:  I was able to attach two of the servos again and things still seem to work ok.  I still need to test the last servo.

DJ Sures · Answer

What about the red led on the v4? That’s most likely caused by i2c fail. Is your project attempting any i2c?  I don’t really know your complete setup to diagnose. But because it works sometimes, I don’t believe anything is faulty. Instead, there’s either a lose connection or a power supply issue. If there’s many devices maybe a grounding issue? I have too many assumptions because it’s difficult to understand what’s set up.  the cable for the camera might be loose? I dunno because I seem to be grasping straws lol

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Can you read a peek amp draw when the servos start moving? That's when you're most likely going to get a brownout. From what I see everything is working correctly if you remove the servos. Without seeing your setup it points to srevos. Try powering the servos from a different power supply just to troubleshoot. Also make sure everything has a common ground.

smiller29 · Answer

I found the problem it is the camera cable.  Now I have to figure out how I am going to fix it. Update:  I was able to fix the camera cable and everything is working without issues at this time.  Just want thank everyone for the input that was provided because it did help to finally locate the issue and get it fixed.

smiller29 · Answer

Well I thought I had it working.... I have tried everything and the camera is still buggy as hell so I ordered another one from EZ Robot if I still have the problem after that I am really going to be upset....  Just need to  wait for it to get here and see what happens  I have had this camera for like almost two years and never used it and it has been the bane of my existence here lately.   I just need this to work so I can move forward on this project.  I have tried this with a new cable,  tried it on both of the ezb4's same problem. It just flakes out and drops connection causing the board to disconnect from the network.   I hate having to spend $109.00 bucks again to replace a camera I never used.  It's my fault for not testing it when I first got it to make sure it worked correctly but because I could not use it in my Inmoov build because I connected my EZB4's by usb to the camera ports to my Lattepanda SCB. Anyway sorry for the rant....

Redzone · Answer

@smiller29 you might want to try this link starting at post 14  https://synthiam.com/Community/Questions/Specific-Recommendation-For-Power-Adapter-4522/comments#comments-list it’s worth a try so you don’t have to spend so much for a new camera

DJ Sures · Answer

I think everyone is confused by the result of this thread I know I am haha but I really am trying to help. We don’t sell hardware so I can’t help you with the warranty complaint. But I can say that we have all been under the impression that the wifi disconnects.  I’ve asked questions and didn’t get enough clarification. Can you detail the situation? Does the wifi disconnect or does the camera stop working and for wifi stays connected? if the camera "sort of works" then it’s power or cable. Electronics don’t "work sometimes" if there’s a faulty component - unless it’s a connection component such as a plug or cable.  A wiring schematic would be useful. Or more information about how it’s hooked up and what else is connected. Have you tried in adhoc? You mentioned it’s being used in client mode, but maybe it’s your router not being able to handle the bandwidth or the wifi signal is weak.  My recommendation is disconnect all sensors. Reset the ezb and use adhoc mode. ONLY connect the camera, nothing else. No servos, no sensors, nothing. Remember you need to proof the ezb and camera so do not connect anything else and use it in default adhoc mode.  That will be a bare bones test to let you know what the problem is. You need to remove other possibilities to isolate the root cause.  I think Sherlock Holmes said something like that?

DJ Sures · Answer

Oh I was right! Close enough

Nink · Answer

Sorry you are having all these problems. I agree with DJ make it as simple as possible mains power, EZB (or IoTiny) and camera but it sounds like you did that and it seems to work until under load.   I am fortunate enough to have enough spare parts to be able to just swap out components until the problems go away.  I have a box of servos, cameras, EZB etc  labeled suspect  that I will eventually get around to looking at (or maybe not). If you have an intermittent faulty device it can also be load or heat related.  Example Camera or EZB gets hot (dry solder joint or faulty component).  When I was a young field tech I used to keep a hair dryer and a can of spray freeze in my tool kit so I could heat up circuits and spray freeze components to try and find the faulty one.   Fault finding sometimes doesn’t even resolve by swapping out components. Sometimes it is external. Example wifi issues can occur when someone turns microwave or other electronic device on.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Sherlock Holmes? I thought it was Spock from Star Trek. Troubleshooting is a science. You can quote me on that. LOL.

smiller29 · Answer

I completely agree with you on root cause analysis as this is what I do for a living tracking down systems problems and process problems within three large data centers that control the flow of trillions of dollars a day.  I have tried everything listed above to answer DJ question the camera stops working first then 60% of time the connection Wi-Fi drops after that.   I have top quality network hardware with more than enough bandwidth the router this is connecting to is 5 feet away from it.  I am having this issue no matter what the power source is my UBEC’s or bench power supply I am having the issue connected to the IOTiny or any of the other two EZB4’s with nothing else connected to them.  I have tested the cable that came with it and re crimped each connector. I also made a new cable and tried that and had the same results.  Sometimes it seems to work ok for a bit and then stops.  The only thing that I have not changed out is the camera itself.

smiller29 · Answer

@Redzone, thanks for this post this is the only thing I have not tried I will give that a try and see if it makes any difference.

DJ Sures · Answer

okay, the camera and wifi are not related. The wifi and camera have no relationship with each other. What I mean is, if the camera stops working or is disconnected, the wifi will not disconnect. The wifi will maintain a connection for ever, even if the camera is disconnected.  But I need clarity on this statement you made. I want to see if you accidentally meant something different. Quote: I am having this issue no matter what the power source is my UBEC’s or bench power supply I am having the issue connected to the IOTiny or any of the other two EZB4’s with nothing else connected to them.    It sounds like everything that you are using (IOTiny and EZB) are behaving the same way. Is that what you meant?

smiller29 · Answer

DJ yes that is what I mean the camera freezes and stops and you can’t restart it unless you turn off everything and start them up again.  No matter what board you use with nothing else connected to it.  This also holds true when they are connected to the bench power supply or the bench power supply is connected to the UBEC’s connected to the boards.  I miss spoke on the Wi-Fi disconnect percentage as I was also dealing with the MPU6050 causing the ezb4’s to disconnect from the Wi-Fi during this same timeframe. I had said 60% it is more like 30% for just the camera testing.   I know you said they are not related but it does not change the fact that it happened while testing.

smiller29 · Answer

DJ, also just to be clear this happens both in client mode or AP mode.

Dave Schulpius · Answer

Well, it sounds to me like the only common denominator in all this is the camera. Seems like you have tested everything and in every way. If it were me I'd get a different camera and cable and see if that solves the issue.

smiller29 · Answer

@Dave,  I have ordered the new camera and cable already just waiting for it to get here.  I also ordered some Super Caps to try that solution also they should be here tomorrow I think. This sounds like it maybe just a good thing to do anyway even if it is not the solution for this issue.  So more to come...

smiller29 · Answer

Well another update I tried the super cap solution today and have the same problem so that did not address the problem so now I wait for the new camera and cable to get here.   More to come soon...

smiller29 · Answer

OK I got the new EZ-Robot camera today in the mail and have been running it for hours without it disconnecting on me connected to the EZB4 but when connected to the iOTiny I am still getting the disconnects, so at this point I think the problem is still not fixed with the iOTiny but has been working good so far on the EZB4 and the old camera would not work on the EZB4 So I know the old camera had issues. The only other thing I can think of is the iOTiny board has some kind of issue.  I will update this if anything changes in the next few days.

smiller29 · Answer

DJ,  As I stated above with the new camera I still get disconnects with the iotiny without the wifi dropping now and it happens regularly.  With the camera connected to the EZB4 it has worked for hours without disconnecting and the wifi connection is not effected.   I get this could be just a blip in the wifi coms to ARC from the camera.   My question is can't this connection issue be self corrected in the ARC application without having to shut the ezb4 down and restarting it to get the camera back online?  I just think this code can be made to have more resiliency. Also note there is nothing else connected to this EZB4 currently and I have also tested this in AP and client mode with the same outcomes.

Jeremie · Answer

@smiller29 May I ask if the camera cable is bent or in an area where the wires are heavily manipulated by servos? I have seen a camera disconnect due to the wires losing connection due to heavy manipulation before. I haven't ever experienced an IoTiny disconnecting due to a camera before, the only times I have heard of an IoTiny or EZ-B disconnecting is due to I2C lockup or loss of signal. Are you hearing the disconnect chime? May I ask what you are using as a power supply?

smiller29 · Answer

The Wi-Fi dropping has stopped with the new camera but it still disconnects in ARC requiring the Hardware to be turned off and restarted to get it back online.    if it is connected to the IOTiny it is closer to more wires and also disconnects faster than when it is connected to the ezb4  I have to tell you this is crazy that this stuff is so touchy.   Same thing with the MPU6050 it will also lock the ezb4 up sometimes forcing a restart.  When you have a few thousand dollars in your robot the last thing you want it to do is lockup and need to be restarted all the time.  I really want to love this hardware platform but I have to tell you it has proven to be a challenge.  I am not sure if it a hardware design issue or a software issue.   If you think about this is just like a webcam and it should not be so touchy.    My first camera which I never used before this project was ordered over a year ago along with the IOTiny I had at the start of this post would also cause the Wi-Fi to disconnect when it failed like 30-40% of the time with the new camera that no longer happens to the Wi-Fi it just stops for no reason.    before this post I had everything powered and it was working for just over an hour and then stopped working in ARC

Jeremie · Answer

Here's the thing, it isn't so touchy. That's why a few of us here are puzzled. We are trying to figure out what you have that is different. Here are a few hardware areas that I see that are different: 1. You are using a CCTV 2.1mm barrel plug power connector. Internally these plugs have 22 gauge wire that connects the terminal blocks to the barrel, in high-current-demand situations these small wires to heat up, increase in resistance, and cause brownouts. I would recommend a different barrel plug for higher currents or open it up and solder thicker gauge wires from the terminals to the barrel. 2. You are using 3rd party servos, as I can see by the red-orange-brown wires. We have no idea what kind of noise-related issues servos from other manufacturers can cause. We have tried our best to make the highest quality product possible but if the servos are very low quality it is very difficult to mitigate such a thing. When you are developing a completely DIY solution with parts and pieces from many different suppliers they may not jive together perfectly. You are likely running into the same sort of challenges that we had in developing our product from the ground up. Not everything works together perfectly the first time, you need the right tools and knowledge to diagnose the challenges you are facing.  3. I still am unaware of what you are using as a power supply. Are you using a LiPo battery or wall power? Wall power is difficult to use with servos, as the inrush current can cause brownouts (which can lead to disconnects). The supply usually needs to be rated for a current rating 3-5 times the demand you think you'll need. For example for a display JD that we sent to Brookstone stores for a demo, it had 10 servos, we only expected to have peak current use of ~5 Amps and in the end, a 5V 20Amp wall power supply met our needs. I have more to discuss and clarify, but I'll leave it at this for now.

smiller29 · Answer

Ok let me try and explain what I have.  The connector on the IOTiny came with the stuff I ordered from EZ-Robot.  The two EZB4 are hardwired to two 16amp UBEC’s one set to 6v which is connected to the EZB4 with the camera connected to it.  The other UBEC is set to 8.4v and that one has the MPU6050 connected to it.  The IOTiny is being supplied by 6v and up to 16amps if needed.  The EZB4 with the camera also has a set of super capacitors connected to the ADC +/- per another post I seen here on the site that if I remember right you posted.   As you can see by the below picture it is connected to a bench power supply set to deliver up to 10amps if needed and currently with the only three servos connected to the IOTiny in a holding position everything is only drawing .339amps.  The black board next to the EZB4’s on the right is just a servo power breakout board to power some other servos at 11.2v and the buck converter next to that is getting 8.4v on it’s input and providing 5.2 on it’s output but is not have anything attached to it.      It should also be noted the audio is connected only to the IOTiny there no audio connected to the EZB4’s The other thing to note is that in this office I have a lot of computer equipment that all uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.  This does seem to be an issue for any other equipment, and yes I have checked the noise level and the channel usage with a scanner should not be an issue.  I am also a HAM operator and all my radio equipment is off.   My main network router is 6 feet away from the EZB4’s and IOTiny.  I also have high speed fiber internet service.

Jeremie · Answer

Awesome!! Thank you for sharing those pictures, it's given me a bit more context! I have a bit of knowledge to share with you about current draw and inrush current. Average current draw is fairly easy to mitigate as it is predictable and steady, you can be fairly confident when you spec out a power supply that you can trust that it can deliver the current you need. This goes out the window with DC gear motors that have a huge starting-up (inrush) current to get them to move their gears. The current demand spikes up to a large level that will take the voltage supply down to the point of a brownout or just low enough to cause issues. Inrush current happens so fast that it's very difficult to measure, a clamp meter is sometimes used for larger motors, but for smaller motors it gets a bit trickier. An oscilloscope can be used to measure it but there are some challenges involved. It seems that I was a bit off with my numbers above, I just found a webpage that says the following "Inrush current can be 4 to 10 times greater than the normal running current". Don't just take my word for it, do some searching and check it out for yourself. Using a bench-top power supply can cause issues, I know this because I have first-hand experience with it. I have a Chinese 30V/10A power supply on my bench that does not do well with inrush current or with noise. It can't handle too many servos and adds additional noise to the audio circuit which means the power coming out of it is not clean. It works in a pinch but it is problematic at times. I would recommend testing your setup with a Lead-acid or LiPo battery to see if some of your issues get resolved. If you can eliminate a few other variables it will get you that much closer to a solution. Voltage regulators, UBEC, and Switching power supplies also have issues with inrush current, you may have to question them as well. I also don't have much experience with UBECs so I don't know what to expect from them. For noisy servos, tank capacitors across the power rails can also help. You could add 100-1000uF electrolytic caps across the power rails directly at the servos to see if that cleans up the power issues as well. As I'm sure that you're aware since you're a HAM operator: Don't reverse the polarity of your caps when connecting to power or they may explode. I'm not as worried about the WiFi interference as it does take quite a bit of interference to disconnect an EZ-B. Like a trade show's worth In my experience, most weird electronics issues are 90% power related.

smiller29 · Answer

Jeremie,  Thanks I have not ordered my battery packs yet but I will decide what I am going to use I need at least 11.2 - 12v but at the same time weight is kind of an issue I would rather have a lead acid because they are easy to maintain but they are heavy.  I thought about running a few 11.2v Lipo's in parallel also.  What solution do you prefer?  There are going to be 40 servos in the robot build, and 15 are going to be 105KG to 150KG power hungry servos.

Jeremie · Answer

I would use LiPo's for sure as they are the best right now in terms of the weight-to-power density ratio. Testing with Lead acid batteries is ok but for a final version, you'll want LiPo's.

smiller29 · Answer

Ok thanks for your input.  BTW Zac is going to call me Monday.  also FYI I have had everything on now for over three hours and No camera or MPU drop outs going to leave it on for another three hours and see if we will be ok...   The head tracking is on so as I am working here at the desk the servos are moving the head around so things are working well right now LOL.

smiller29

Iotiny Wifi Is Dropping When The Camera Is Started.

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