Optical encoders for gimbals?

General mods that are considered worth doing; regardless of the end firmware you use.
Post Reply
interestingfellow
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:05 am
Country: United States
Location: durham, nc

Optical encoders for gimbals?

Post by interestingfellow »

The pots in transmitter gimbals are finicky to find replacements for (because they need to be 0k-5k over only 60* of rotation), and there have been many threads on many forums concerning the topic.

I see now that some manufacturers are using hall effect sensors and there is some debate over sufficient resolution vs analog pots.

I'm also wondering if anyone has tried using optical rotary encoders to replace gimbal pots? Is it an issue of resolution? I see many affordable/cheap optical rotary encoders with resolutions in the several thousands of points range.


Why don't we use optical rotary encoders in our gimbals?

User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17979
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: Optical encoders for gimbals?

Post by MikeB »

Price in the past probably and quite likely size as well. How about some links to suitable devices.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!
User avatar
Kilrah
Posts: 11107
Joined: Sat Feb 18, 2012 6:56 pm
Country: Switzerland

Re: Optical encoders for gimbals?

Post by Kilrah »

Lack of absolute position reference is not cool.
Resolution is a tradeoff with speed and physical size, quick stick movements skipping steps would be even less cool.
interestingfellow
Posts: 213
Joined: Tue Jun 16, 2015 2:05 am
Country: United States
Location: durham, nc

Re: Optical encoders for gimbals?

Post by interestingfellow »

Oh, I don't know that I found suitable devices. But cruising throught ebay and digikey, I found a few for $6-$16 that looked like they might do the job.

Honestly, i think I agree with Kilrah about a center position and if it skips for some reason are two drawbacks I would not be willing to risk.

Thanks, I figured it was a simple answer that was alluding me.
User avatar
MikeB
9x Developer
Posts: 17979
Joined: Tue Dec 27, 2011 1:24 pm
Country: -
Location: Poole, Dorset, UK

Re: Optical encoders for gimbals?

Post by MikeB »

If you are still looking, it would need a sensor that gave an absolute position, not one that gives an incremental position.

Mike.
erskyTx/er9x developer
The difficult we do immediately,
The impossible takes a little longer!

Post Reply

Return to “Electronic Mods”