6v light on Digital Sidecar won't come on

[Team 4376]

Hi there, I am a programmer on a rookie team. I am having some trouble getting the 6v light on the digital sidecar to come on. We have the bat and the 5v light on, and we have the SH37 68 pin cable connected. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!

[Doug_Norman]

Here are some things to try:

1. Unplug everything from the Digital Side Car except the battery power, and see what power lights are on.  Often times the power lights get back fed from other connections.  I can get all the power lights: BAT, 5V, 6V to come on without any battery power connected.  This test is to make sure your battery power lights all the power lights.

2. If 1. works, start connecting other things to see what the problem is.  One thing to check is the ribbon cable from the kit - are you aware that it came wired backward in the kit?  It needs to be rewired - FIRST has instructions on their web site.

3. If 1. does not work, you may have a bad Digital Side Car.

[Team 4376]

can you post a link on how to rewire it?

[Kevin_F]

Check out this document:

http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default/files/uploadedFiles/Robotics_Programs/FRC/Game_and_Season__Info...

[DAQjr]

If the 6v led won't light, make sure you don't have any shorts on your pwm wires. Try unplugging them one at a time. Alternatively, try removing all the power jumpers from all the pwm channels.

[RyanNaz]

I'll have to agree with DougNormal.

I know a few years back, they had quality control problems with the power distribution board, where it was working just fine, but the LED wouldn't light up.

You can verify it by taking a multimeter, and putting the negative terminal to any negative terminal on the robot (assumed to be connected), and touch the positive side to the servo motor jumpers.  You should see 6V, as you might guess.