As a rookie team this year, we have had difficulties with the new REV Control Hub, despite having one team member with prior Expansion Hub experience. As a team we were able to figure out how to correctly wire the Hubs together but when we tried to configure, we could not find the expansion hub to show up anywhere! After working with team 11392, Defenestration, and our mentors we were able to find a solution.
In this blog post, we will describe the solution we used when the Expansion Hub would not show up in the configuration.
Step 1: Wiring the Hardware
The first step to get the REV Control Hub and Expansion Hub connected to each other is to wire them properly.
Tip:
You should have received the two cables pictured on the left with your Expansion Hub and Control Hub. You will only need one set to connect the Hubs.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Plug the female end of the XT30 Extension Cable (the red and black wire) into the power . port next to the battery's. Plug the male end into the other Hub.
2. Plug the JST PH Cable (the blue-black wire) into the port on the Control Hub labeled . . RS485. Plug the other end into the port on the Expansion Hub labeled RS485.
3. Plug in the battery to provide power to the Control Hub. Both Hubs should have glowing or . blinking blue or green LEDs.
Step 2: Changing Expansion Hub Address
The next step is to change the Expansion Hub's address because it is most likely conflicting with the Control Hub's address.
Tip:
If the Expansion Hub does not appear in the configuration even though it is wired correctly to the Control Hub, changing the Expansion Hub's address should solve this.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Open the FTC Driver Station app and connect the phone to the Control Hub. You can do this . by going into settings, and selecting connect with robot controller
2. In the FTC Driver Station app go to the settings and then advanced settings. There will be . . an option called "Expansion Hub Address Change". After choosing this, click the box that . says "<no change>" and choose any other option in the list.
What's Next?
After you complete the steps above, the Expansion Hub should appear when trying to configure the robot. This means the problem is solved! The next step to get setup for programming is to configure the robot. This means naming any sensors, servos, or motors that are plugged into the Hubs so they can be referenced in the program. There are many helpful videos online for teams that need help like this one.
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