CANbus/Roboteq wheelchair control system - factory made boards & new upload

This is a followup to www.roboteq.com/index.php/forum/14-gener...and-software?start=0

My first order of factory populated printed circuit boards for the full CANbus system arrived a couple weeks ago. I kept one set for my use, and assembled and tested it thoroughly. A second set of boards is on its way to a wheechair user in Great Britain. Three sets are immediately available, and others will be ordered as necessary (the more people sign on, the more I can order, and the lower the cost). I will send them at cost first-come first-served.

My cost per set was:
Boards (incl. shipping to me): EURO 295.43
VAT & Customs: EURO 22.41
to which you would have to add the cost for shipping from Italy to you.

Though there's still a fair amount of work involved in putting such a system together even with the factory-populated boards, I do strongly urge you to consider using the CANbus system rather than analog connection of a Roboteq. The chair wiring will be much simpler, CANbus is intrinsically safe, and it is far easier to tune user settings and/or modify the programming for particular needs.

I have just uploaded the latest revisions of software, hardware and User's Manual to GoogleDrive. The link is: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ysOoYG8m...YXbO1ulS?usp=sharing Among the changes, the script now auto-checks for whether internal motor voltage measurement is accurate or estimated from battery current or whether external current sensors are present and functional.

Although those files include the latest analog-only version of the Roboteq script, that version will only be updated if serious safety or driveability flaws are found. If you need something personalized in that script, you will be on your own.

The CANbus version will, however, be continuously maintained and updated as needed not only to fix bugs, but to add functionality from time to time, or to adapt it to particular user's needs.

Hi Mr. Robbins,
Do you have any CANbus/Roboteq wheelchair control systems available for purchase currently?
Michael

Dear Michael,

This is an Open Source do-it-yourself project and I am not a manufacturer, nor do I intend to become one.  What I do have available at this point is one or two sets of factory-populated circuit boards which can be had, first come first served, at cost (about $300 + shipping from Italy).  The set of boards includes two largish power distribution boards, five CAN boards sized to fit Arduino Nano, 1 DC-DC converter board for the Master module, and two remote-start DC-DC converter boards for the Display and Power Distribution modules.  The boards do not include the TE Connectivity high current relay, the recommended Hall effect joystick pot nor various small bits and pieces (connectors, cables, hardware, cases) and there remains a fair amount of work to put it all together, for which I've prepared an essentially step-by-step guide in addition to the already posted manual.

Once the last of these sets is gone I will have to decide whether I once again want to front the cost of more factory-made boards (about $1,500 in groups of five, less per unit if more are made).  The response for this first go around was not exactly overwhelming, so I am hesitant about doing so.

Let me know whether you want a set of boards, and I will let you know exactly what the cost was before asking for a commitment from you.

Yours truly,
Lenny Robbins

Thank you Mr Robbins for your quick response. I would like to purchase a set of the boards. I can send payment to you using paypal, google pay or cash app.
Shipping would be to 
Michael G Dixon
3117 Fish Brandon Rd.
Yadkinville, NC 27055 USA
If you prefer to send to a business address let me know and I will provide my work address. Please email me details of total amount including shipping to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Sincerely,
Michael Dixon
Thank you for all your work and development of the CAN/Bus system. I have followed your post on Wheelchairdriver.com boards.
Sincerely,
Michael Dixon

Hi Michael,

I won't know what mailing will cost until I get them to the post office so I'll try to get them packed up and sent within the next couple days.   (If you're in real rush tell me and I'll use an express service.  Can't see why that would be worthwhile though.  Italy-US mail, usually 5-9 days, has lately taken ca. 3 weeks.)  The five sets of boards cost me $1404.75 for manufacture and E112.03 (= $129.29) at today's exchange rate, so one set comes to $306.81.  Any electronic funds transfer method is OK if it works transatlantic without my having to provide lots of info.  For the last several days internet connectivity here has been hit or miss, and even when I can connect it is excruciatingly slow.  Often seems like we're back to dial up at 200 Baud.  PayPal to my e-mail address has always worked well.

Hi Mr. Robbins, 
Paypal works well for me please send me the email address you would like payment sent to or you can send me a paypal request for payment to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Thanks again,
Michael

I'm afraid there's going to be a few days' delay.  My work area is all tied up with some metal working and I don't want to risk contaminating the boards.  I thought I'd be done with this by now, but made a mistake the other day and I have a bunch of re-work to do.

Boards are ready to go to the post office tomorrow morning.  Please send me a note at r*o*b*b*i*n*s*l*e*o*n*a*r*d*at*g*m*a*i*l.com as I want to send you a set of instructions for them and I think at this point our conversation is not of general enough interest to continue on a public forum.
Ciao,
Lenny
P.S. It may take some time till you get a reply from me.  We've had internet connectivity here only a few minutes a day at unpredictable times so I may not even see a message from you for a bit.

LROBBINS wrote: Hi Michael,

I won't know what mailing will cost until I get them to the post office so I'll try to get them packed up and sent within the next couple days.   (If you're in real rush tell me and I'll use an express service.  Can't see why that would be worthwhile though techlame.com/anti-malware-service-executable/.  Italy-US mail, usually 5-9 days, has lately taken ca. 3 weeks.)  The five sets of boards cost me $1404.75 for manufacture and E112.03 (= $129.29) at today's exchange rate, so one set comes to $306.81.  Any electronic funds transfer method is OK if it works transatlantic without my having to provide lots of info.  For the last several days internet connectivity here has been hit or miss, and even when I can connect it is excruciatingly slow.  Often seems like we're back to dial up at 200 Baud.  PayPal to my e-mail address has always worked well.

thanks