I was wondering if it was possible to use a current output from another controller as an input to the mini maestro. I am using this controller in my senior capstone project parker.com/literature/Electr … asheet.pdf but I am using a servo to control the throttle actuation, the IQAN does not have a servo output so I was planning on using the maestro as an intermediary between the iqan and the servo. but the only outputs are digital, pwm, and current. Is the input pin on the maestro sinking such that i could just place a resistor inline and create a voltage drop to measure that way?
The servo control interface is a special case of PWM, so maybe your controller’s PWM output could be used to control the servo directly, without a Maestro.
If that’s not the case, you should be able to use the Maestro. The Maestro simply measures voltages between 0 and 5 V on its input pins, so you need to convert your current in to a voltage in that range. To do this, connect a resistor between the current output and GND (the Maestro and your controller should share a common ground). Then measure the voltage of the output with a multimeter to verify that it stays within 0-5 V. Then you can add a connection from the output to the Maestro (through a 1k resistor for extra protection if you want).
The Maestro’s input pins are high impedance and will sink very little current as long as the voltage stays within the 0-5 V range.
–David