The V5 3-Wire Expander is a device which can be plugged into a V5 Brain’s Smart Port and creates eight additional locations to plug in 3-Wire devices.
What is the V5 3-Wire Expander
The 3-Wire Expander is a device used to add additional 3-Wire ports to the V5 Brain. The V5 3-Wire Expander has a V5 Smart Port on one end to connect to the V5 Brain and eight 3-Wire ports on the other.
The other side of the 3-Wire Expander has eight 3-Wire ports.
Why use a 3-Wire Expander?
When beginning a project, it might seem impossible to use all eight 3-Wire Ports on the V5 Brain. However, as projects and robots become more advanced, the 3-Wire Ports quickly start to fill up.
Each device listed here requires the use of at least one 3-Wire Port.
- Each Ultrasonic Range Finder requires an input and an output 3-Wire Port.
- The most effective line following requires three Line Trackers each with a 3-Wire Port.
- Each Optical Shaft Encoder requires two 3-Wire Ports.
- Every analog sensor, like a Potentiometer, requires a 3-Wire Port.
- Each digital sensor, like a Bumper Switch, requires a 3-Wire Port.
- Digital outputs like LED Indicators and pneumatic solenoid valves also each require a 3-Wire Port.
The 3-Wire Ports on the V5 Brain can become quickly filled. The 3-Wire Expander can add eight additional ports and double the amount of 3-Wire Ports that can be used for advanced robotic behavior.
How to Use a 3-Wire Expander
The 3-Wire Expander can be plugged into any one of the 21 Smart Ports on the V5 Brain by connecting a V5 Smart Cable between the V5 Brain and the Smart Port on the expander.
Be sure the Smart Cable is fully inserted and locked into the ports of both the V5 Brain and the 3-Wire Expander.
Any 3-Wire device or a 3-Wire extension cable for a device can be plugged into any of the eight 3-Wire Ports on the 3-Wire Expander. Be sure the 3-Wire cable is fully inserted into the 3-Wire Port. The port and the 3-Wire cable both have a key which should only allow the cable to be plugged in with one orientation.
The 3-Wire Ports on the 3-Wire Expander are designated sequential as ports A through H from left to right.
The 3-Wire Expander needs to be paired with VEXcode V5 or VEXcode Pro V5 to create a user project for the V5 Brain.
How to Mount a 3-Wire Expander
The device can be easily mounted to any piece of the VEX structural metal.
The 3-Wire Expander has a mounting hole. This mounting hole passes through the device in which a screw can be placed. This screw can then be inserted into the hole of a piece of structural metal to be attached with a nut. On the bottom of the 3-Wire Expander is a round boss which will fit into a hole of the structural metal and provide a second point of contact for the device.
How to configure devices with the 3-Wire Expander
Launch VEXcode V5
Select the Devices icon.
Select ‘Add a device.’
Select ‘3-WIRE EXPANDER.’
Select the Smart Port that the 3-Wire Expander is plugged into on the V5 Brain. Once the port is chosen, select ‘DONE.’
Note: the name of the 3-Wire Expander can be changed in the text window from Expander1 to a different name. For more information on how to change the name of devices, view the 3-Wire Devices article from the VEX Library.
To add a 3-Wire device to the Expander, select ‘Add a device’.
Note: in this example, assume there is a Bumper Switch plugged into 3-Wire Port “A” on the V5 3-Wire Expander.
Select ‘3-WIRE.’
Select ‘BUMPER.’
Under ‘Select 3-Wire Source,’ select ‘Expander1.’ The port also needs to be selected. Select port ‘A,’ then ‘DONE’ to finish the Device Setup.
For more on 3-wire Port Architecture