In this process of doing things that is not really taking the build forward, but rather redoing things I wasn’t too happy with, I’ve spent the past two days making an overhaul on the electronics system!

The old electronics board had gone through three changes, and the flat styrene board looked like a well seasoned Swiss cheese, and it was a tad too small since everything seemed to be sitting on top of each other! The Dude will not abide!

This had to change!

In addition to that, I also hade a veritable spider’s web inside the droid with cables running back and forth, and not really bound together properly. This, too, had to change.

This is the old electronics board. A bit cramped, but not too bad. That’s because not all cables are attached! The incoming power and USB cable was sticking out at the bottom, and there was 8 different cables that needed to be attached at different places. This, I did not like!

Also, the cable for the Slip Ring had to be basically folder all over itself to not get tangled up. This clearly had to be moved somewhere, especially if I am planning to get a dome ring for my periscope and life form scanner!

This is the new electronics board, with more room for extensions, one common plug for everything (apart form the USB connector). I’ve got main power, both drive wheels and dome coming in on that connector on the left! I’ve also moved some things around, like giving enough space for the slip ring connector!

So much for the electronics board, but what about inside the body?

Well, I didn’t really take any “before” pictures, but perhaps this can give you an idea of what it was like. Many cables, back and forth, and all of them individual. Also note that most of these cables had to be able to connect to different places on the old electronics board!

This is a mess of power cables, foot drive cables and dome drive cables. Nothing really marked, how good is that?

This is the new look of the interior wiring, prior to me installing the board. There are still a few individual cables, but they will be tied down when I’m finalizing the cable mounts after the paint job is done. This is just hanging there and not fastened 100%.

With the electronics board in place, and the big connector plugged in…

…it looks like this! Clean and not too messy!

Another angle… remember it is all plugged in. No more cables going back and forth. If I need to unplug my electronics board, I only need to undo that plug and also remove the USB cable (not attached in this photo), and it’s a simple matter of opening the velcro fasteners and there we go!

Best part: I can not attack anything the wrong way anymore!

… and look at that! It even works!

Tomorrow I hope to have beaten this flu! I’ve got work to do… and a network thing… and Thursday I’m getting knee surgery!

I’m looking forward to getting a lot done on the small parts while being partially immobile!