More Mule then Rover?

jwatte, truth is, I'm not ready for snow.

I'm going to try plan B for the dumping setup.
I did get the new motor and tested the brake to insure
it can hold the bucket up.

heading back to office.

The way I first tested to do it the only way to adjust the chain tension was to
shim the bucket support arm.
Attachment 7427

and the motor brake had to hold all the weight that I put in
the bucket.

plan B is to replace the lower chain with an Arm off the dump output shaft,
if when the bucket is in the up position and the arm is at top dead center
the dump output shaft should hold must of the weight not the motor brake.

top dead center should be something like this
Attachment 7428

baby steps.
Attachment 7429

Attachment 7430

now with limit switches installed, and the plan B arm completed
the dump setup can be tested(sweet).

Attachment 7431

Attachment 7432

plan B for dumping worked out good enough to play with some snow.(kinda fast)

with the bucket dump all the way up, it's tilted back a small amount(to help keep snow in bucket when lifting)
I programmed a button on the controller to release the brake on the dump motor to let it tilt to the ground
by it's own weight, but because I have it at top dead center it does not float down on it's own.(crap)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKvG...ature=youtu.be

From what I've learned from hand-pulled snow scoops, you may want to support up to 20 degrees backwards tilt to keep the scooped snow on the bucket. It's annoying when you try to lift things, but they fall off in front...

Anyway, I like the speed, it looks powerful and smooth!

I hope mother nature delivers some snow soon, I need to
test with snow now.

jwatte, I can only tilt back 10deg with the current bucket support arm.
and because that arm is the weakest link(1/8" tube steel), replacing it
would not hurt my feeling.

I hope to have the cameras on this weekend(back to the office)

After playing with the bucket for a short time it became clear
the switch idea isn't going to fly, too much time.

so I added a few more push buttons to the remote controller.
Attachment 7433

I like this better because I can lift or dump while the Mule is
moving. much better.

I kept the switches on the remote controller because I'm sure
I'l find a use for them sometime.

I was wondering if I could tilt the bucket back enough to keep
the snow in the bucket when lifting.

Attachment 7436

Attachment 7437

but, not ideas are good ideas.
I was thinking it would be nice to have all systems running off
one battery bank and needing only one charger, not a good idea..
if a heavy load is placed on the drives,it drives the battery voltage
below the cutoff voltage for the 110ac inverter which then drops the
wifi and cameras.(crap)

I imagine the WiFi and cameras use wall warts plugged into the 110V inverter?

I then imagine you could use a wide-input-range buck regulator (or two) to output the appropriate voltage for each of those things, without going up through 110V. You'd just need to wrap it up in some silicone tape or a Bud box with a seal or something to get it out of the weather.
Tons of cheap buck converters from Pololu or Amazon ...