Stuck in for loop

Projects Programming
1

Hello,

I am using an arduino to drive an electric scooter and everything works fine but after the throttle is done being used I want the scooter to time out and open a relay. I am using the following code:

const int sLED = 5;
const int iLED = 6;
const int dLED = 7;
const int rOut = 8;
const int fetOut = 9;
const int pIn = A1;
boolean driveFlag;

void setup(){
  pinMode(sLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(iLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dLED, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(rOut, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(fetOut, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(pIn, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(sLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(iLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(dLED, HIGH);
  digitalWrite(rOut, LOW);
  digitalWrite(fetOut, LOW);
  delay(1000);
  startUp();
}

void loop(){
  idle();
  drive();
  timeout();
  if(driveFlag = true){
    drive();
  }else{
    analogWrite(fetOut, 0);
  digitalWrite(rOut, LOW);
  digitalWrite(dLED, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  }
}

void startUp(){
  int tempPot = 500;
  digitalWrite(sLED, LOW);
  do{
  tempPot = analogRead(pIn);
  delay(10);
  }while(tempPot >= 450);
  digitalWrite(sLED, HIGH);
  delay(100);
}

void idle(){
  int tempPot = 0;
  digitalWrite(iLED, LOW);
  do{
  tempPot = analogRead(pIn);
  delay(10);  
  }while(tempPot < 450);
  digitalWrite(iLED, HIGH);
  delay(100);
}

void drive(){
  int potRead = 450;
  int mapVal = 0;
  digitalWrite(dLED, LOW);
  digitalWrite(rOut, HIGH);
  delay(80);
  do{
  potRead = analogRead(pIn);
  if(potRead < 450){
    potRead = 450;
  }else if(potRead > 700){
    potRead = 700;
  }
  mapVal = map(potRead, 450, 700, 0, 255);
  analogWrite(fetOut, mapVal);
  delay(10);
  }while(potRead >= 450);
}

void timeout(){
  int tempRead = 0;
  int delayTime = 100;
  for(int i = 0; i < delayTime; i++){
    tempRead = analogRead(pIn);
    if(tempRead > 450){
      driveFlag = true;
      break;
    }else{
      driveFlag = false;
    }
  }
  
}

What I am observing is the drive LED never shuts off so that means the code never gets past the drive loop in the main loop.

Code notes:

I am sourcing the LEDs so I am pulling them low to turn them on.
The PWM and everything else works fine but the relay refuses to open with a low command to it. I have tried to relay just using the arduino and it is capable of opening and closing it. The arduino controls a NPN transistor to switch on the relay with no problem.
So any code suggestions would be appreciated.

2 
 do{
  potRead = analogRead(pIn);
  if(potRead < 450){
    potRead = 450;
  }else if(potRead > 700){
    potRead = 700;
  }
...

  }while(potRead >= 450);

As you have constrained potRead to be in the range 450 to 700 I would be surprised if it left the while loop.

3

Just a quick note...

void loop(){
  idle();
  drive();
  timeout();
  if(driveFlag = true){    // <<=== B
    drive();
  }else{
    analogWrite(fetOut, 0);
  digitalWrite(rOut, LOW);    // <<=== A
  digitalWrite(dLED, HIGH);    // <<=== A
  delay(100);    // <<=== A
  }
}

The three lines marked "A" have wrong indentation. They should be aligned with the analogWrite() line.

I suspect a bug lies in line B: you assign a global variable the TRUE value and test if that's TRUE, so the "else" part will never be executed.
You probably want to put a "==" there instead of "=".

HTH

4

Thank you for both of the inputs. I am suspecting that Nick is initially right. I only made the flags after I was unable to find the loop hold up. Thank you both for the feedback!