【FAQs】Motors dont work well

#1

Kindly do the testing as below:

  1. Install driver software in your computer, please download at here: [Windows] Driver Installer（https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Makeblock-official/Makeblock-USB-Driver/master/Makeblock_Driver_Installer.zip）
    [Mac OSX] Makeblock Orion （https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Makeblock-official/Makeblock-USB-Driver/master/Makeblock_Orion_Driver_for_MacOSX.zip）

  2. Install mBlock (mBlock is a graphical programming software developed from Scratch 2.0) Here is the download address. http://www.mblock.cc/

  3. Connect your robot to your computer via USB cable. Check serial port (COM #) in your computer’s device manager.

  4. Select the appropriate board type in “Boards”. (Here please select Me Orion)

​5. Select correct Serial port, click Connect, and then click Upgrade Firmware. （As below picture)

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  1. After uploading firmware, please turn on your robot (battery should be installed), select “File-Load Project”, upload control.sb2 (73.3 KB)the project file.

  2. Try to control your robot with arrow keys in your PC keyboard. (Make sure you have connected your robot tank to PC, and battery is fully charged)

Kindly do the testing above and let us know the working status, if the motors still works struggle, you can show us the receipt, as well as the working video and the shipping information (Post code and Tel number should be included) to support@makeblock.cc for replacement.

Make bloc starter, all lights are on, but no action
#2
#3

I think im going crazy… can you show a pricture with all the steps pls… this is got to be the most frustrating thing i have done in a long time.

#4

What products does this refer to … only those that are Orion-based (Starter Kit, X-Y plotter, etc.)? Does this also apply to mBot/mCore?

#5

@larry, It refers to the DC Motor-25 6V/185RPM, which mainly includes Starter, Ultimate, etc.

#6

Thanks for confirming that this does not refer to the mBot motors @Pioneer.

About the mBot motors though, I had commented in another post that they don’t seem to run when given “set speed” commands of about 50 (one of the dropdown default settings) or less. Is there a minimum speed setting you can suggest above which point the motors should start reliably? (Experimentally, this would seem to be perhaps 75 or greater). Thanks.

#7

@larry, In fact, there is no fix value, it mainly depends on the surface, normally, if on the smooth interface, 100 should be enough, if on the carpet, I am afraid you have to adjust to 255.

#8

Thanks @Pioneer. This was not really a big issue at all, and I did figure out the speed needed to be set around >75 or so for the (mBot) motors to start reliably (on a hard surface).

It makes sense that there is a minimum speed for the motors to start. As a new user though I was just puzzled for a bit after nothing happened (even when I held the mBot in air) when I used the default speed = 50 in the dropdown menu settings. I had expected there should be some motor movement at all of the settings … 50, 100, 255.

Anyway, all is well now … thanks again.

#9

Updating my last post … @Pioneer did not actually ‘confirm’ the motor speed needed to be higher than 50 to operate … I just inferred from his comments that 100 was likely a more appropriate value for operation in best case conditions (i.e. a hard surface). Sorry if I misspoke.

#10