DC motor driver possibly defective

#1

Hello,

after 3 days playing around with my Starter Kit I’m experiencing a strange behavior of one motor: it rotates jerky. The other one does it smoothly, if they run separately. If I turn on both, both run jerky. After I swapped the motor connectors the behavior if the motors changed, so the problem must be the motor driver (M2). Its LED blinks slowly when I put small number on it and ca. 2 times per second with a maximum number of 255. It doesn’t matter, if I connect the board via bluetooth and control it from my phone, or connect it to computer an use the mBot software or use the Arduino IDE. It also doesn’t matter, is the motor is connected or not - the driver LED blinks any way. I updated the firmware several times an recharged the batteries, that I used all 3 days and that worked perfectly.

Are there any other tests possible to find out, what the problem is or ist it clear, that the board has become faulty?

#2

Hi Werner,

Have you reset default program for the starter after you upgrade firmware for it.
Could you try it again refer to these instructions. 4. How to upgrade firmware for Orion Board.docx.zip (393.9 KB)
2. How to reset default program for starter with mBlock.docx.zip (1.0 MB)

Besides, could you please check the wires between the motors and motor driver interfaces (M1 and M2) on Orion board, if the connection loose? Especially check if wires loose where it goes into the yellow wire connection interface.

Finally, though you mentioned that you have re charged the battery, we still hope that you can change the batteries have a try, or use an external power adapter (12V/2A) have a check.

Once still the same thing, could you take a video for the this issue? And then send it as well as the receipt to tec-support@makeblock.com

#3

Hello,
I upgraded the firmware several times, I reset the default program and I checked the connections - and the problem still exists.
I made a video for you, where you can see, what I mean. The M1 port seems healthy and the M2 seems to have a short circuit: the board gets warm near it, wenn I activate it. I used the small program which you can see at the beginning. I controlled M1 with the X-axis of the joystick and the M2 with the Y-axis. The 7-segments display shows the value of M2 all the time. It don’t have a 12V power supply, so I got one with 9V, but I think it must be enough. It doesn’t matter, if the motor is actually connected to the port or not: the M2 LEDs blink instead of lighting continuously in any case. It also doesn’t matter, which
Regards, Werner

#4

I have a several starter kits for a classroom and one of mine just started having this exact problem today. I assume it’s covered under warranty if it is a defective board? I have done the basic trouble shooting like batteries, motor connections, etc.

#5

Hi mjhilem,

Have you tried upgrade firmware for starter, then reset deafult program for it again have a check.
Please kindly take a video to show the issue and send it to tec-support@makeblock.com with the receipt.

#6

Here is a video and picture of the voltage I am getting from this set of batteries. This is after upgrading firmware. I have tried to reset the default program as well but the video is of a simple program setting the motors at 255. I have also tried removing the IR receiver to have the same problem.

Video of problem HERE

Voltage from batteries picture HERE

#7

I’m afraid, you grilled your onboard motor drivers. I had two of them with the same problem in a row. The dealer was friendly enough to exchange them each time, the third one seems to work properly. I’m not sure, if I erroneously put a number over 255 to the motor port at the first two boards and this killed them. Anyway it must not happen - the product must should be foolproof.

The defective board with this problem gets damn hot also - touch yours (carefully!) to proof.

#8

Hi mjhilem,

What is the sinple program you have uploaded into the Orion board for this video?
Does the motor rotate jerk either if they run separately? Besides, please connct these two motors to other Orion board and see if the motors are working properly.

Though you mentioned that you have changed the battery, may I know what kind of the batteries do you use? Are you able to try with the rechargeable Li-ion battery or rechargeable nickel-metal hydride, nickel-cadmium and see if it will be better?

#9

The simple program was setting both motors to speed 100 using the mblock software. I’ve set the board back to the “default IR” program with the same behavior still happening. I tried both motors on another board and they both work as they should. The motor/lights on the board still pulse when both, one, or no motors are plugged into the board. In the video/picture the bot had Alkaline batteries but we have also used NI-MH rechargeable batteries as well, again with the same problems as before.

Thanks

#10

Hi mjhilem,

Thanks for feedback.
Please send the receipt for the starter which has issue board to tec-support@makeblock.com

#11