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Roli - Getting Started Question - No Movement

Just setup my Roli - quick and easy. Setup Wii controller no problem. Wifi is good and I can do the sample movements like dance and wave. All charged up. I have the ports setup as instructed and I entered the port summary. For the life of me I cant get the robot to move with ARC or the wii remote . I've used the Roli sample project and saved it as a new name. I'm sure I've missed something that is very simple but I can't seem to figure it out. Any suggestions?

Any help is greatly appreciated - can't wait to see it move!

Thanks - Steve


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#1  

I have the exact same issue. Just does not move :(.

Also seen a bit of smoke when I first tried it. Did you experience anything like that?

#2  

@Stephenhoey... Have you checked the wiring of the Hbridge to see if it is wired correctly? I believe there is an online tutorial here on how to wire up the HBridge...

@all_your_robot_r_belong_to_us ... Check your wiring before trying again... there should be no smoke at all

United Kingdom
#3  

Following this lesson should answer the problems.

The connections need to be as follows, these all connect to the white pin of the digital port

Quote:

D0 - Green (Left PWM) D1 - Blue (Left Trigger A) D2 - Purple (Left Trigger B) D3 - Grey (Right Trigger A) D4 - White (Right Trigger B) D5 - Black (Right PWM)

Then connect the 2 wire connector with the red and black wires to D0 making sure the red wire is on the red pin and the black wire is on the black pin.

You should end up with something like this; User-inserted image

If you are unsure, please take a photo of your connections and post it here, we can verify it is correct (usually very quickly too so there wont be much of a delay in getting you going by doing this).

#4  

hi thanks all, wired correctly - absolutely no smoke. that does not sound good.

is there a better model I should use for the roli or should I be using the example one. not sure if that even has the programming in it to move anything. the instructions get you up to setting everything up but as far as movement I am not seeing any instructions.

if I remap the hbridge controls to let say an arm servo I can move it. for example but I'm sure that's if I make left trigger "D14" I can now move it very slowly - does not seem right.

United Kingdom
#5  

Are you using the latest version of ARC and using the latest Example Project for Roli?

There should be a H-Bridge Movement panel. It should be configured as my last post.

Be aware, you must set the speed with the PWM before you attempt to move it otherwise the default PWM of 0 will be applied and nothing will move. If the speed slider is already at maximum drag it down and back up to set the PWM.

#6  

Oh also I did not mention - when I use the hbridge sliders I can hear a slight buzzing in the roli - but it does not move.

#7  

OK - Seed set to 0 sounds like the problem. that's why I hear it buzzing. Where do I change the speed?

#8  

It seems that when I run the init it is automatically setting the speed to 100

#9  

Sine the arms are working, we know the EZ-B v4 is working, so it is something with the H-Bridge. Since you confirmed the wiring to the V4, I think you should open the chassis of your roli and check the cabling on the H-Bridge.

Instructionsn for opening the Roli are here https://synthiam.com/Tutorials/Lesson/47 in the fuze replacement lesson.

The other thing to check is that the +5v regulator button is depressed. I could see that leaving that up could be a simple mistake that could be made in manufacturing.

Take pictures of the connections inside so we can confirm the wiring (note: although the power connections were correct on mine, the wiring harness for the motors and pwm was exactly backwards, so we do know there have been some assembly errors).

See this H-bridge tutorial of Rich's for information about proper wiring of this H-bridge: https://synthiam.com/Community/Questions/4096

Alan

#10  

it seems to be wired correctly and the button is depressed. User-inserted image

#11  

Hmm there may be a wiring issue. in my picture the green lead is on the left and the black and white leads on the right - should it be switched?

United Kingdom
#12  

Can you take a closer photo of the H-Bridge connections?

#14  

Here it is - sorry for the poor quality on the first one.

User-inserted image

United Kingdom
#15  

Doube check the connections are as follows;

Black is on ENA (extreme left on back row of pins) Green is on ENB (extreme right on the back row of pins) White is on In1 (extreme left on front row of pins) Grey is on In2 (Second pin from left on front row of pins) Purple is on In3 (Third pin from left on front row of pins) Blue is on In4 (extreme right on front row of pins)

#16  

They mis-wired the power connector. The red power wire should be in VCC not +5. The little switch (s1) should be in the down position.

Everything else appears to be correct.

Here is mine, which works. Note, my control harness is wired backwards, so I fixed it on the EZ-B rather than the H-Bridge, but the power on mine is correct.

User-inserted image

Alan

United Kingdom
#17  

What Alan said! Nice catch, I was more concerned with looking at the logic connections :)

#18  

Wow! That was it! Thanks guys. Way impressed!

#19  

Thanks to everyone for solving this solution as I too am a victim. I noticed mine was connected to +5 and just jumped on to see if that was correct. Turns out I was right. +1 for reading before posting. :)

#20  

@alan... I think you saved a lot of people from grief... good catch. EZ Robot must be seriously frustrated as well trying to get China to assemble their products correctly...

#21  

Thanks again Alan! This forum gives me hope.

#22  

@stephenhoey, glad you got it resolved! helped me out a bit.

@alan, yes, thanks for the post, mine was connected wrong as well.

#23  

Wow, this fixed mine too nice and easy, the community here is great for quickly solving this.

Maybe a thread should be made to announce this quickfix for any other Roli ppl who have the same issue :)

#24  

I just had the exact same issue with a Roli ordered from Makershed just a few days ago. Certainly glad there was no damage. Thanks for this thread and your comments! I searched before powering on (after fixing the connection) hoping I wasn't the only one and that this fix was solid (the photo in this troubleshooting guide: https://synthiam.com/Tutorials/Lesson/69?courseId=3 ). Cheers!

#25  

Hello - I am having the same problem as mentioned in this thread. I, too, got my Roli from Maker Shed and everything works fine (i.e., servos, camera and wifi) except moving the tracks. My H-bridge had the red wire to +5V and not VCC as mentioned at the end of this thread, and I was very hopeful that that was my problem, but it wasn't. I checked everything else mentioned in this post, but nothing is working. In all fairness, when I put everything together for the first time and made the connections, I did have the power connection from the H-bridge to the controller reversed and did turn the power on. Only when I discovered that I was not getting any track movement, did I notice that I had the power connection reversed. Did I fry something? Are there some things I can do to verify the H-bridge operation? Thanks in advance for any help...

#26  

Likely fried if powered wrong. A few people who had that issue had the H-bridge survive but many were cooked.

Alan

#27  

Is there anything I can check to verify that it is fried? A red LED comes on (on the H-bridge) when the unit is powered up... I am good with a volt meter, if anyone has any suggestions as to things to check - might help other polarity-challenged people like myself in the future... ;)

#28  

Make sure the little switch is in the down position. Having the led on is a good sign that there might be life there.

Alan

#29  

Alan - Switch is in the down position... Are there any other LEDs on the board that might give me some diagnostic help? Thanks! Jeff

PRO
Canada
#30  

Hi @jwheat058

Yes there are 4 more LEDs (A,B,C,D) on the H-bridge that should light up when the direction buttons are clicked on the Roli App or ARC Example Project if the H-Bridge is still ok. They will light up in different combinations of 2 with each new direction selected.

I see you have completed all the relevant tutorials, has everything gone successfully up until controlling the H-Bridge?

#31  

Jeremie - Yes, I have gone through all the tutorials up to this point and everything else seems to be working fine (servos, camera). Tracks just won't move. I powered everything up and watched the LEDs on the H-bridge board as I used the small H-bridge window in the ARC Roli example. I did not see any other LEDs come on as I went through and pressed each button in the window. I see the LEDs that are supposed to be lighting, they just are not (other than the right-most red LED which is steady on). Jeff

PRO
Canada
#32  

Hey Jeff,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the regulator on the H-bridge board is working (hence the power LED still being on) but the H-Bridge itself was likely damaged when power was reversed.

#33  

Jeremie - That is what I figured - I just looked on your web site and see that you sell these for $14.99. Not too bad. However, it is going to cost over $20 for shipping by DHL(!). I see also that you have other distributors - can you recommend one in the US that carries this H-Bridge?

Thanks for your help! And to everyone else, always check your wiring before turning your robot on!

Thanks again! Jeff

#34  

@Jeramie,

Since this came mis-wired from the factory, wouldn't it be a warranty claim? (or @jwheat058, are you saying you had the red and black reversed on the EZ-B, so it was reversed polarity).

If it is not a warranty claim, I have a spare one I will sell you for list + USPS shipping cost (~$5 for priority mail). I'll replace it next time I have a larger order from EZ-B that will absorb the shipping costs.

If you want to go that route, my email address is in my profile. I accept Paypal, Amex Serve, or Google Wallet for ePayments.

Alan

#35  

Alan - I plugged in the red/black wire coming from the H-Bridge to the EZ-B backwards (pos D0), so if that killed my H-Bridge, then it was my fault and will gladly accept your kind offer to sell me one. However, the aforementioned red wire was attached to the H-bridge 3-pos terminal block at the "+5" terminal when I received it. A few posts up, it was pointed out that it should have been attached to the "VCC" terminal. I moved the red wire to that terminal and it still does not work, so I must have done something bad... The button next to that 3-pos terminal block is in the down position.

Thanks for your help! Jeff

#36  

Got the payment and H-bridge will be in the mail Friday (maybe tomorrow if I have a small box at home).

Alan

#37  

Thanks, Alan - I hope that was the problem... Can't wait to get my Roli Rollin'!

BTW, this is going in a Lunar display at a children's science center... I think they will like it! Jeff

#38  

Update: Received the H-bridge from Alan (Thank-you, Alan!), installed it and now I'm up and running! Very excited! The only thing is that the H-bridge that Alan sent me was slightly larger than the original one, so it won't mate up to the mounting holes. I will probably just hot-glue it in the cavity there to keep it from bangin' around - no one will see it... Anyway, thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions!

That was a very easy mistake to make. It would be nice if there was some sort of prevention for us polarity-challenged bozos - maybe a diode or something?

Now on to calibrating my servos!

Jeff