RoboPaint RT not working (Mac), servo not owrking

[orenjacob]

Got my WaterColorBot built with my daughter Toby, had a great time.  Thanks!

Plugged it into my Mac, and RT didn’t work (didn’t recognize the bot) but RoboPaint did.

We created a simple drawing and poked Print, it came alive, and we were stoked.

But then it seems like the servo isn’t raising/dropping the pen at all.

It seems to move freely enough my hand when I push it up/down, but no commands ever got the pen to drop or raise.

Thoughts about how best to proceed?

Oren

[Windell Oskay]

This discussion was created from comments split from: RoboPaint RT not working on Mac.

[Windell Oskay]

@orenjacob I see that you posted this to our github issue report as well.  It would be helpful if you would pick one place so that we do not have to have the same conversation twice. 

On the RoboPaint RT issue:

Can you please say which version of RoboPaint RT you are using? Are you certain that it is the “RoboPaint.RT.Mac-20140101.zip” version? And, which OS version are you on?

On the servo issue:

In this report, you said that  the servo moves freely by hand.  In the other report, you said that it seems pretty stiff.  Would you please clarify what the situation is?

[Windell Oskay]

@orenjacob  

Does the servo motor make any sound, at any point, for example when you launch RoboPaint?

Please make sure that the servo connector is connected to the correct port of the EBB, with the black conductor towards the outside of the EBB.  If it is not moving at all, ever, then one thing that you might try is reversing the cable, put the white connector towards the outside of the board. (Your carriage and servo motor were tested and calibrated before they shipped, but it is theoretically possible that it somehow passed testing with the cable backwards.)

[orenjacob]

Hi. 

Got the latest .zip file, downloaded that, and RT is now working for me.  Thanks very much.

re: servo motor – I can move the white, plastic lever arm up and down, but it seems pretty stiff.  That is to say it requires a decent amount of force for my hand to move it up and down along its travel.

re: the servo moving ever – no, I have never observed the servo motor doing anything under power. No up, no down, no seeking center position.  Any commands to the brush that I send via RT or RoboPaint do not cause the servo to move the paintbrush up or down.

I’ll give the wire swap a try and report back.

[orenjacob]

Success!  We have a painting!

We reversed the connector, nothing.

Then we reversed it again, nothing.

Then we reversed it again, nothing.

And again, nothing.

Not sure how many times we went back and forth, but just when we were about to give up, Toby reversed it one more time.  And bingo, the servo snapped to life.

Perhaps there was a problem with the electrical connection between the 3 pin connector and the bus somehow? 

In any event, we have a working WaterColorBot now.

Thanks so much for the suggestions.  Really appreciate the help.

-Toby and Oren

[orenjacob]

In further news, we had a problem where the WaterColorBot was not moving appropriately in the vertical direction. Turns out, we needed to adjust our current a little bit. Found that on other forum support threads, used a small screw driver, made the adjustment, and we’re 100% operational now.

Such a cool bit of work, thanks Windell!

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