|
|
 Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
Hi all, having a bit of a problem.
I had R2 fully working since January, last time I used him was about a month ago, this morning I switch him on, and no sign of life. I have checked the batteries using the charger from the partwork,all fully charged, attempted the initial startup up sequence, but no sign of life. Any ideas as to what could be wrong?
|
|
|
|
|
Did you try to charge the batteries with the mains charger first whilst the batteries were still in the unit? If you charged the batteries individually using the single unit charger, did you follow the boot up sequence that you would do for new batteries? You may also want to check loose cables, particularly on the battery box. Regards Mark
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
Markwarren wrote:Did you try to charge the batteries with the mains charger first whilst the batteries were still in the unit?
If you charged the batteries individually using the single unit charger, did you follow the boot up sequence that you would do for new batteries?
You may also want to check loose cables, particularly on the battery box.
Regards
Mark
Yep, tried charging as normal, no luck, took batteries out to charge one by one and then the startup sequence, still nothing.
|
|
|
Rank: Administration  Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,928 Points: 5,796 Location: UK
|
What batteries are you using?
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
The Samsung ones, R2D2 was working fine before with no issues whatsoever, I simply switched off and left him for about a month. I have now opened him up to see if anything may have come loose, and I can smell a very faint odour of burning, so I suspect a faulty component may have caused the problem.
|
|
|
Rank: Administration Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,928 Points: 5,796 Location: UK
|
luigione wrote:The Samsung ones, R2D2 was working fine before with no issues whatsoever, I simply switched off and left him for about a month. I have now opened him up to see if anything may have come loose, and I can smell a very faint odour of burning, so I suspect a faulty component may have caused the problem. Do you have access to a multimeter? Check the power out of the MCU. That would be the first possibility. The second is that the PCB fried. It’s odd that there was a burning odor, that would indicate a voltage spike on startup.
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
This is getting weird now, after leaving R2 for a couple of days, he is now working again, I am now beginning to suspect that there may be a faulty component in the battery box, causing an intermittent problem. I hadn't yet taken him apart or done anything as I am waiting for CS to get back to me regarding a replacement battery box. I wonder if any of the admins have any idea what could be the problem. I am sure it's not a loose connection, I've checked all the wires, but will wait for new battery box to make sure.
Update
After playing around for about 10 minutes, all was working fine, then switched off and back on again, and again no sign of life. I have checked the switch, and I'm sure that's not the problem.
|
|
|
Rank: Administration Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,928 Points: 5,796 Location: UK
|
luigione wrote:This is getting weird now, after leaving R2 for a couple of days, he is now working again, I am now beginning to suspect that there may be a faulty component in the battery box, causing an intermittent problem. I hadn't yet taken him apart or done anything as I am waiting for CS to get back to me regarding a replacement battery box. I wonder if any of the admins have any idea what could be the problem. I am sure it's not a loose connection, I've checked all the wires, but will wait for new battery box to make sure.
Update
After playing around for about 10 minutes, all was working fine, then switched off and back on again, and again no sign of life. I have checked the switch, and I'm sure that's not the problem. Hmmmmm. It’s almost gotta be the switch, perhaps a faulty contact that is slipping in and out of place?
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
I'd thought of that, I made a direct connection between the terminals, bypassing the switch, and still no luck.
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
Nice surprise today, just received a new battery box, many thanks to customer services for sending it so quickly.
Hopefully I'll be able to swap it around today and have R2D2 working again. It seems I might be wrong about the smell of burning I detected earlier, new box smells the same, so I guess it must be the smell from the solder used during assembly.
|
|
|
Rank: Pro Groups: Registered
Joined: 27/10/2012 Posts: 146 Points: 427 Location: London
|
Update on things now, got him working again, turns out the problem was the row of switches on the front, one of them was stuck down, all good now.
|
|
|
 Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 05/09/2019 Posts: 2 Points: 6 Location: Isle of Man
|
Hi
I have encountered the same problem, a Dead R2D2.
I finished building him in February and it was all working.
I last used him a few months ago and he was safely stored away. Went to show him off yesterday and switched the power switch and nothing!
Plugged the charger in and no indication of charging.
Removed the batteries and they were all at 4.1volts.
Used a multimeter to check the charger was working at it is.
My only option now is to fault find and take the droid apart, my fear is that the Microcontroller Unit has failed as if the batteries are fully charged (which the are) then there isn't much else that could go wrong other than a broken MCU.
I called customer services to see if they had a replacement issue 94 (the MCU issue) and was told they don't.
So I have a £900 model that's useless if it is the MCU.
Can anyone offer me some advice on how I can simplify the fault finding without deconstructing the droid?
Thanks
|
|
|
Rank: Pro    Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/01/2016 Posts: 171 Points: 503 Location: Adelaide, Australia
|
Some thoughts. Lithium batteries deplete over months of non use. They may show a good charge , but under load they may register far less. Since it was working fine initially, I would leave all connections as they are. Ie. don’t want to introduce any new faults at this time. . I would remove all batteries and run them through the full charge cycle and test them. Then install and carry out the full specific start sequence as per the guide and see how you go. If no luck there, then check every connection point. BUILDING: Taking a break / Waiting for the next epic build to be released
COMPLETED: Hachette Spitfire, Hachette Bismarck, Deagostini Millennium Falcon, Deagostini R2-D2
|
|
|
|
|
S4Simon has a very valid point, I would also recommend his instructions before turning your attention to the cables. It would also be highly unlikely, although not impossible, for the board to develop a fault when it had been working previously. Regards Mark
|
|
|
Rank: Newbie Groups: Registered
Joined: 05/09/2019 Posts: 2 Points: 6 Location: Isle of Man
|
S4Simon wrote:Some thoughts.
Lithium batteries deplete over months of non use. They may show a good charge , but under load they may register far less.
Since it was working fine initially, I would leave all connections as they are. Ie. don’t want to introduce any new faults at this time. . I would remove all batteries and run them through the full charge cycle and test them. Then install and carry out the full specific start sequence as per the guide and see how you go. If no luck there, then check every connection point. Cheers for the advice S4Simon, I got the droid working by removing the batteries as you said and reinstalled them and running through the initial start sequence. Its all Wifi'd connecting and working again. A question drawing from experience of others; when not in use do you switch the droid off from the switch underneath or do you use the on off button or app and leave the underneath switch in the connected position? Many thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
I always turn off the switch at the bottom after use. Regards Mark
|
|
|
|
|
I agree with Mark the main switch should always be switched off if you will be storing your R2 for a while. Having done this and starting my R2 up today all worked as it should do. Current builds:-C57,Zero, Lamborghini Countach, Caldercraft HMS Agamemnon,Robi,R2-D2, MFH Cobra .
|
|
|
|
Guest
|
US
