Hey everyone,
I just bought the robot kit and would like to learn programming using. I followed a tutorial and wrote an basic code. However I cannot uploaded the code successfully. Then I googled online, unplugged the wifi module, but it still not working. I tried to take off the board on the top with disconnected battery, but with all other wires still connected(see the photo attached) and then I could upload the code. However, the car wasn't running when I reconnected the board and the battery wire. I then tried the remote and also tried using the app to control the car. Unfortunately the car still wasn't running at all. My question is that possible that something damaged by disconnected the top board while leave the wires still connected to it when I do code upload? I am a really a newbie, not sure what I did wrong. Please see the attached photos if those help you know more about what's going On. Appreciate anyone help.
Here is the photo that i took off the upper board and with wires connected. I uploaded the code in this condition. Not sure if this will damage anything if I connect the car to my computer via USB cable.
What errors do you see when this happens?
That is always recommended, because WIFI uses pin 0 and 1, which is used by your USB cable to communicate with your computer...
The motors should be the last thing to test... you should have seen that in the Elegoo instructions, as you added a device, you tested it. I think you just built the whole car without testing.
Now, "start from the beginning" by removing all connector to all devices. With just your Arduino on a USB cable, upload a sketch, like "blink.ino"... when that works, move on to ONE more device, then test it.
Look at this topic... how I made small steps to test each device... give it a try...
Thanks for your reply and suggestions. I cannot remember the error message when I tried to upload the code, but I googled it and the answer I got was communication issue between the car and my computer.
You are right I didn't test anything until I put everything together, but the car was working ok when I used the remote and also the app control. But now it doesn't work at all. My concern is some components have been damaged. Anyway, I will take your suggestion by take them apart and start with the steps in your post. Thanks again.
Check your batteries.
I think the battery is fine. I charged it. The indicator works properly at least.
Okay. Start from Arduino alone. Verify you can write a program and consistently upload it (and it works). Then find the next device, write a small code, connect the device, upload the new code, verify a good output... repeat.
I guess that is the only thing I can do now. Thanks for your help. Appreciate it.
Do you have a drawing of your car kit, showing devices and pins, like this one? https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/arduino/original/4X/6/1/b/61be494692b684458f0e462ec1f7b6f7b1a2b09f.jpeg
No. I only have an assembly tutorial. There might be one in the online tutorial, but haven't read them. I followed a YouTube video. I thought that would help me getting started quicker.
You have the Elegoo Smartcar kit V4... watch all the videos.
Do you know which motor driver is on the board? DRV8835 or TB6612?
I will update this drawing as I find information...
Yes, I should watch them. It's TB6612 according to the Readme first.pdf
Hi xfpd, just let you know that I have got the car running again after uploading the main program by following the tutorial. Thanks a lot for all your inputs.
I think that there is actually a switch on the shield to disconnect the rx/tx pins during upload.
There recently was a topic about what seems to be the same car. In that topic the problem is that that switch did not perform the desired function.
What are rx/tx pins?
Serial receive and serial transmit. The processor (328P) on the Uno has one UART for communication. It is used for communication with the PC through the serial-to-usb converter. People often also use it for bluetooth connectivity (on pins 0 and 1) and I think that that is also your case.
You will have a conflict when you use those pins for something else while uploading.
The mentioned switch should disconnect whatever is connected to those pins.
Thanks for the explanation. That's helpful.