Problems with BrickPi Hardware Test

[trungpt]

Last week, I bought BrickPi+BaseKit from RobotShop JP.

I followed the tutorial given at “www.dexterindustries.com/brickpi-tutorials-documentation/”.

I tested BrickPi+ with Raspberry Pi 3 B, 2016.10.14_Dexter_Industries_jessie (latest version), and EV3 motors and sensors. These motors and sensor are working well with EV3 Brick.

Everything went well (VNC worked, Remote Terminal worked) until I tested motors and sensors with BrickPi+.

When I run “sudo python /home/pi/Desktop/BrickPi_Python/Sensor_Examples/BrickPi_Hardware_Test.py” as suggested by “www.dexterindustries.com/BrickPi/getting-started/8-troubleshooting-common-problems-brickpi”, the motor rotates even I don’t press the touch sensor.

After that, I run “sudo python /home/pi/Desktop/BrickPi_Python/Sensor_Examples/EV3-Touch.py”, the results are always > 1000. This means that the BrickPi+ always detects that the touch sensors pressed even thought I don’t pressed the touch sensor.

(In these two cases above, I attached EV3 Touch Sensor to S2 of BrickPi+)

Then, I attached EV3 Color sensor to S4 and ran “sudo python /home/pi/Desktop/BrickPi_Python/Sensor_Examples/EV3-ColorSensor.py”. However, there was not light appearing from the Color sensor (as when I use the Color sensor with the EV3 Brick) and the results returned by BrickPi+ were not correct (as I used different color objects).

(All the cases above were tested with 8 AA batteries, when I run “sudo python /home/pi/Desktop/BrickPi_Python/Sensor_Examples/BrickPi+_Read_Battery_Voltage.py”, it returns 10.5444).

Could you please help me solve these problems? Without the ability to get correct values from sensors, BrickPi+ becomes useless.

Is it possible that BrickPi+ hardware has problems? In this case, what should I do?

[JohnC]

Hello @trungpt sorry to hear about the trouble. Let’s try to break it down:

The EV3 touch sensor can be a little bit tricky, since they’re analog. In python you can adjust the level it’s set as on or off. If you look at the Python Example for the EV3 Touch sensor here, you’ll note the line:

if button_value > 1000:

Change the value of 1000. This is probably highter than 1000. When the button is pressed, it will be a clear and hard 1023. When it’s depressed it will hover at a certain level.

[trungpt]

Thank you for your reply.

I understand the Python script.

However, when I comment out the line “if button_value > 1000:” and run the EV3-Touch.py, the printed values are still sometime 1023 (most of the printed values <1000) even I don’t press the touch sensor.

I think that there is something wrong. What else should I do or check?

[JohnC]

Hey trungpt, if you’re getitng values of 1023 while the button is not pressed you may have a defective unit. I would look to exchange it. Best, John

[dennisma]

I seem to have the exact same problem.

I was having a problem getting the BrickPi_C samples to work (-1 returned from BrickPiSetupSensors()) so I did what trungpt did and ran the BrickPi_Hardware_test.py. The motors always ran so I tried the EV3-Touch.py program and kept giving values > 1000 (like 1016). When the button was pressed it would come back 1022-1023.

I then tried the EV3-Touch_Debounce.py program and it ‘mostly’ were 0’s but on occasion 1’s would appear even though it was not being touched.

Thought sensor was faulty but happened with two other EV 3 sensors and they exhibit the same problem.

This is running on a Pi 3 btw.

[trungpt]

Thank you for your reply.

So, my BrickPi+ is a defective one. How to exchange it for a good and tested one?

[Shoban]

Hi @trungpt,
Thanks a lot for testing it out. I’m really sorry for the frustration.
You will need to work with your distributor to get a replacement; if you purchased it directly from us, please contact us through our website here.
Again, I’m really sorry to hear about this; we’ll make it right immediately.

-Shoban