Talk:Troubleshooting/motion products

Definition List Instead of a Table

This page would probably be easier to maintain using a definition list instead of a table. Here's an example with the first few questions:

After the device finishes a move command, it starts moving again on its own.

The potentiometer knob is probably turned. Make sure the knob is set to the middle position. You can feel a slight detent in the middle of its rotation.

Nothing happens when I turn the potentiometer knob either way.

Manual control may have been disabled. Issue the Restore Settings Instruction (command 36) or enable the potentiometer using the Set Device Mode Instruction (command 40).

Nothing happens when I send a move instruction.

The device needs to be "homed" first. You must issue the Home Instruction (command 1) after power up to home the device.

When I try to move the device it just makes a noise and vibrates.

There may be too much load that the device is trying to push. The actuator stalls in this situation. Try removing the load and see if the problem goes away. You can achieve higher thrust or torque by lowering the speed of the device using the Set Target Speed Instruction (command 42).

There is no communication between the computer and my Zaber device.

There are several things you should check:

1. Make sure you have the correct serial port selected. Try selecting other serial ports in the software.
   • To ensure you have the correct serial port selected, you can connect the send and receive pins of the serial adapter without connecting any devices. Your software should echo a reply every time you send an instruction.
2. Make sure there are no bent pins in the ends of all the data cables
3. Make sure the power supply is working. The dc plug should measure 12 - 17 Vdc when it's not plugged into the device.
4. Make sure the power plug is plugged in all the way. If your device has LEDs, the green LED should light.
5. If your device has a manual control knob, make sure it is centered (you should feel a detent in the center position).
6. If your computer is a laptop running on batteries, try plugging in the power. Some laptops disable the serial ports when running on batteries.

If you edit the page, you can see that questions start with a semicolon and answers start with a colon. Detailed answers can use nested list structures.

Thoughts?

Don Kirkby 12:01, 20 June 2007 (PDT)

Hi Don,

Yeah... that's probably a better way. I've also been thinking about how to make it easier for a customer to search for his/her problem. As this list grows longer, it might make sense to have a master troubleshooting guide that uses other Symptom/Check templates. These templates are of course easy to create, and could be used on other pages where the customer might look for the problem and solution.

Mav 16:41, 20 June 2007 (PDT)