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Power on issues - Printable Version

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Power on issues - MrErickson - 04-29-2019

Has anyone run into issues with their FP0 kit not wanting to power on initially unless it is plugged into the wall?  I was on the phone with my niece for whom I built a FP0 for, I'd charged it before sending it with my parents to her this afternoon but it had been shut off for at least a day, off the charger for 12-24 hours but should have been at or very near fully charged.  She had to plug it into the wall and then it turned on without issue, booted and played like normal, she did struggle with the quick exit back to the menus but that could be her unfamiliarity with the FP0 system.  I grabbed my FP0 off the shelf which has sat off for easily a month or two and it turned right on.  

At this point I am not sure it isn't a user issue but am just curious if anyone has seen anything like this before.  Worse comes to worse I can always solder on a couple wires and at a tactile button to function in place of the turn on/off slider.

Thanks.


RE: Power on issues - Flavor - 05-02-2019

Are you saying that you plugged it in directly to the Pi Zero itself (in the cartridge slot)?

I left your question open for a couple days, because I was a bit baffled. Today, when I re-read it, I wondered if that's what you meant. Do you think that the on/off slider isn't working at all? If so, you may want to open it up and see if the slider somehow popped off the switch itself or something like that. That's what I'm currently wondering.


RE: Power on issues - MrErickson - 05-02-2019

(05-02-2019, 06:59 AM)Flavor Wrote: Are you saying that you plugged it in directly to the Pi Zero itself (in the cartridge slot)?

I left your question open for a couple days, because I was a bit baffled.  Today, when I re-read it, I wondered if that's what you meant.  Do you think that the on/off slider isn't working at all?  If so, you may want to open it up and see if the slider somehow popped off the switch itself or something like that.  That's what I'm currently wondering.

Plugged into the power charging port on the board, the slider switch works, it almost seems like the battery is forgetting that it has a charge.  When it won't come on, I plug it in for 1-3 seconds and it starts right up and seems OK then.  I didn't have a chance to test it with a different battery and my parents/niece don't have any batteries beyond your normal store bought AA/AAA types.

I'm a bit baffled by it as well, also hard to really troubleshoot when the device is 3 hours away in the hands of non-tech type people so I'm relaying what I can iron out for sure at this point.


RE: Power on issues - Flavor - 05-03-2019

MrErickson,
Could you (or they) run through the battery section at https://www.freeplaytech.com/support/troubleshooting/ to see if maybe that helps narrow it down at all?


RE: Power on issues - MrErickson - 05-03-2019

(05-03-2019, 04:12 AM)Flavor Wrote: MrErickson,
Could you (or they) run through the battery section at https://www.freeplaytech.com/support/troubleshooting/ to see if maybe that helps narrow it down at all?

I'd started to but it may have to wait until I can get it back in my hands, I'll give my niece a call to night and see if i can get her to follow those steps.


RE: Power on issues - MrErickson - 05-12-2019

Spoke to my father, he's going to bring it with him for me to troubleshoot when hey come to visit in a week or so.


RE: Power on issues - MrErickson - 05-23-2019

(05-03-2019, 04:12 AM)Flavor Wrote: MrErickson,
Could you (or they) run through the battery section at https://www.freeplaytech.com/support/troubleshooting/ to see if maybe that helps narrow it down at all?

Got a hold of the unit tonight and played around with it.  It powered on just fine, the only thing I noticed was if you didn't push firmly enough the slider felt like it slid over but it wasn't enough to trigger the switch and turn the unit on.  I'll open it up and be sure everything is lined up properly but I don't see it not being so at this point.  I have a FP0 with a broken switch that I've wired a tactile switch in to act in place of the slider switch, I may just do the same thing here for her, so she has a simple tactile switch to click and hold down to power on/off.


RE: Power on issues - Porcinus - 05-23-2019

Here is a possible solution : https://forum.freeplaytech.com/showthread.php?tid=4520&pid=7645#pid7645

I use it on each of my build Smile


RE: Power on issues - Flavor - 05-24-2019

(05-23-2019, 01:37 PM)MrErickson Wrote: Got a hold of the unit tonight and played around with it.  It powered on just fine, the only thing I noticed was if you didn't push firmly enough the slider felt like it slid over but it wasn't enough to trigger the switch and turn the unit on.  I'll open it up and be sure everything is lined up properly but I don't see it not being so at this point.  I have a FP0 with a broken switch that I've wired a tactile switch in to act in place of the slider switch, I may just do the same thing here for her, so she has a simple tactile switch to click and hold down to power on/off.

I think that Porcinus' solution works well for people. I have also shaved off a little bit of the plastic on the slider itself to allow it to travel just a TINY bit further. That makes it much easier and more obvious to press all the way.

The push-button option is also a good solution. Some people prefer that feel, anyway.

If you need a new switch for the one that broke off, send us a SUPPORT message at https://www.freeplaytech.com/contact/


RE: Power on issues - MrErickson - 05-24-2019

(05-24-2019, 12:37 AM)Flavor Wrote:
(05-23-2019, 01:37 PM)MrErickson Wrote: Got a hold of the unit tonight and played around with it.  It powered on just fine, the only thing I noticed was if you didn't push firmly enough the slider felt like it slid over but it wasn't enough to trigger the switch and turn the unit on.  I'll open it up and be sure everything is lined up properly but I don't see it not being so at this point.  I have a FP0 with a broken switch that I've wired a tactile switch in to act in place of the slider switch, I may just do the same thing here for her, so she has a simple tactile switch to click and hold down to power on/off.

I think that Porcinus' solution works well for people.  I have also shaved off a little bit of the plastic on the slider itself to allow it to travel just a TINY bit further.  That makes it much easier and more obvious to press all the way.

The push-button option is also a good solution.  Some people prefer that feel, anyway.

If you need a new switch for the one that broke off, send us a SUPPORT message at https://www.freeplaytech.com/contact/

Ed sent me a couple when it first broke, one of the pads lifted though when I was removing the old.  After a few emails back and forth with HipCat we got the traces for the FP0 sorted out and I was able to wire in a test switch and get the board back to running.  I just haven't put it into a case yet.