RIP ESP-12

Published on 2015-06-05 in µBob biped robot.

I have a lot of bad luck with this project. Or maybe I’m just sloppy. Anyways, I uploaded the nodemcu firmware, uploaded the uBob code, and decided it’s time to test the servos – to do that, I need to run it from a battery. So I got out my battery, and tried to connect it, but the connector wouldn’t want to fit… So I forced it. And when I saw the blue smoke, I realized I connected it backwards…

The module fried, along with the power switch. Probably also the distance sensor.

I quickly desoldered the fried module and switch, and soldered new ones (ugh, my stash is running out). Uploaded firmware, uploaded code, connected battery, connected servos, ran it:

It works! Of course I switched two of the pins, but that’s a small correction in the software. But does the distance sensor work? A quick test says “no”. It always returns 1. And I don’t know if it’s a bad connection, bad wiring, or if I fried it too. I also don’t have enough motivation now to desolder everything and solder a new sensor, so I’m putting it off to some later date. Maybe by that time I can use Micropython!