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      Something is wrong with my MotorGuide powered Bot. What should I try?

      This article is intended to help troubleshoot Bots powered with a MotorGuide motor. If you have a Minn Kota powered Bot, please see this article – LINK

      Although the MarkSetBot is able to drive itself and stay in place, it is actually a fairly simple design with only a few parts that can break.  Below is a guide used to problem solve if the Bot isn't working correctly.  If you find there is a scenario or fix that should be added, reach out to us at support@marksetbot.com and we will update this article.


      Common Bot Symptoms and their Fixes

      For any corrosion related issues mentioned below, we recommend CorrosionX for cleaning and protecting components.  In the US, you can buy via www.corrosionx.com. For international distribution, check out https://www.corrosionx.com/pages/international-distributors 

       

      Table of Contents:

      1. Any/All
      2. My Bot is Drifting
      3. My Bot is Driving Erratically
      4. My Case is Wet Inside/My Bot Phone is Over-heating
      5. My Bot Icon is Gray or I can't control my Bot
      6. My Bot Icon is Red
      7. My Bot Icon is Yellow
      8. No motor Power (limited thrust/steering)
      9. No Thrust (will turn left/right) 
      10. No Left/Right (but will thrust)
      11. ProNav Returning "Reverted by Restart" Status
      12. ProNav Returning "Reverted by Pedal or Board" Status (while giving "GO" or "NAVIGATE" command)
      13. ProNav Returning "Reverted by Pedal or Board" Status (while actively anchoring or navigating)
      14. Prop Spins Faster Than Normal or Engages When It Should Be Off
      15. No ProNav LED or BT Connection is Red In The App
      16. Automated Anchoring or Routing Has Failed

       

      Symptom: Any/All
      Fix:

      1. Verify Pelican switch is on
        1. Verify the blue LED on the MotorGuide LED display panel is lit and the ProNav LED on the motor head is lit as well
        2. If they are lit, continue below
        3. If it is not lit, verify the connection between the black Pelican case and the MotorGuide is tight - i.e. the cables are firmly plugged in to each other and there is no corrosion
      2. Visually inspect all H4 connectors for corrosion and that the pins are fully seated
      3. Verify the battery is charged by checking the battery screen on the app on your phone - MENU>BATTERY
      4. If there is more than 10% showing on the battery screen and you have verified the power cables look good then test the battery with a voltmeter (fully charged is 14.5v and 20% is 12.89v) 
      5. Confirm spin preventer clutch is fully tight

      Symptom: My Bot is Drifting
      Fix: 

      1. Open the app and hit refresh, check to see if the Bot is red or yellow
        1. If red, see below symptom
        2. If yellow, see below symptom
      2. Check for topside obstructing motor head 
      3. Check satellites - MENU > LOGS > BOT STATUS > scroll to Bot in question and see how many satellites by looking at "ProNav GPS Count"
        1. If less than 10 satellites try to have the Bots out on the water for 2 hours, then go to menu and logs and see how many satellites each Bot has.
          1. If any are less than 10 (after the 2 hours), write down which one(s) and power cycle it by turning the battery off, waiting 10 seconds and turning it back on.
          2. If it doesn’t get above 10 satellites this time then the ProNav upper should be replaced. Reach out to support@marksetbot.com to arrange a replacement
      4. Check to see if wires or debris is wrapped around the motor shaft 
      5. Thrust motor isn't working - SEE BELOW

      Symptom: My Bot is Driving Erratically
      Fix: 

      1. If you can't access the Bot directly:
        1. In the app hit RESETCOMPASS, which resets the compass data
        2. If that doesn't work, in the app hit RESETPRONAV, which resets the GPS data - this may take up to 5 minutes and the Bot cannot be maneuvered during this reset
      2. If you can access the Bot:
        1. Check that the topside is not obstructing the motor head
        2. Power cycle the Bot - turn the Bot off, wait 10 seconds, then power back on
      3. Once on land: Open the remote screen on the app and verify that left/right/prop work (make sure the motor shaft is turned and fully clear of the Deck and topside before engaging the propeller)
      4. If any do not work go to corresponding section below
      5. Confirm the ProNav is lined up straight on the motor head
      6. Talk with support and run a Hardcal on the compass

        Symptom: My Case is Wet Inside/My Bot Phone is Overheating
        Fix: 

        1. Is there a lot of water?
          1. If yes, examine the case to see if water is coming in any of the holes or seals
          2. If no, check the dehumidifier crystals
            1. If they are orange, they are fine
            2. If the crystals are clear, they need to be baked at 300 Fahrenheit for 3 hours
          3. Contact support@marksetbot.com

        Symptom: My Bot Icon is Gray or I can't control my Bot
        Fix: 

        1. In the app, check to see if the Bot icon is gray
          1. If it is, hit REFRESH on the top menu bar and confirm that it stays gray
        2. There is likely an internet issue with either your phone or the Bot phone
          1. Check the screen of the Bot phone and confirm it has a cellular connection (shows bars in the top right corner)
          2. If you have no signal on the Bot Phone, check that your cellphone has service
            1. If you don't - you are likely in an area where the Bot won't work without a remote
            2. If you do have cellular, reopen the MarkSetBot app on the Bot phone and take a picture
            3. Then, try restarting the Bot phone 
        3. Ensure that roaming is enabled on the Bot phone
          1. Click out of the MSB app to the phone home screen
          2. Then click SETTINGS >> NETWORK AND INTERNET >> MOBILE NETWORK. You will click on the toggle to turn roaming on.
        4. If that doesn't work, send the picture you took to support@marksetbot.com with the details of your problem and the steps you have tried already.

        Symptom: My Bot Icon is Red
        Fix: 

        1. Tap the red circle on your phone so the individual Bot menu appears at the bottom of your screen
          1. Tap the Battery Icon. 4 options should be available – RestartApp, RebootPhone, ResetCompass, and ResetProNav.  If ShutdownPhone is listed as an option, the Pelican is turned off or not providing power
          2. Tap the Bluetooth icon and click REPROVISION on the popup that appears
          3. Wait 15 seconds and see if that helps
        2. If it doesn't help, you will need to look at the Bot phone in the pelican case
          1. When it is working correctly, the MSB app on the Bot phone should say "awaiting remote commands and BT connected"
          2. Verify the LED on the ProNav top unit is lit (this is a faint light and can be difficult to see, cup your hand over the spot to make it easier)
            1. If it isn't lit, check out the steps in the section below
            2. If it is lit, it is possible that you are paired to the wrong ProNav.  That can only happen if you have changed hardware or messed with the provisioning on the Bot Phone.  If you have multiple Bots, you need to turn them all off except the one you are problem solving before continuing. 
              1. At this point, contact support@marksetbot.com because you will need a password in order to pair the GPS
              2. Once you have the password from MSB Support continue below:
              3. Hit the GPS SEARCH button on the Bot phone and it should find and update the unique ID of the ProNav that you are connected to
              4. Wait a few minutes and then check the app on your phone to see if Bluetooth is now green 
        3. You need confirm the battery is outputting voltage, verify that all terminal nuts in the case are tight and that the cables inside the case look okay. 
          1. With a volt meter set to Volts DC touch the black test lead to the black terminal on the battery
          2. Touch the red test lead to the red terminal on the battery. The volt meter should read 13.0-14.0V.
          3. If it does not, you likely need to reset the Battery BMS. Follow the steps in this video - Battery Management System Reset - YouTube
        4. It might be a failed relay or switch; there are 2 types of switches/relay combinations in the field.

        Type A                                                                          Type B

        New Relay-1 Old Relay
          Follow these steps if your switch/relay matches picture A.
            1. At any time you can temporarily work around the problem by moving the large red cable from the back right terminal to the front right terminal on the relay
            2. Make sure the power switch is Off
            3. With a volt meter set to Volts DC, touch the black test lead to the black terminal on the battery
            4. Touch the red test lead to the red terminal on the battery. The volt meter should read 13.0-14.0V.
            5. Keeping the black lead on the black battery terminal, touch the red lead to the back right terminal on the relay. The volt meter should read very close to the same voltage as the battery – 13.0-14.0V.
            6. Keeping the black lead on the black battery terminal, touch the red lead to the front right terminal on the relay.  The volt meter should read 0.0V.        
            7. Turn the Pelican power switch On. If the light doesn’t come on it is likely the switch has gone bad
            8. Touch the black lead to the black battery terminal and touch the red lead to the right front terminal on the relay.  The volt meter should read very close to the same voltage as the battery – 13.0-14.0V.  If the voltage is much lower, the relay is going bad.
            9. If the voltage on the front right terminal is still 0.0V the next step is to check the switch. If the light is on, make sure the all of the wires connections are in tact, there is no visible corrosion, and if there is a blue connector on the backside of the switch, make sure it is fully seated with the release facing towards you.
            10. Using a wire or paper clip, bridge the Relay + spade terminal (back left) and the Line terminal (back right).  You should hear the relay click and the Bot Phone chime.  If you don't, the relay is bad.  If you do, the switch or harness is bad.

            Symptom: My Bot Icon is Yellow
            Fix: 

            1. Confirm you are outside and that you can clearly see the sky
            2. Tap the Battery icon and tap the RESETPRONAV button, then wait 15-45 seconds 
            3. If you are outside and none of the above steps worked, tap the GPS icon and take a screenhot of the popup that is displayed.  Send that to support@marksetbot.com with details of what you have tried

            Symptom: No motor Power (limited thrust/steering) 
            Fix: 

            1. Manually spin the prop to see how it feels.
            2. Unplug the motor.
            3. Turn on the Pelican.
            4. Test voltage from black battery to red relay that is close to the battery (there is a good chance this has failed).
            5. Test steering by touching the steering wires to the H4 connectors on the Pelican case.
            6. Test thrust by disconnecting the battery wires and touching them to the thrust wires.
            7. If those tests work, the problem it the control and it should be replaced.
            8. If those do not work, disconnect the wires from the motor head and connect them directly to the 12v battery to confirm the motor works.
            9. If that doesn't work, you need to have your thrust motor serviced.
            10. Send support@marksetbot.com pictures of the board including the serial number and any visible damage.
               

            Symptom: No Thrust (will turn left/right) 
            Fix: 

            1. Manually spin the prop to see how it feels.
            2. Unplug the motor.
            3. Turn on the Pelican.
            4. Test voltage from black battery to red relay that is close to the battery (there is a good chance this has failed).
            5. Test thrust by disconnecting the battery wires and touching them to the thrust wires.
            6. If those tests work, the problem it the control and it should be replaced.
            7. If those do not work, disconnect the wires from the motor head and connect them directly to the 12v battery to confirm the motor works.
            8. If that doesn't work, you need to have your thrust motor serviced.
            9. Send support@marksetbot.com pictures of the board including the serial number and any visible damage.

            Symptom: No Left/Right (but will thrust) 
            Fix: 

            1. Check for corrosion on the two steering motor cables that run from the steering motor to the control board 
            2. Disconnect the steering wires and connect them directly to the H4 connectors on the outside of the Pelican
            3. If that works, the problem is the control board
            4. Send support@marksetbot.com pictures of the board including the serial number and any visible damage.

            Symptom: ProNav Returning “Reverted by Restart” Status 
            Fix: 

            1. Verify you are running ProNav Firmware 2.2.96+
            2. Do all the steps in the first article at the top of this page.  Especially paying attention to the H4 pins being fully seated and the lower spin preventer clutch not being too tight
            3. Inspect for moisture and corrosion in the Pelican case.  If you find moisture, find the cause of the leak and then clean everything inside the Pelican case 
            4. Verify the battery terminals are tight 
            5. Verify terminals running from the switch to the relay are tight 
              1. If not, unplug the terminals then use pliers to bend the terminals in slightly to make it a tighter fit 
              2. Then plug them back in 
            6. Press the power button 20 times to self-clean it 
            7. Check contacts on the control board 
            8. Reset the BMS
            9. Hot-wire the relay by temporarily combining the two large red wires on the same terminal.  Test the Bot for a day
            10. If that fixes it, it is likely the relay or the switch.  If it doesn't, it is likely the Universal Lower, ProNav Upper, or Battery BMS.  Reach out to support@marksetbot.com

            Symptom: ProNav Returning “Reverted by Pedal or Board” Status (while giving “GO” or “NAVIGATE” command) 
            Fix: 

            1. This happens when the positive (red) wire running to the MotorGuide control board is disconnected or cannot draw enough amps. Usually caused by corrosion or a bad H4 connector 
            2. Check contacts on the control board by cleaning and re-filling with dielectric grease (good luck). 

            Symptom: ProNav Returning “Reverted by Pedal or Board” Status (while actively anchoring or navigating) 
            Fix: 

            1. This can happen due to memory leakage in the ProNav Upper. If the Pelican case has been left on for more than 12 hours, you should power cycle the Pelican by turning off the Pelican, waiting 10 seconds, and turning the Pelican back on.
            2. Ensure you are running ProNav Upper 2.2.96+
            3. This happens when interference occurs on the ProNav signal wire.  If it happens regularly, try swapping the Universal Lower. 

            Symptom: Prop Spins Faster Than Normal or Engages When It Should Be Off 
            Fix: 

            1. This happens because of a bad relay on the universal lower.  Reach out to support@marksetbot.com to get a replacement.  

            Symptom: No ProNav LED or BT Connection is Red In The App 
            Fix: 

            1. This is typically because the ProNav upper doesn’t have power due to something in the “all issues” section above. Try the fixes above and if the problem persists do the following: 
            2. There is likely a bad wire leading to the upper.  Replace the Universal Lower

            Symptom: Automated Anchoring or Routing Has Failed
            Fix: 

            1. This is caused due to a high GPS interference (HDOP) or low satellite count
            2. This will cause the Bot to stop navigating/anchoring while it clears out bad data and/or waits for at least 4 satellites
            3. The Bot should come back on automatically
            4. Check satellites - MENU > LOGS > BOT STATUS > scroll to Bot in question and see how many satellites there are; look for "ProNav GPS Count."
            5. Clear the GPS data manually; in the app hit RESETPRONAV, which resets the GPS data - this may take up to 5 minutes and the Bot cannot be maneuvered during the reset