Pololu 3pi - not turning on

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1

Hello, I have recently bought a Pololu 3pi - A-Star 32U4. I am using Arduino IDE with the Line Follower PID example. I put in new batteries and connected the Pololu to the computer, uploaded the code onto it, and disconnected it when it was uploaded. After disconnecting, the Pololu does not turn on - pressing the power button does not work at all.

Clarifications:

  • I did not power on the Pololu before connecting it to the computer so I am unsure whether it would have worked.
  • I have used the same example code in another new Pololu, following the same process, and it did work there.
  • When the Pololu is connected through USB cable to computer, it works.
  • When trying to Power on, no LEDs turn on. No reaction at all.

What I’ve tried
I have only tried to change the batteries for another new set but that did not fix it.

What could I do to troubleshoot this further? Could the Polulu have been broken from the beginning?

2

Hello.

To avoid confusion, please note that our company name is Pololu (not “Polulu”).

We test every unit, so it was probably working at some point. Could you clarify if you’re using a 3pi+ 32U4 OLED Robot or an Original 3pi+ 32U4 Robot? Did you assemble a kit version or get a pre-built version?

Could you post some pictures of your 3pi+ robot, including some close-ups of the top side around the power button? Also, could you try measuring the voltage between the VBAT and GND pins (which are located on the rear right side of the robot near the BAT+ battery contact)?

Brandon