While using the Kitsi blocks and/or creator, you might experience some unusual occurrences during use. As a result, we have compiled a list of common mishaps which might occur, and how to curtail them.
-
All or some blocks go offline in the Creator, but still paired?
The easiest way to alleviate this is to quickly disconnect and reconnect the blocks above the WiFi or Bluetooth block.
If this doesn't work, check that the connection pads (see image below) are clean and do not have dirt build up. If you pads are not a gold colour you may need to clean them. Do this by wetting a Q-tip with isopropyl alcohol and gently rub the dirt away from the pads.
-
Your physical block has a solid orange light constantly on?
If a block has a solid light instead of a heart beat, it means that it is not able to communicate with the other blocks correctly. The usual cause for this lack of contact between the pins on the bottom of the block and connection pads.
First try removing the blocks from the stack and placing them back on. If this does not work, or is occurring more frequently you will most likely need to clean the pads. Follow the same process outlined above to remove the dirt from the pads.
-
The Blocks suddenly turned off
The most common reason why this happens is your battery powering the blocks runs out. For instance, if you have a few servos, motor drives or energy intensive sensors running continuously, it might take only a short time for this to drain your battery. In this instance, it is recommended that you connect your blocks to a battery which is large enough to support the activity your running. You can use a usb port on your laptop or a usb wall adaptor to give constant power to the blocks.
-
Servo or brushed motor turn on unexpectedly when plugged in?
When you plug your servo or brushed motor into the Motor Driver Block, if your properties are not configured EXACTLY for that motor, it will not run as intended. For instance, if you plug in a brushed motor, but the position is configured for a servo, the brushed motor will keep spinning indefinitely as the position is not configured correctly. This often happens if you open recipes with Motor Driver blocks different configurations to your intended action.
To stop this, make sure your Motor Driver block properties are configured for the motor you are using.
-
Your set of logic in the logic maker isn't working or going through?
Often when your altering and manipulating your logic in the logic maker you might forget to click the 'Apply' button. When you forget this, any alterations to individual values within Gates will be updated. For instance, when you change a VALUE Gate, until you click apply, this value will not be updated within the logic, even if there is constantly a event being pushed through that Gate. So remember to always click apply for any alterations to your logic.
-
Block in pairing mode but not visible in School Mode
When in School Mode, if you click ignore for any WiFi or Bluetooth block once, your computer will CONTINUE to ignore that blocks pairing request until you restart the Hub. This is important to note if your ignoring a block only temporarily, and intend to pair with it later. If you are wanting to pair with the block you ignored, select force reload from the creator's "Edit" dropdown menu.