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[campanodoc]

Hi, I'm new of the forum and I have an issue with my Ophisto.  It All works but the neck seems to be broken, it doesn't pull up his head anymore (never been on the floor or other). I made a video, can somebody please give me an answer?
https://youtu.be/Rd_CTEcKNgk
Thank you.

[pnhicks]

Hi campanodoc,


Hate to be the barer of bad new, but it has the classic "staring at the floor" look of the broken up/down neck cable.


To be totally sure there is a cable "exercise" skit written by a member of the forum (with a very weird Japanese sound track).


It basically moves head and tail through full range of motion. If the head never comes up, you'll know for sure!


here is the link to facilitate your search:


http://bobthepleo.com/forums/index.php?action=downloads;sa=view;down=70


Should the worst be true and you have a broken neck cable in your PleoRB, there are quite good instructions on the forum for cable replacement.  We have been there or will be there sooner or later, its a rite of passage with Pleos.


Let me know if I can be of help!


Cheers!


Peter (in Spain)

[pnhicks]

Hi campanodoc,


I was afraid of that, but there you go, off you go on your first Pleo repair adventure!


The tension issue is very much a try, try and try again (or trial and error) procedure.  So, no final cutting, or crimping, or gluing in place until you are completely sure that the Pleo is happy with the new neck cable tension.


My first "rookie" mistake was rigging the neck cables without the head installed.  When I attached the head, the extra weight of the head caused the neck to immediately droop down halfway to the floor!


You might want to check the "vertebrae"  for cracks or missing brass cable grommets.  Another common failure is the white hollow PVC "spinal cord" that connects the "vertebrae".  If the neck up/down cable has been broken for a while, the weight of the head may have "fractured" the "spinal cord".


Believe it or not that silly white plastic tube gives a lot of rigidity to the neck structure, if it is fractured, as it is hollow, it loses a lot of its strength.


And yes best of luck!


Cheers!


Peter

[campanodoc]

Thank you Peter, so kind! I'm waiting for the .08mm wire (I'm searching for the fishing stainless Steele Kamatsu 15kg as I saw in a tutorial) and then I'll Watch the video over and over until I will memorie every passage. After Reading your advices I decides ti put another small video of my Pleo rb opened so you can check for the vertebrae (two eyes are Better than One). Thank you again write soon
Video:
https://youtu.be/6Kdf6vXoxPU

[pnhicks]

Hi Gio,

Here are some photos of the neck vertebrae and spinal cord!

https://1drv.ms/u/s!As6F3Yo9RNKWvRjDH4PAMuiZHO5m?e=6OOgmi

I used a transparent one to show the cord better!

The only way I've been able to upload photos is by pasting a link to my one drive, etc.

There is a image tag in the toolbar above where you can paste your link and it should appear in your message.

I can't get this to work, but then again, I'm not that clever.  I understand it works with Photobucket.

Cheers!

Peter

[campanodoc]

Sorry for OT, can I use the Pleo RB battery pack to try (only try) tosee if my 1st gen Pleo works? Thanks for reply

[pnhicks]

Hi Gio,

First what is OT?  Over time?      No problem for me!

I always get in trouble on the forum for my suggestions on battery packs (sometimes I put my foot in my mouth too!).

I will try to get it right the first time now!  An Innova PleoRB can use all of the batteries made (that is why it has two holes in its battery bay).  The Ugobe (1st plain Pleo) was made BEFORE there was a RB battery and only has the ONE hole in its battery bay.  This hole will align with the UGOBE NiMh battery and the EGG Li-Poly battery.

The RB battery will not fit all the way into the Ugobe battery bay (AS IT IS) as the polarity key DOES NOT ALIGN WITH THE HOLE in the battery bay.  There is NO technical or electrical reason why it could not be used, IF YOU CUT OFF the polarity key on the RB battery.

THERE ARE REASONS NOT TO DO SO:

1.  Possible reverse polarity inserting the battery. Without the polarity key, YOU, the user are responsible for inserting the battery in the correct polarity, i.e., positive terminal toward the front and negative toward the rear. There are reports from users of homemade batteries that negative polarity has damaged their Pleo.  It may cause the 3 amp fuse to blow on the bottom of the power input card (requires disassemble to replace/repair).

2.  Cutting off the tab will make the RB charger red light flash (battery not charging). The little hole in the bottom of the charger has a contact that must be closed for the red light to remain steady (charging).  I have used paper wadded up into the shape of the hole (very tightly packed), or even the cut off key from the battery (if you do a good job!).

Remember, charge RB batteries in RB chargers, as they are different chemistry than Ugobe batteries and have different charging algorithms!

Hope this helps!

Peter

[campanodoc]

Hi Pnhiks,
today I dismantled my pleo rb and tried to change the wire of the neck. It went all fine except taht when I turned on it on the motor was loosing steps (as you can see in the video) and making a bad noise. The only thing that I found broken is that little half-circle that I posted in the pictures. Can it be the reason of this conrtinuous stepping of the motor when it tries to pull the head up?
besides, when i connected the wire to the main roller  I did not crossed the wire (picture main roller) should I have?
I hope I explained it clearly. If I need to change this half circle of the inner motor do you have a spare? It looks very hard to fix and if it is a stop for the main roller even fixing it I don't think it would last long.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14wAmz4i4fDMIMcE4nK4auoa4ipfi7Gyt?usp=sharing
thank you again for your help
oh almst forgot, I found this black piece (picture black piece) ion the box of the pleo but at that time I only dismantled the feet and the neck skin. Is it a pleo piece? dunno what it is, sure is not an internal part of the motor

[pnhicks]

Hi campanodoc, or Gío, (I personally prefer Peter over pnhicks!)


The little white semi circle is NOT broken!  It is the cable retainer that helps hold the wrap of cable that goes around the main "roller" (capstan). The two ends are held in place in slots in the case.


I don't understand your comment "I did not crossed the wire", if you mean that the wire needs one wrap around the capstan before leaving the housing, yes you do!


Otherwise there won't be enough cable for travel and the servo will still try to move the neck with no more cable which might be causing your ratcheting and popping sounds.


I am not familiar with the black object and am fairly confident its non-Pleo in origin, but its's hard to tell from just one photo.


But please refer to the other tutorials on the forum for more info!


Cheers,


Peter

[campanodoc]

Ho Peter thanx for answering. As you can see from the picture the cable retainer is broken (One of the two head Just broker It can see in the picture with black background) so Is this the Thing that cause the motor not to stop? And about the wrap around the mail capstain well I don't do it. I'll upload another Pic to see of I get what you wrote. Thank you!

[campanodoc]

like this?
so I take the wire and make an antire turn arpound the wheel like Imade in the video and thenput it back?
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10RUZ9FhobrnJDUDBxCa-4NCKfCPd7_B_/view?usp=sharing

[campanodoc]

You wrote
Otherwise there won't be enough cable for travel and the servo will still try to move the neck with no more cable which might be causing your ratcheting and popping sounds so that's the reason why it makes scattering and popping sond likeein thevideo I posted?
 

[pnhicks]

Hi Gìo,


Sorry, I did not open the cable retainer picture (from the thumbnail it looked in one piece).  Okay, I have LOTS of those, I can send you a couple!

It looks like you have the cable wrapped correctly (I know it's a pain!)  
Without the cable retainer, the cable could slip off the back of the capstan when the cable goes slack (ie someone holds Pleo's head), then you could get a "rats nest" (cable tangle) around the capstan (that would be bad).

I would suggest mounting the gearbox without the servo and see if you can manually move it (it should move like silk) from full up to down with no strange noises. If you are successful, you can carefully slip the servo into place (with a bit of nasty words and giggling of the cables).

I would hold off final assembly until I had a cable retainer!

Good luck!


Peter

[campanodoc]

Hi Peter thanx for answering.
It's a Little absurd that a Little plastic piece like that can put KO a robot like Pleo!
Tell me how can we get in touch for the piece I need, I'll wait for it to arrive before trying to fix it again 😅 (email or social, I dunno how to send private messages). Thank you! Grazie! 👍

[pnhicks]

Hi Gìo,I replied to your PM, guess you figured it out!


Ciao,


Peter

[pnhicks]

Hi Giò,

Your c clips are in the mail to you!  The man at the post office said 7-10 days delivery time but with covid .... expect delays in deliveries!

I hope you have better luck with your nephew's Pleo!

Cheers!

Peter

[campanodoc]

Wow thank you!
Bless you!

[685111]

Hi Giò,

Your c clips are in the mail to you!  The man at the post office said 7-10 days delivery time but with covid .... expect delays in deliveries!

I hope you have better luck with your nephew's Pleo!

Cheers!

Peter

Does the neck 3D print image files? Thank you

[pnhicks]

Hey 685111 (like your username, almost as good as mine!)

I will send you a PM, OK?

Peter

[pnhicks]

Hey 685111,

Do you still need neck parts?


Let me Know,


Cheers!


Peter