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My Grandson's NB1E+ Went Nuts! Help!


Rehab1

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The NB1E+ I gave to my 12 year old grandson is taking off at full speed when it is first powered up! He could not even get it to turn on this past weekend. That was a blessing in disguise as he would not have had the strength to hold onto it!

When I first turned it in my garage a few minutes ago to check on the problem it unexpectedly shot out of control and climbed the wall. It then shut off by itself. The next time I was better prepared outside and had a firm grip on it for the video. Any ideas?

 

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This is the SECOND NineBot I've seen do this now!  The first was an S2 and they claimed it happened right after a Firmware update.  Did this one get a recent update?

I'd try the Manual Calibration listed in my Signature below:

 

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28 minutes ago, SuperSport said:

This is the SECOND NineBot I've seen do this now!  The first was an S2 and they claimed it happened right after a Firmware update.  Did this one get a recent update?

I'd try the Manual Calibration listed in my Signature below:

 

No there has not been any firmware updates I have performed in a long time. He just told me the other day he could not turn it on. He was afraid I would be mad at him because it no longer works. :(

I remember this video! You get a long overdue rep! Unfortunately I cannot even stand it up to perform the recalibration technique without it taking off on it's own!

This thing would have yanked my grandson's arm so hard he would have let go. That could have been bad! So glad it happened to me first! Any other ideas?

 

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Yeah, really glad it didn't happen around him. These things could really hurt you. 

I haven't done it in a long time, but I believe you hold it in the air to start it.  Just hang on tight, or place the pedals on blocks as others have done. 

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1 hour ago, Rehab1 said:

No there has not been any firmware updates I have performed in a long time. He just told me the other day he could not turn it on. He was afraid I would be mad at him because it no longer works. :(

I remember this video! You get a long overdue rep! Unfortunately I cannot even stand it up to perform the recalibration technique without it taking off on it's own!

This thing would have yanked my grandson's arm so hard he would have let go. That could have been bad! So glad it happened to me first! Any other ideas?

 

I had something similar happen early on over a year ago. I sat the wheel into a cradle with no wheel contact to keep it stationary while it was spinning, and depressed the buttons (one or more long hold, and multiple short presses – don't recall the exact sequence/combination exactly). Once it stopped spinning up at power on with the wheel in contact with the ground, I calibrated the wheel 2-3 times following @SuperSport's instructions. I then updated to 1.4.0 since it had just been released and have had no further problems.

If some combination of these steps don't work, the control board on the Ninebot should be an easy task for you to inspect and test, given your documented electro-surgical skills. :D If you can't find anything wrong, I'd consider replacing it.

One other comment: you may want to pick the NInebot up when it is lying flat on its side without grasping the handle to prevent weakening of the metal. It will develop hairline cracks and may snap off at the base.

Edit: IIRC the bad behaviour was caused by an unsuccessful attempt to recalibrate the wheel, as @Supersport suggests above.

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Many thanks @SuperSport, @litewave and @Jonathan Tolhurst for your suggestions! I will try all of the calibration methods you mentioned and if the issue remains I will install a new board.

I did not ask my grandson if he dropped it while riding . He is so sad right now it doesn't really matter! He will be very happy to know that I received valuable information on how to fix it!  :)

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14 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

Many thanks @SuperSport, @litewave and @Jonathan Tolhurst for your suggestions! I will try all of the calibration methods you mentioned and if the issue remains I will install a new board.

I did not ask my grandson if he dropped it while riding . He is so sad right now it doesn't really matter! He will be very happy to know that I received valuable information on how to fix it!  :)

I'm with you, I feel bad for him that he thought you'd be upset. 

I could see how it could get into a failed calibration mode if he had an issue turning it on. He may have held the button long enough to throw it into this mode accidentally while trying to get it to turn on. 

Good luck, and let him know that even the Master Ninebot Rider @Jonathan Tolhurst had it happen to him.  That should make him feel better. ?

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Being proactive I decided to search for a new board if all else fails! I am having trouble locating one. @Jonathan Tolhurst must have purchased the last board at Speedyfeet as their site states sold out.  :)

Ninebot USA has them in stock but will not sell the boards directly to customers. Here is their web site statement 

https://imgur.com/a/IDM5v

Any ideas where to purchase a new board?

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47 minutes ago, Rehab1 said:

Being proactive I decided to search for a new board if all else fails! I am having trouble locating one. @Jonathan Tolhurst must have purchased the last board at Speedyfeet as their site states sold out.  :)

Ninebot USA has them in stock but will not sell the boards directly to customers. Here is their web site statement 

https://imgur.com/a/IDM5v

Any ideas where to purchase a new board?

Have you emailed SpeedyFeet to inquire about expected dates of new stock for the boards?  NinebotUS wants to charge for installation and repair. A seller in Singapore wants $250 as well. Given the already overpriced cost of the board at $250, I'd say find a used part or donor wheel, or upgrade to a newer wheel from a different manufacturer. They are simple to remove and replace.

Still, I'd try the cradle method to force recalibration again. Once that successfully comlpetes, I think all will return to normal.

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Thanks for the info. The cradle method was unsuccessful! The NB jettisoned the cradle and left grooves in the foam support coverings! Time to find a new board!

 

 

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1 hour ago, meepmeepmayer said:

This is the perfect opportunity to let your grandson use your V5F+, it's better anyways.

I asked him once about trying it out and he politely said he did not want to ruin it. He is a very mature 12 yr old and knows his limitations. I'll keep pursuing a new MB. I am going to call Speedyfeet after clinic.

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4 hours ago, SuperSport said:

I'm with you, I feel bad for him that he thought you'd be upset. 

I could see how it could get into a failed calibration mode if he had an issue turning it on. He may have held the button long enough to throw it into this mode accidentally while trying to get it to turn on. 

l

That was my first guess .. that he was either playing around like kids do for the heck of it or just did it by accident.  I did something similar with my Step N Go, getting into a place in the routine I hadn't intended and didn't know how to get out of for a bit.  I've gotten myself into a puzzle doing that kind of thing countless times when adjusting things like clocks and weather stations that make you go through a bunch of steps and don't give you clear feedback along the way.

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1 hour ago, Rehab1 said:

Thanks for the info. The cradle method was unsuccessful! The NB jettisoned the cradle and left grooves in the foam support coverings! Time to find a new board!

 

Ah, bummer.

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2 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Thanks for the info. The cradle method was unsuccessful! The NB jettisoned the cradle and left grooves in the foam support coverings! Time to find a new board!

 

Sorry, but actually, that's not it.  You need to hold the wheel off the ground and don't let the tire touch anything.  It needs to spin up until the red lights flash.  Then you need to press and hold the power button.  Be sure you hold it straight and level at this point as that's when it calibrates (when the green lights are flashing).  When it finishes, you press the power button again to power it off.  When powered back on, it should be level.

If you watch my video again, at 1:45, you can see I hold it in the air before powering it on so that the wheel can spin freely.

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When people mention cradle method, they are saying to cradle the foot pads so that the tire is hanging in the air and not touching the ground.
This shows the Cradle Method.  Just be sure to hold it tight, otherwise it will shoot across the room, as you already know.

 

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Looks like I owe an apology on the below thread, it does look like Ninebots are prone to going off at full power - to me that is way more scary than a wheel that might faceplant you - especially if you cannot turn it off when it's doing it.

 

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43 minutes ago, SuperSport said:

When people mention cradle method, they are saying to cradle the foot pads so that the tire is hanging in the air and not touching the ground.
This shows the Cradle Method.  Just be sure to hold it tight, otherwise it will shoot across the room, as you already know.

 

Oops.....I misunderstood. I will give that a try when I get back. Bad news on obtaining a new board. Ian just replied.

Daniel,

Thanks for the email. Ninebot are supposed to have new stock, end July / Mid August apparently all being well :)

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22 minutes ago, Keith said:

Looks like I owe an apology on the below thread, it does look like Ninebots are prone to going off at full power - to me that is way more scary than a wheel that might faceplant you - especially if you cannot turn it off when it's doing it.

I wonder if they are running into the same issue.  Although, in their case, it did not seem to turn off even when holding the button.

1 minute ago, Rehab1 said:

Oops.....I misunderstood. I will give that a try when I get back. Bad news on obtaining a new board. Ian just replied.

Hopefully calibration will get you back up and running.  IF you plan to keep the wheel, it might not be a bad idea to have a spare board on hand, just in case.  I have a buddy that went through MANY of them on his NineBots.

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3 hours ago, Rehab1 said:

Thanks for the info. The cradle method was unsuccessful! The NB jettisoned the cradle and left grooves in the foam support coverings! Time to find a new board!

 

 

 

I should have explained the word "cradle." I did not mean "stand" like the guitar stand in your video, but something which lifts the wheels off the ground. You can make one out of scrap wood screwed together, like a U-channel. The idea is for the side rails to be close enough to support the weight of the Ninebot under the pedal arms, while lifting the wheel clear from any contact with the ground or the supporting side rails, thus allowing the wheel to spin freely.

It seems you have figured it out now and have heard back from Speedyfeet re: new boards, so good luck.

Edit: after watching your videos again, I doubt you really need a new board. If you follow the Ninebot calibration method in the video above carefully, or repeat it if necessary, it should work. As I mentioned in my first post in this topic, it took me a couple tries for the calibration method to work, but it did finally.

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I don't know whether it matters, but when I do this, I only power the bot on once.  You seem to be cycling power again right in the middle of the process.  Watch the ninebot-specific video again.  He turns it on, steadies it, and basically lets it go through the whole calibration sequence without messing with it.  He only powers it off when it's all done.

Edited to say that after watching your video again, it looks like you are doing it right.  When you first turn on the wheel, though, it doesn't spin out right away.  That seems peculiar.  

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