8043

[Councillor]

Just recently finished building the 8043 excavator as my first Technic set and well, it doesn't work.

I've got the remote put together with batteries in and the green indicator lights up when ever I push forward or backwards on the controls. But the motors won't turn. Not sure if it's the motors, receivers or battery box. I've put fresh batteries in the motor box tried the wiring and channel selections in i think every possible combination but still nothing. I don't even hear anything electrical going on like its trying to power or turn. Any ideas as to what my problem might be?

[Blakbird]

DO you have the right channel selected on the remote? The orange switch switches between four channels. If the first doesn't work, try switching to another.

[Alasdair Ryan]

DO you have the right channel selected on the remote? The orange switch switches between four channels. If the first doesn't work, try switching to another.

And on both of the receivers.

Welcome to Eurobricks anyway.

Edited January 13, 2013 by Alasdair Ryan

[Splat]

This should just be a matter of elimination.

• Remote Controllers - On the remote, you mention that the little green light turns on when you push the levers up/down, so for now we can assume that the remotes are working.
  
• Battery Box - When you push the orange switch to either side (not in the middle position), does an LED on the battery box light up?
  If so, then we can assume the battery box is working.
  If not, then double check that the batteries in it are ok, and are the correct way around.
  
• IR Receivers - If the battery box is ok, it is time to check the IR Receivers.
  When the receivers are plugged onto the battery box, and the battery box is first switched on, the LED on the IR receivers should light up for a quick moment.
  
• IR Communication - As mentioned above, check that the IR Receiver is set to the same channel as the IR Remote Controller using the orange switches on both.
  For example, set one IR Receiver to position 1, and one Remote to position 1, and the other Receiver and Remote to position 4.
  Now when you point the Remote at the receiver and push the lever on the Remote, the LED on the IR Receiver should blink.
  
• Motors - If the IR Communication is working ok, the next thing to check is the motors.
  Try isolating the motors by plugging them directly onto the battery box and turning the batter box on (push the orange switch in either direction, just not in the middle).
  If the motors spin, then you know that they are working ok.
  If the motor doesn't spin then it may be faulty, so try the other motors to see if they work.
  If none of the motors work, then I would suspect that the battery box is faulty, but I would double check that the batteries are charged and in the correct orientation.
  

Let us know once you have tried the above steps and it still isn't working.

[Councillor]

Ok so it seems like its the battery box, I've tried 10 different batteries, just energizer AA 1.5v, the negative, flat sides all against the springs and the indicator light on the box doesn't light up. Fresh pack of batteries, tried them in some other devices and they worked fine.

[bb15080]

you can call Lego-customer service and they wil send you a new one

just explane it to them

[Councillor]

haha almost don't want to say what the problem was...I didn't see that it had a removable cover for the battery on both sides, so I only had 3 batteries in instead of the 6...Thanks for the help guys

[bb15080]

your welkom

have fun playing

[sapo117]

haha almost don't want to say what the problem was...I didn't see that it had a removable cover for the battery on both sides, so I only had 3 batteries in instead of the 6...Thanks for the help guys

eheheh don't tell anybody!!! Sometimes happens

Welcome on Eurobricks btw

[stan_the_man]

haha almost don't want to say what the problem was...I didn't see that it had a removable cover for the battery on both sides, so I only had 3 batteries in instead of the 6...Thanks for the help guys

I did the same when I got my first technic after the dark ages, I put in 3 batteries and tested the motor and was so annoyed nothing worked!!

[Gene]

It's all because of excitement...welcome to EB and get poisoned by moc...I'm "Citizen" as of today : )

Edited January 14, 2013 by Gene

[Jim]

haha almost don't want to say what the problem was...I didn't see that it had a removable cover for the battery on both sides, so I only had 3 batteries in instead of the 6...Thanks for the help guys

Lol

Welcome to EB and I am glad you have a working 8043 now. One of the best sets ever!

[kieran]

haha almost don't want to say what the problem was...I didn't see that it had a removable cover for the battery on both sides, so I only had 3 batteries in instead of the 6...Thanks for the help guys

so easy to do, all the old sets were 4.5V which is 3 batteries, you have a cracking model by the way, the 8043 was the first fully studless set I bought after by dark ages (not including mindstorms).