doug72

Help Please:- After successfully built the 42100 - 9800 Excavator and setting up the Control + and testing all the various movements, I am struggling with assembling the correct blocks to demonstrate all the movements. Due problem with iPad home button I have to switch off the hubs by closing Bluetooth. When you use the demo blocks for 5 deg & 20 deg the bucket is down on the ground, is this the starting point ? After all the moments have been completed for a digging / swing round / dump is there a block to return back to the starting point ? Can anyone provide a list for the required order of the program blocks to achieve a full cycle of movements ?

Re photo,link, read the Forum FAQ,s to find out how to embed images in your post. There is step by step guide on how to do it.

No problems with the actual model or building it. Found much easier to use the alternative control screen which shows an image of the main boom, dipper arm and bucket plus a graduated dial to rotate the upper housing, but means manual control using a stylus. That way can do multiple movements by click & drag the orange circles on the image. I leaning maybe towards installing PF with 3 x XL and 4 x L motors and use PF controllers, with a battery box in each section with 4 PF IR receivers & 4 PF Tx's I have only just recently managed to program an EV3 for GBC Train use !!

Tanks for your advice but no joy. Tried that again but after double click do not see a grid showing apps that are active. All I see is home screen with active apps along bottom of the screen. The home button often does not respond. IiPad needs surfacing but local Apple store shut due CV19. 1st push takes back to the home screen, 2nd click does nothing, if try swipe upwards again nothing happens. Re-load Control+ app - same as above. Now found that if press and hold green button on each hub for 10 secs they blink white & then close down. As an old time marine engineer I am am used to tactile controls ie, levers, dials, hand wheels etc. Recently two US Navy ships had collisions which were blamed on touch screen controls and US Navy has reverted to tactile bridge controls again. For now I give up trying to get this model to function

Thanks for your reply - now found the problem. My son who is an IT engineer says in order to exit the Control+ app I need to double click the Home button. Its the iPad that is the problem when trying to close the app. Recently the home button has been acting up and needs a good push to activate it. 1st push return screen to the desktop but 2nd puish does not shut the app down, for now I will have to shut down the iPad in order to close the Control+ app. He has recently brought the latest Apple iPad and will be donating his older one to me but due lock down will be a while until he delivers it as he lives 20 miles away !!! Re Subtractors, yes agree thats the best system for twin tracks. I have used them before on MOCs and have a built one for future use a spare track unit using an XL motor for track drive with an L motor for steering. I

Thanks for your advice but I am still unable to close down the app. Re-calibrated everything again and all correct.. Its the control page I don't seem to be able to close only goes back to the menu screen which has a large white X in top left corner on screen which if clicked takes back to controls again, feel like I am going around in circles !! I get the feeling I am missing a step somewhere. If I go back to the iPad desktop the hub lights remain blue for a long time. Only way to get them to turn off is by shutting down the iPad, and hub lights turn white (lost connection ?) & go out after a short while. I will try again tommorrow.

Thats the problem, when on the demo programming page there is no way to exit it that I can find. Agree much more tactile. I have found the alternative control screen which much easier to use but still can't close down the app without shutting down the iPad. Does anyone have the program steps for a simple digging cycle.

Not sure if this is the right place for this post. I received the 42100 set for my birthday on March 31st and the next day we went into Covid-19 lock down. So I had plenty of time to build this and keep me occupied. Found it a quite a complex build but only made a few mistakes, i.e one panel upside down but easy to fix. At times it was hard to figure out where parts fitted but eventually achieved. Commenced building this model April 2nd and finished building on April 11th. Downloaded the Control + app and after downloading the latest firmware It connected to both hubs OK. I have a few queries & problems. I am using an Apple iPad for control. I followed the section that tested all the various movements OK. Carried out the calibration step OK. Then onto the Control+ set up stage. I found the touch screen controls were not easy to use with arthritic fingers. Much prefer controls with joysticks and dials. Tracks:- found operating both to travel in straight line very difficult - assume this can be done using the programming. Found it verey hard to remove the battery cover for the hub in the upper structure. Followed the demo program but ended up with bucket grounded and lifting whole machine and had to remove both batteries to re-start. When at the demo programming stage how do you leave that screen to start again ? Is there an emergency stop ? How do you turn off the hubs when session finished or do they shut down after a period on no activity ? Are there any programs for the digging to dumping cycle that can be easily installed ? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Yes they don't direct you down lanes too narrow for big lorries, across fords which are actually rivers or under bridges that are too low !!!! Most people don't have a clue how to use an OS map. As a Sustrans Volunteer Ranger I frequently have to hand out maps to cycists I come across who have lost their way due to following GPS or SatNav which often incorrect.

Well spotted ! I have another collection of local OS maps from late 19th century & early 20th Century. the room also houses my collection of books. Prefer maps to GPS or Sat Nav.

My Temporary Work Space: Having received the 42100 set for my birthday on March 31st & the start of Covid 19 Lock down in the UK, I found I did not have enough space in my Lego Room to build it, so dining room table used by kind permission of my wife as we did not expect any visitors for quite some time. Progress to date: book 1 completed and tested using an iPad. Book 2 now commenced.

Jim, How about a Sub Forum for contests as all the contest postings for WIP & Entry are swamping the first page.

Currently Locked down due to Covid 19 so for something to do to while the time away I thought I would make a video tour of my Lego Room, sorry no commentary. 

Thanks for that advice, I tried looking for it but I couldn’t locate it. I have closed this posting and transfered it to the correct place.

Post closed and moved to "Show us your working place"

Some small modifications to stop train motor when it docks and starts the programe plus a short video with crash at the end !!

Update. due slight problem now resolved. Found the device to stop the train motor only works with the train car facing in one direction. If facing the other direction the yellow half bush on end of cross axle fouls the trip cam. Modified the trip beam to eliminate the half bush on end of cross axle. See photo which shows the modification.

I have just finished building a GBC Train Transfer Crane but using EV3 to control it. Works well - however on one problem remained, the train motor continues to run throughout the sequence. The train as it docks starts the sequence and at the end the train reverser trip rotor is operated by a medium EV3 motor to release the train. I have come up with a mechanical solution using two LEGO Technic Half Beam Cam (6575) see image. As the train enters the dock it starts the sequence and the trip bar on the train is pushed over just enough to stop the train motor. At end of sequence the trip bar is activated by the EV3 reverser to start train motor again & train leaves the dock. All the parts that turn the trip rotor can be removed BUT the latch gears are retained to ensure train departs OK. Touch Sensor EV3 motor for reverser with 4 lobes. Redundent parts to be removed Watch for the crash at the end !!!!!

GBC Train Transfer Gantry Crane using EV3 (WIP) Now adapted my transfer crane module to be controlled by an EV3 unit. This was my first attempt at programming and took a lot of trial & error before success using EV3 for Mac OS Catalina. Train arriving activates the touch sensor and starts the sequence of movements:- Lift empty ball hopper off the train. Transfer to loading point and lower. Load balls up to 30 per trip. Raise loaded ball hopper and transfer back to over the train. Lower back onto the train unit. Now devised a way to release the train using an EV3 Medium motor to activate the reverser to release train. Motor set to turn the trip rotor for 180 degs, which gives a double hit to ensure the train leaves the dock. At the moment the train motor continues to run throughout the sequence and need to find a way to stop train motor after it docks. I had to alter the program in the last post slightly for the medium motor. Possible could use a cam system driven by EV3 medium motor to push the trip bar just enough to stop the train motor running. When the ball hopper is back on the train move the trip beam to full travel to start train to leave the dock. Photos and possibly a short video tomorrow.

PROBLEM SOLVED. I have changed the start block to "When sensor 1 pressed" and works OK every time when pressed. See revised program, I just have to set various settings now to line up with the train dock and loading point and set speeds for each step.

Thanks for your help, I have tried various ways of putting the "forever block" into my program but can't get it work. Not sure what you mean by "stick every time". I need the train to start the program every time it enters the train dock and stop the program until train arrives again. Now mounted the motors onto the transfer Crane module and adjusting the various settings to lift ball hopper on & off the train. Meanwhile its my LXXIII birthday today and I have just received a very large Box from Amazone containing a 42100 set which my son has given me. I will have plenty of time to build it and learn how to control, as in lock down possible for up to 3 months !!!!! That link you provided looks to be very useful for learning EV3 using Mac OS.

EV3 Program for GBC Transfer Gantry Crane I have finally had a go at programing the EV3 using Mac OS Catalina 10.15.4. Have manually tested the module to determine the number of reverlutions required for each step. Built a test rig and made a program to run it before install the motors on the module. Touch Sensor: mounted so that the train activates the switch so that the internal spring does not push train backwards in the dock. Complete novice at this but see attached program block which gives the steps required. However I can only get it to operate for one cycle and have to download the programe to start again. So far unable to find the correct block to activate the program the next time the touch sensor is activated. Any help would be appreciated - thanks in advance. Motor A = raise & lower the ball carrier. Motor B = traversing the carriage from train to loading point & back. Motor C = activates the train reverser trip to release the train with 30 balls.

By the time the top output gear makes 1 turn, the input gear will be worn out !

Agree direct drive is easy and simple but the whole concept of the GBC Train System is to use the train unit to power each module as it travels around the layout. Its a challenge to get modules to syncronise all the movements required but my two current GBC modules I have built are proving to be very difficult to achieve that and yes EV3 would be the answer..

Agree I prefer mechanical solutions but could not get swing loader to sync. Well usd to using PF. Thats why I havn't brought the Excavator with its Control + My son gave me the EV3 Xmas 2018 and has sat on top of wardrobe since unused, with lockdown and time I thought I would see how to use it. .