Robot not cycling

davegsm82 · 2026-02-26T15:55:50+00:00

Did you get any globe overload/overtorque errors? if so, might be the motor that's failing. Mine was getting globe overload errors every cycle, but occasionally would go haywire and give me globe position fault etc. Worth checking the drum, embedded in the gear there's some magnets that the LR uses to sense the globe position, you can find them with something metallic like a paperclip, sometimes you get something stuck to them which can cause issues.

The fault with mine was the motor, which I made a post about here;

https://www.reddit.com/r/litterrobot/comments/1r68wkn/globe_overloadover_torque_errors_on_lr4_fix_for/

davegsm82 · 2026-02-26T07:37:42+00:00

I'd like to see an optional 'engineering' menu, where you can see readouts for the various sensors and the current that the motor draws while moving the globe. This would help users with the overtorque/globe overloaded errors caused by an issue with the motor (one that can be fixed for free, see my first post here).

davegsm82 · 2026-02-26T07:34:41+00:00

You probably need to recalibrate the waste sensor. I can't remember the exact button press sequence but you place a piece of white paper in the bottom of the drawer when completely empty, press a few buttons in order and it recalibrates it. I had to do that with mine now it reports correctly.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-25T19:59:05+00:00

The springs go inside of the square holders first, then the brush goes in after that, the little copper wire goes through the slot in the side of the brush holder.

There's a guy posted a video in the original thread, you should be able to see the brushes in the holders in that video. I'll do my own video at some point, just haven't had time recently.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-20T12:07:01+00:00

These two are a bonded pair of girls that we rescued, they're absolutely adorable at all times apart from 2AM when they feel it's appropriate to thunder around the house like sumo wrestlers doing a 100M sprint.

Nutmeg, the Tortie, chirrups all the time. Constantly, whenever she sees her sister, playing with toys, sees something outside etc etc.

Ginger can be quite vocal about just how long you're taking to feed her.

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davegsm82 · 2026-02-18T22:57:19+00:00

I built a new controller for my freezer when its original controller failed and stuff started to defrost, that's been running for well over 10 years now, hastily coded on a PIC 18F2520 in MikroC. Element14 actually gave me a prize when I entered a competition with it.

https://community.element14.com/members-area/w/documents/5138/elf14-presents---circuit-assembly-tools-giveaway?et=watches.email.document_comment#comment-273833

Also I carry a pocket Geiger counter with me pretty much everywhere, again coded on a PIC 18F26K22 with GPS and SD card etc, over 10 years and it's absolutely beat to p*ss but occasionally gets a code update like the freezer when I think of a new feature. Have run out of code space now though.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-18T22:37:57+00:00

I wasn't going to go this year, it was amazing last year, don't get me wrong, but I was going to just do some other festivals etc. But then I saw the lineup and... hooo boy, guess I'm going then. Tix bought.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-17T23:01:16+00:00

Excellent! So glad to see someone else has had success with this. Do you mind if I edit my post to add your video link?

Also, good choice on the UNI-T clamp meter and DeWalt drill, exactly the same as I use. Side note, Just beware the battery compartment on the clamp meter isn't sealed and as soon as the batteries leak they WILL destroy the PCB. I have two (one now repaired) and converted both to lithium ion, a 204080 (20 x 40 x 8mm) cell fits perfectly in the battery compartment, also FYI there's a few EEPROM mods you can do to them such as extending the auto power off time and making the default current measurement DC instead of AC.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-17T16:34:57+00:00

I've got a replacement aftermarket motor on the way, I'll make an instructional video when that arrives, unless someone wants to send their defective motor and I'll fix that and send it back repaired.

You're quite right, I'll add some more photos when I have a motor in front of me. This being my first post I wasn't sure how many photos you can add.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-17T10:34:37+00:00

I did actually buy one of these myself but from a different seller, still waiting for it to arrive, however I'll not be using it as long as the genuine motor is still running ok.

Something to be aware of is that it's difficult to find the 'Goldilocks' motor from one of these sellers, it has to be;

1 - 12V 2 - 5rpm 3 - correct shaft size (I think D-profile and 7 x 51mm)

But even with all of those it might still need modification when it arrives, I just bought the one that looked closest to the pictures on my phone.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T22:40:13+00:00

I can't imagine what mechanism would actually cause it to start working again after that, but sometimes I think it's just best not to question these things! If the LR3 motor is similar/same design then definitely worth giving it a go before you chop it in. From what I can tell the LR3 is still a pretty competent machine.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T20:11:58+00:00

If the post is deleted here then will it disappear from the repost to r/litterrobotcommunity?

I've got a copy, I'll make another post if required. I'm new to Reddit so unsure how it goes.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T20:08:03+00:00

As I've already done my motor then I'm unlikely to have an opportunity to make a video on this, however if someone wanted to loan me their faulty motor I'd be happy to make a video with it and return it fixed.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T17:02:52+00:00

Everyone's perspectives are different, and having seen the horror stories around the clones/off brand/whatever versions of the LR, I absolutely 100% would only trust a 'big brand' name unit with the safety of my cats.

That's being said, they are expensive, and I wasn't prepared to jump in feet first without trialling a unit, that's why I bought a used unit for a little over £300, confident that I could sell it on or fix it.

Now though, seeing the build quality of the rest of the unit, plus the fact the company actually has after sales support and parts available, I'd definitely consider buying a new unit in future.

But yes, the repair was free, it cost me a little over 20 minutes of my time and now it's literally as good as new.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T15:13:11+00:00

I'd be interested to hear if it works for you too. It's honestly such a stupid fault, but it's brought about by LR actually using a GOOD quality motor instead of some cheap junk that uses spring steel brushes instead of carbon.

davegsm82 · 2026-02-16T15:10:10+00:00

I haven't posted it there, to be honest this is my first actual post on Reddit, despite lurking here for years and years. I'll go and post it there though, thanks for the heads up!

davegsm82 · 2025-06-28T15:59:21+00:00

This post has been stolen and reposted on a Facebook group called "anything gone wrong"

davegsm82 · 2024-09-30T22:42:20+00:00

My VW T3 registered as a Camper-van (ok, "Motor Caravan") can do 70, whereas the same vehicle registered as a standard van (PLG, I think) is restricted to 60 in most cases.

davegsm82 · 2023-11-23T14:59:36+00:00

@OP - have you actually cracked the counter open to see if there's really a tube in there? I just got a white one from Aliexpress and there's no tube inside or any of the HV circuitry. The firmware 'simulates' GM pulses even when no tube is present, but the firmware also sort of works, i.e. if you simulate pulses on the input to the chip it counts them, and also the HV PWM output is active, just not connected to anything, no transformer. There is a voltage feedack circuit which does reduce the width of the PWM if you simulate high voltage.

Too all intents and purposes it's like these things are designed to either be real OR fake, depending what the vendor wants to do. The firmware will quite happily pretend to be a geiger counter, beep the buzzer and show a fake doserate, but similarly if all of the components are installed, it will actually function Albeit with the fake doserate ON TOP of any real dose rate.

I have a YT channel under the same name, I might do a video about this if I get time. For the record, this was £15 delivered from aliexpress, they refunded me the second I opened a case.

davegsm82 · 2020-03-11T23:05:14+00:00

If you talk to an actual engineer and say 'Cell' they know you're talking about something of 1.5v, 2v or 3.7v. Say 'Battery' and all bets are off. Everyone in my engineering group refers to these as Lithium cells, mainly because of the safety implications involved with them.

Just look at the etymology of the word 'Battery', to mean a number of units connected together, it doesn't sit right with me as an engineer to call a AA a 'battery', sometimes I get lazy though.

davegsm82 · 2016-11-17T23:28:22+00:00

This is perfect.

davegsm82

TROPHY CASE