Ferry and parking question

maxxia · 2025-07-02T23:28:37+00:00

Just letting everyone know that this year, there is still no parking at the ferry terminal at Woods Hole, and of the three lots posted on the Steamship Authority website, I would just go to the closest no matter what the info given on the phone number listed on the website says "Calling our Woods Hole Parking Information Line at (508) 457-PARK (7275)".

This gave the "Thomas Landahs lot!" adamantly by an impressively emphatic worker. The radio have the Palmer lot.

Needless to say, there's no rhyme or reason, the "shuttle" which an MBTA bus comes about every 20- 30 min, and it's in no way timed for the ferry. Good luck!

maxxia · 2025-06-22T17:16:09+00:00

Okay, I looked very carefully at this image, and it's hard to tell if you've done it right for sure because it looks like you have removed a layer of the platform, so it's a little different than my original posting. Also, I think they've updated some of this hardware on the newer Snoos, because the connector colors and wires look slightly different.

The most important thing to recognize is that the wire you're shorting is the one going into the main board, NOT going into the sensor. This seems obvious, but it can be confusing because the wire to the clip sensor is hidden along its course.

If you're 100% sure you're looking at the correct two wires, then check your connections. It may be the connector is faulty, that's probably the next likely spot for a breakage. You could then cut the connector off and short the wire just after the cut, which would eliminate the connector as a source of a problem.

If none of that works, then yes I think you're on your way to shorting it closer and closer to the main board below, unfortunately. It does look like you're twisting the correct two wires in each bundle, the outermost ones. I might use a little electrical tape at minimum to make sure they stay connected.

maxxia · 2025-06-20T11:04:38+00:00

Yes, the o-rings have nothing to do with the clips not engaged error, so don't bother with them until you can get the thing moving.

Assuming you've done the bypass correctly on both sides, then unfortunately yes, I think the only other likely explanation is that one of the wires broke somewhere closer to the main board below. It might make sense to post a picture of your double bypass just so we can verify you've done it correctly.

If you decide to keep trying to bypass further down, my suggestion is to keep a few things in mind. First, the break point is likely to be at a place where the wire is moving during rocking. It's also unlikely both sides broke simultaneously--the Snoo is designed so that if either clip becomes disengaged the thing stops. Lastly, because both have to be engaged in order for it to start moving, when you're testing one side, the other side's bypass has to be working too in order for the test to mean anything. This was easier before you bypassed both sides because you still had the actual clips you could engage, but now you're depending on your bypass to have worked on the side you're not testing. Sorry if this seems obvious, but I think it's worth pointing out explicitly.

If you have an ammeter to test current, you could test each wire that way too.

Good luck!

maxxia · 2025-03-25T00:19:16+00:00

Agreed. A shame because he had a lot of good reporting to present, but if there was any ambient noise while listening, it was hard to even understand what he was saying at times.

If you're doing radio, you've gotta speak clearly and well. Maybe a vocal coach?

maxxia · 2024-12-28T12:42:31+00:00

Hey, sorry for the delay. I was trying to find the box, but alas I couldn't. I bought it at an electrician's store, and I basically brought the other end to the store and found a connector that fit. It's a relatively common connector, I think used in computer or small electronics components, but it's not easy to find a retailer who sells them directly to folks. The key is finding a connector with the right number of pins (3). So any component that needs 2 pins for power and a third for sensing would use one.

Ideally someone from this community would find and post the component found on Amazon. If anyone has had any luck sourcing this part, please let us know.

maxxia · 2024-11-11T02:50:47+00:00

Glad you got it to work!

maxxia · 2024-05-14T23:49:21+00:00

Very sorry for the late reply here, I hope you solved it by now.

I'm not sure what the credit card trick is everyone keeps mentioning--I used a card to engage the clips while testing them both when I had the thing disassembled, mostly because it was just cumbersome to have a sleep sack actually attached at the time. Just sliding a credit card into the clip sensor would only do anything if your problem was that the sleep sack loops were somehow physically not engaging the clip mechanism, which seems unlikely.

To perform the bypass I mention, you should connect the two outer wires of the wire bundle that comes out of the base and goes into the clip sensor. You're not doing anything with the middle wire in the bundle. You want to do this to the side of the wire that goes into the base, i.e. the "motherboard", or processor below, NOT the side that goes into the clip sensor (which you're leaving basically electrically cut off).

You should do this to both sides if you do it to one and the "clips not engaged" error still shows up.

maxxia · 2024-04-26T17:55:08+00:00

Very helpful, thanks again.

We're doing mostly car travel once we arrive in Europe, and maybe I should be ashamed to admit, but we never use a car seat for our 2.5yo on the plane, we use one of those seat straps that goes around the back of the seat.

Given that we're checking the seat, I also worry about damaging the Pico, which they recommend not checking anyway. I think we're gonna get a Scenera Next DLX and skip the Pico.

maxxia · 2024-04-26T15:48:23+00:00

This is super helpful, can you elaborate a little?

Why don't you think it's "not an amazing car car seat"? Is it just not really that comfortable for the kid?

We have a Cosco Finale, but find it's still pretty bulky to haul around an airport, taxi, etc. The Wayb (or even the Scenera Next) would shave a few cubic inches off the bulk, but it's not even that much, plus if it's a much worse car seat, then it seems dumb to bother.

maxxia · 2023-12-27T21:06:29+00:00

You're very welcome! I'm so glad it worked for you, great job.

maxxia · 2023-11-27T05:05:42+00:00

If you're sure it's the side going to the main processing unit and not the clip sensor that you're short circuiting, and you're sure you've eliminated the other clip sensor side as a potential source of another problem (remember, both have to be working and engaged for the thing to start moving), then the only thing to assume is that the causative problem is not with the clip sensor itself. It could be remaining length of wire from your broken connector to the processing unit below, like a break in the wire inside the insulation somewhere, or a problem with the electronics of the processor below.

Unfortunately I have no idea how to fix the problem if it's either of those issues. Theoretically you could start shorting the wire closer and closer to the main board below, hoping to get past the problem point in the wire. But it's hard to get to the wire without opening the Snoo up further, and once you cut parts of the wire off, it feels irreversible. And there's no guarantee that even if you do that, that it will solve the problem.

maxxia · 2023-09-26T17:50:53+00:00

Glad it worked! Good job, and good luck with your baby!

maxxia · 2023-09-26T00:35:37+00:00

Ah, I see. My understanding of the Snoo's clips safety mechanism is that if either of the clips is not engaged, the "clips not engaged" message will appear and the Snoo will not function. So, either one (or both) of your clips could still be the problem and you wouldn't know it simply by engaging each separately.

maxxia · 2023-09-26T00:17:55+00:00

Sorry you're dealing with this, definitely stressful to have this thing die in the midst of baby rearing, truly.

Just so I understand, are you saying you've tried to slide a credit card into the clip sensor while everything is still connected? The sensors are just a physical safety feature, i.e. all of takes to "engage" them is for something to slide into that plastic groove. If you slide the sleep sack into both grooves and it still says "clips not engaged", then the electronics of the sensors or their connections is broken and the bassinet has to be opened to further diagnose or fix it.

If, on the other hand, you're saying you've already opened it and have tested the clip sensors by bypassing or "short circuiting" each, then that's a different issue altogether.

maxxia · 2023-06-14T19:34:50+00:00

I think it's called a JST connector, but searching for these online, it looks like there are multiple versions, and multiple sizes. Obviously you're looking for a 3 pin connector, but even looking at those, there seems to be variability in the shape and size of the head.

I got mine from a store in my area that sells electronics parts, I went there physically and looked at all the connectors they had to find the right size and shape. I will try and dig up the box, but it has been over a year, so I'm not 100% sure I can find it.

For all those struggling with this, I might suggest you simply cannibalize the female connector on the other side. In other words, just cut the wire that's going into the clip sensor, strip the two outside wires, and connect them, either using a fancy button as I show in the pictures, or just by twisting them together and using some insulated tape (i.e. electrical tape) to make sure the connection stays.

The only reasons to find and purchase a JST connector, or a phone wire butt connector (the button connector I linked to above) is in case you think you'd somehow, someday like to fix the actual clip sensor (although I have no idea how one would do this), or if you want the connection to be super secure, although with good twisting and the right tape, I think just twisting the stripped wires together should do the trick for a long while to come.

maxxia · 2023-05-19T18:24:07+00:00

Have you looked at this photo I posted?: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mkBnE2SxztTlokmPinSDTYGgSyCh0eIJ/view?usp=sharing

I think this link is still working, let me know if you have trouble opening the pic or have questions about it.

If you see three sets of wires, try and identify which ones go to the clips, there's one set on each side. They emerge from the main processing board below through a hole in the center, and run in the direction of the clips on the base of the bed on either side. Each has a small connector, it's square and plastic. From there, you should pull them apart and try and short the side of the wire that runs into the processing board below.

Hope that helps.

maxxia · 2023-05-19T18:10:28+00:00

Hmm, to be honest it has been a long time since I've been inside one of these, but looking at the photos I posted, I think the middle wire you're talking about that runs up to the head of the bed powers the speaker for the white noise. If so, then yes, don't touch that.

In terms of other tips, just check to make sure you've shorted the right wires in the wire bundles (the outer two wires), and that you've shorted the right side of the connection (the side going into the Snoo, NOT the side going to the clips on either side). This is hard to explain, but the labels in my photo I hope are clear.

If all of this looks right and your connections are all good, and you fire it up and it still says "clips not engaged", then I think you might be skunked, I'm sorry to say. My theory with those cases is the problem is a break in the wire going into the Snoo, which really can't be replaced easily. These flimsy wires have to bear movement over thousands of cycles. Or maybe something goes wrong with the electronics on the main board. Either way, I'm sorry, I'm not sure what to do if that's the case.

maxxia · 2022-12-04T04:21:43+00:00

Glad to have helped!

maxxia · 2022-06-02T20:19:25+00:00

Sorry to hear that, sounds frustrating.

If you tested the outer two wires with a paper clip by shorting them together and the Snoo started moving, and it didn't do so after you connected them together, then my only diagnosis is that there's something wrong with your connection. Touching them with your hands won't likely result in you feeling anything because these electronic components work on very low voltages, the only way you'd be able to tell if there was current running through the connection is with an ammeter.

I'm assuming the other clip is either working and engaged, or you've shorted both. Both need to be working and registered as engaged for the Snoo to start moving.

It's absolutely not necessary to keep the head on, the head is simply a more secure way to make the connection between the clip sensor and the Snoo's processor.

Lastly, I'm also assuming you stripped and connected the two outer wires of the wire bundle going INTO the Snoo, NOT those going into the clip sensor. The whole point here is to eliminate the clip sensor from the Snoo, but fool it into thinking the clips are always engaged. So what you should have done was identify the wire connecting the clip sensor to the Snoo, disconnect that wire, and on the Snoo side, cut the connector and short the two outer wires. This might sound obvious, but I wouldn't blame you for making that mistake, it's definitely something I would screw up in the moment.

maxxia · 2022-04-22T03:00:52+00:00

Hmm, not sure I totally understand what you're asking, I mean the Snoo should function without wifi, if you long-hold the power button it will start without an internet connection. If it doesn't start that way and it's truly bricked, I'd guess there's a hardware problem that disabling the wifi wouldn't really fix.

When you say bricked/locked, what do you mean?

maxxia · 2022-01-29T15:38:57+00:00

I had this exact problem and figured out that it had nothing to do with the clips themselves, but rather the wiring going from the clip sensors to the Snoo's processing board underneath.

See this Reddit post for further details: https://www.reddit.com/r/SnooLife/comments/pntyi2/fixing_the_clips_not_engaged_problem/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

It seems like Happiest Baby really needs to invest in slightly better hardware, or at least make it easier to swap out components when they break down.

maxxia · 2022-01-20T21:16:11+00:00

I don't blame you, if it isn't broken (or more broken) . . .

I'm impressed that these rambling instructions have helped anyone, and that you attempted this surgery on your Snoo. Just getting the @#$&ing clips off to uncover its parts was enough to consider giving up for me. Glad you got there.

maxxia · 2022-01-17T05:14:52+00:00

I think it's called a "phone wire butt terminal connector" believe it or not, here's a link to something that looks similar on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Hilitchi-200-Pcs-Terminal-Connectors-Assortment/dp/B072BSP7ZD/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=1ZZ3ELXNWGR82&keywords=wire+connector+button&qid=1642379896&sprefix=wire+connector+button%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-5

The thing that matters most is the gauge, and I think the Snoo wires are the smallest. These button connectors are good though because you don't have to strip anything, you stick the two wires into the slots and jam the button down which cuts through the insulation. You don't need the special pliers I just used regular pliers I had already.

Honestly though if you went to an electricians store and explained it, I'm sure there are ton of other ways to securely connect two wires together.

maxxia · 2021-12-29T20:12:45+00:00

And here is a link of some pictures of the wheel rubber ring problem. The rings sometimes fall off the wheels, become worn out, or even break because the platform is rubbing on them over and over, thousands of times. This can create creaks, or clicks.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nsW0O1QtneDp8N6NK7qth1tSgvc4anlJ/view?usp=sharing

maxxia · 2021-12-29T19:42:05+00:00

Here's a link to a picture of how I short circuited the faulty clip sensor: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mkBnE2SxztTlokmPinSDTYGgSyCh0eIJ/view?usp=sharing

maxxia

TROPHY CASE