The fastest way to determine if there is an issue with your servos is to perform a hardware test. To perform a hardware test on your Hummingbird Servos, please follow this link to our Interactive Support App.
If your servos are functioning properly, there are a few other possibilities for why they may not be working, including coding errors.
- Check your power. The Hummingbird Bit USB cord provides enough power for LEDs but not servos, so for your servos to work your Hummingbird Bit must have power from a battery pack or A/C adapter. To check that you have enough power (including that your batteries are not running low) check to make sure the orange power light is bright, not dull, orange.
- Check your servo connection. Is the servo plugged in correctly and securely? Does your Hummingbird Bit have power from a battery pack or A/C adapter? Watch the first video below to double check your servo motor connection.
- Make sure your micro:bit is plugged in securely.
- Check the orientation of the micro:bit. If your micro:bit is plugged into the Hummingbird Bit upside down (the micro:bit screen facing downwards), your components will not work.
- Make sure the Hummingbird Bit is still connected with a Bit Display test. A Bit Display test will help you quickly determine if there is a connection between the BlueBird Connector and Snap!.
- Double check your servo code. In most cases, the issue can be solved through the code. To test your servo motor with accurate code, plug your motor into servo port 1 and copy this Snap! Program for the motor you are using (position servo code; rotation servo code). Watch the second video below to check your servo motor code.
- If you have done steps 1-5 and the servo motor is still not responding, you may be dealing with a broken servo motor or a broken servo port on your Hummingbird Bit. Try the servo motor on another port (be sure to update your code to reflect the new port number).
- If the servo motor reacts, the issue is with the Hummingbird servo port.
- If the servo does not react, switch it out with a new servo of the same type (position, rotation, or micro servo). If the new servo reacts, your first servo was broken. Watch the third video below to see reasons why the servo motor may be broken.
- If needed, new components can be ordered from our store.
Watch this video to check your servo motor connection:
Watch this video to double check your servo motor code:
Watch this video to see why your servo motor may not be working properly: