Making of Wi-Fi Robotic Sweeping Truck
The full build video for this project — the steps below follow it in the same order.
What you need before starting
- Robot Chassis Kit: 2x Acrylic Chassis Plates (Top & Bottom), 6x Copper Standoff Spacer Pillars, T-Spacers (motor brackets), M3 Long Bolts, M3 Short Screws, and M3 Nuts
- Motors & Wheels: 4x Yellow Dual-Shaft BO Gear Motors (with pre-soldered wires) and 4x Rubber Wheels
- Control & Power: L298N Motor Driver Module, NodeMCU (ESP8266) Wi-Fi Controller, and USB Power Bank
- Wiring & Tools: Jumper Wires (Female-to-Female & Male-to-Female) and Screwdrivers (Phillips & Flathead)
The full build video for this project — the steps below follow it in the same order.
Attach the BO motors to the bottom chassis
Insert two T-spacer acrylic brackets per motor into the mounting slots on the bottom chassis plate. Align each BO motor with the brackets, insert two M3 long bolts through the assembly, and secure them from underneath using M3 nuts tightened with a screwdriver. Repeat for all four motors.
Install copper standoff pillars on the lower plate
Insert short M3 screws from underneath the bottom chassis plate through six dedicated mounting holes. Thread the female copper standoff pillars onto these screws and tighten them vertically to act as chassis risers.
Mount the top chassis plate
Align the top acrylic chassis plate over the six installed standoff pillars. Fasten it down using short M3 screws from above to sandwich and lock the dual-chassis structure together.
Mount the motor driver, NodeMCU, and power bank
Secure the L298N motor driver module onto the top chassis. Place the NodeMCU (ESP8266) Wi-Fi board alongside it and mount the USB power bank onto the frame.
Wire the motors and controller
Connect the left motor wire pairs in parallel to the L298N OUT1/OUT2 screw terminals, and the right motor wire pairs to OUT3/OUT4. Run jumper wires from the L298N control inputs (IN1, IN2, IN3, IN4) to the digital GPIO pins on the NodeMCU. Connect power from the power bank/L298N regulator to power both the driver board and the NodeMCU.
Install wheels and test Wi-Fi control
Press all four rubber wheels firmly onto the exposed outer shafts of the BO gear motors. Power on the NodeMCU and L298N board, connect your smartphone/laptop to the NodeMCU's Wi-Fi network or web server interface, and test the direction control commands.
If something does not work
Motors do not spin: Check that the power bank is turned on and that the L298N power terminals (12V & GND) are securely connected.
Car turns in the wrong direction: Swap the OUT1/OUT2 or OUT3/OUT4 wire positions on the L298N screw terminals to reverse individual motor rotation.
NodeMCU resets when motors start: The motors are drawing too much current from the controller rail. Ensure the NodeMCU and L298N share a common ground and that the power supply provides sufficient amperage.
Chassis feels wobbly: Tighten all six copper standoff pillars and ensure the T-spacer motor bracket bolts are fully secured with nuts.