DiyLightAnimation
Hardware => Lynx MR16 / 16 CH DC Controller => Topic started by: joshuashu on September 09, 2009,
-
I am unable to control my lights with the MR 16, i am using LSP is their something different i need to do to program the address? when i turn it on to do this they all flicker? then i shut it off and reset the jumper and they don't do anything? i need help?
-
Hi Joshua,
1 - Is the Pic programmed
2 - Did you set the start address
3 - Do you have 12 volt DC going to the MR-16
3 - Is the correct wires going from the power supply to the board (ie: pos to pos, neg to neg)
Rick R.
-
checked all this and rewired every thing, still nothing, i did the 3 second thing but when i do this they all flicker? not sure what is going on?
-
Take voltage readings on the output lugs (should go from zero to almost 12 volts)
Do you have the resistor soldered to each MR-16 led light
Double check if the parts are in correctly
Rick R.
-
checked all this. when in program mode should the lights be flickering?
-
checked all this. when in program mode should the lights be flickering?
Is the bent pin on the pic not the problem?
If not then post clear, close pictures of both sides of the board for us to look at.
RJ
-
not sure if these will help or not. i tried to take a good photo but i don't have a tripod and my camera sucks. if not is their somone i could send the board to have a look at it? also one pin on the led driver chip broke off. how will this effect the operation?
-
not sure if these will help or not. i tried to take a good photo but i don't have a tripod and my camera sucks. if not is their somone i could send the board to have a look at it? also one pin on the led driver chip broke off. how will this effect the operation?
Well it depends on the pin but this needs to be replaced before we can work on getting it working. The other thing is the pictures make it had to tell for sure but looks like there is at least a chance you have the clock. (shiney square) put in wrong. The dot on it should be above the white dot on the board and it looks like it might not be. Could be the fuzzy picture also making it look that way to me.
RJ
-
the quartz clock is ok. i have a few bad channels. (probably because this was my first attempt at soldering). i got it working but i had to configure it as a RGB controller in LSP instead of just a light controller. now to figure out what went wrong with the channels and reconfigure all my seqeunces.
-
Do you have the resistors on EACH MR16's? They make a huge difference!
Are you sure this is a hardware problem and not a software one? Try Vixen and see if you get the same thing. Anything you can eliminate helps get you closer to the problem.
-
yup i soldered all the resisters on and made sure it was wired correctly. i know that the channels not working is my problem because my soldering is really crappy on this board and channel 16 is constant on all the time where as 1,3 , 14, 15 just dont work. i will try and take a video and get a good look at the board better than my photos. i am just confused as to why when you set it as a light controller it doesnt work but when you set it as a RGB it works fine and controls the lights.
-
I am no expert on the board, but with that many channels not working, is it possible that is causing some of the problems? Sort of like in a string of minis... one bad bulb is not a problem, but you pull 1/4 of them out and the rest will be brighter for a short time, then blow out.
-
here is a link to a video that i posted that should be a lot clearer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMhg7KHI6Fg
-
Joshua,
The video helps, but not much, in that you moved it around alot very quickly, and it's hard to focus on a specific area. Intead of panning around on the board, hold the camera still, and zoom in on each section of the board and keep it there for 5 seconds, then zoom back out, move to another section, and repeat the zoom and hold for 5 secs.
Feel free to cut off the legs of the triacs, because 1. it's an electrical hazard since that's where the 12V is switched, and 2, if the legs get bent and touch, you'll get some fireworks!
A few comments - you are putting too much solder on some of your connections, and they have "tails" that could cause problems. It usually shows up as a solder "bridge" between two pins on the IC sockets.
You can get some desoldering "braid" from Radio Shack or another electronics parts store (not Best Buy). When you heat the solder connection and touch the braid to it, it will pull away the solder. Not critical, but something to think about.
If you have a broken pin on one of the sockets or IC's, you need to replace it. Without knowing which pin, it's hard to say if this will cause it not to work. But there's a good chance it will make things act very strangely!
A good voltmeter is very helpful in checking basic things, like if the regulator is putting out the right voltage, and if you have your 12V supply connected corrected, and what voltage is coming out of the output lugs. You don't need to break the bank - you can get a simple one for less than $20 at RadioShack.
-
ok,
i have a good v/ohm meter what should i check first to see if something is bad ? i now know that i put too much solder on, sorry this was my first attempt since high school. i will try the desolder braid. we have fry's here so they have all that good stuff for diyers. the pin that is broken on the driver chip is the very last one . any one know where to get one as mouser is on backorder till the cows come home. :)
thanks for the great info and sorry about the crappy video movement.
joshua
-
Take voltage readings on the output lugs (should go from zero to almost 12 volts)
Rick R.
Joshua,
As Rick mentioned earlier in this thread, first try reading the voltage on the output lugs to see if you're getting a smooth ramp up to 12V from 0 when you turn the channel on in LSP or whatever Software you're using.
Another thing to check is to lookup the chip or triac part number on Mouser or just google it for the manufacturer's website. You can then lookup the specifications for that chip or triac and see which pin is supposed to have a 5V or 3V supply signal. Most schematics will say Vcc or something similar to designate this pin. That's the supply that makes the chip work.
For the triacs, find out which one is the "input" signal - the one that doesn't switch the 12V or go to the output lug. That signal tells the triacs to turn on or not turn on. You could also monitor that pin with the voltmeter to see if the triac is getting the right signal to turn on. Again, the spec sheet for the triac will tell you what voltage should "turn on" the triac. For those channels that don't seem to work, check to see if the input signal is changing when you turn on the channel in the software.
If you check out the specifications for the driver chip, you can tell what function the pin that was broken does.
I'm sharing all the detailed info with you so that you have enough information to figure out what's going on with your board. If you work thru some of these items, you will be learning some electronics basics which will help you along the way.
-
As I said before. With the 5940 chip damaged there is no reason to do any diagnostics as this is the chip that controls the channels so you need to get that fixed before any real meaningful work can be done to fix any issues. The first step to diagosis is to fix the know problems and then work from there. Once you get he chip replaced, I think Keith found some if you check with him. Then I will be more than happy to help you get it up and running. One of the good parts of keeping the designs all the same is we know what you are working on and we know it works, we just find whats different on yours and we have it beat.
RJ
-
RJ,
Thanks for the detailed info i really appreciate it. i will find a new chip and test out what you said. this chip may have been broken from the beginning and i just never noticed it. The thing i don't understand is why in LSP it wont control the lights when playing a sequence but when i use the test hardware feature i can turn on the channels and it will dim the lights and turn them on and off? i have asked over at LSP and they havent responded other than to set the the intensity to 0 to 255.
-
RJ,
Thanks for the detailed info i really appreciate it. i will find a new chip and test out what you said. this chip may have been broken from the beginning and i just never noticed it. The thing i don't understand is why in LSP it wont control the lights when playing a sequence but when i use the test hardware feature i can turn on the channels and it will dim the lights and turn them on and off? i have asked over at LSP and they havent responded other than to set the the intensity to 0 to 255.
LSP has some steps that have to be right before it will output. The channel test Always sends out data so it sounds as if you do not have the output turned on. It will does everything normal but nothing goes out on running a seq when the output is off.
Test with The channel test or Vixen till all is working, then work on that problem you are going to drive yourself crazy trying to fix too many problems all at the same time.
RJ
-
Just my 2 cents... The solder 'tails' can also be a sign of the tip of your iron being dirty (accumulation of flux residue and impurities from the solder, etc). Make sure that every few connections you are cleaning your tip. A nice shiny tip heats the leads faster and keeps the solder from clinging to it when you move away from the connection. The best cleaner I have found can be had a Fry's too. Might pick one up while your there. I have the Hakko 599B, basically an aluminum housing that looks sorta like R2D2 after about 12 hours of soldering. ;D It uses a brass mesh kinda like a Brillo pad to clean the excess solder and junk off the tip. It doesn't cause the sudden drops in tip temperature like using a moist sponge does and is better at removing the flux residue.
Hope this helps some too.
Brian
PS: I am in no way affiliated with Fry's. Just found a good tip cleaner there. :)