How do I troublshoot SS

[diceman3807]

I purchased several SSC v1 last year, but due to life, didn't get the chance to actually purchase strings from Ray. I have now purchased some SS Nodes, Flex strips, and rectangles from Ray and just got them delivered. I put together my SS active hub (which appears to power up), and a couple of SSC v1s. I loaded the test firmware on my SSC, and hooked the SSC up to my active hub, but I'm not getting any lights. I attached a pigtail to both the flex strip and the SS nodes and neither appear to work.

I have checked the voltage at the output side of the SSC board, and I appear to get 12V at that point, so I believe power is coming through. Is there anything special I need to be doing with the raw lights from Ray before I hook everything up? What would be the next troubleshooting steps?

Thanks for any help,

Jon

[tbone321]

Make sure that you have the strings connected correctly and that you are connected to the correct end of the string/strip. 

[dpitts]

I think the way to proceed is to take pictures of all connections, the hub and ssc for all to see.

[jnealand]

Pigtails by definition only go to the SSC.  From the SSC many of us a 3 pin connector that you can get from Ray.  Signals go from the hub to the SSC via cat 5 and from the SSC to the string via a 3 wire connection.

[diceman3807]

Here are the pictures of the SSC, hub, and connection to the flexstrip. I have tested, and I am getting 12V at the solder point between the connector and the flexstrip.








Thanks for all the help.

Jon

[rm357]

It doesn't look like your soldering iron is getting hot enough. The solder joints on the bottom of the board look ok, but the solder has not flowed through the board to make good connections on the front side.

I would retouch all of the solder joints trying to get the solder to flow and make good joints on the front side of the board, but if you cannot get it hot enough for that, the last resort would be you touch the solder joints from the front of the board. Especially the yellow capacitors and the three legged voltage regulators.

RM

[diceman3807]

No problem, I'll jack up the temp a bit on the iron...I was running about 320...I'll see if 350 does a better job.

Jon

[diceman3807]

I have blinky!!!

I did the touchup as suggested, and then just for giggles went and to re-check the PIC, and lo and behold I couldn't read from it. I replaced it with another PIC, reprogrammed and VOILA!

Thanks for all the pointers...I guess I know what my first step should be next time!

Jon

[rm357]

Congratulations!!!