Express data problem SOLVED

[Nashville Roy]

I built the Express this summer and it seemed to work fine. However, after a few hours testing, it stopped responding to the test signals sent from x-Light.  It left the channels in whatever their last state was and it quit retransmitting data on DMX 2 out which I am using in combination with the wireless receiver.  I hit reset several times and saw no difference.  I ran a data cable and bypassed the wireless and it stayed in that state even after resets. I powered down and swapped the 485 chips around and it started working.  I figured I just didn't have one of the chips seated correctly.  Now that I have it in the yard, it may run a few minutes or a couple of hours and go into the frozen state.  If I recycle the power, it starts working correctly every time.  It sometimes appears as if the data is getting noisy sometimes as the sequence will pause and then start up.  By the way, the data light isn't on now even while working.  I realize the amount of data will affect it so I turned on all channels in x-Light and ran the speed up to max and it still doesn't light.  I've read where someone had some bad 485 chips and see where the ones that I ordered are discontinued. Is there a new replacement? Or am I looking in the wrong place?

Any help would be appreciated!

[caretaker]

Just to be clear you said you were not getting any response (wired or wireless) then after swapping 485 chips it worked but erratically.
I would touch up the pins on the 485 sockets (remove the chips first) and while your at it touch up the RJ45 jacks. I still believe 485 chips are still available but someone who knows for sure will have to answer that. Word of caution the 485 chips are very static sensitive so use caution when handeling. 

[Nashville Roy]

You are correct that it did not respond wired or wireless.  I verified the data on the wired as I removed the wireless terminator and the DMX 1 output would send the data though but DMX 2 was still dead. We have freezing rain right now.  It may be later today before I pull the card.  Thanks for the quick response.

[Nashville Roy]

Well, I had less than an hour between freezing rain showers so I shotgunned it by reheating some of the solder joints that looked suspect and I had two 485 chips in some unused DSCs that I swapped.  So far, it's been running about 30 hours straight without a problem.  I'm betting on the solder joints because the colder it got outside the faster it failed after reset.  Thanks for the help!