Author Topic: cant get it to work  (Read 5152 times)

Offline joshuashu

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cant get it to work
« 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?

Offline rrowan

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2009, »
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.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Warning SOME assembly required

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2009, »
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?

Offline rrowan

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2009, »


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.
Light Animation Hobby - Having fun and Learning at the same time. (21st member of DLA)
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Warning SOME assembly required

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2009, »
checked all this. when in program mode should the lights be flickering?

Offline RJ

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2009, »
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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
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2009, »
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?


Offline RJ

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2009, »
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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
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2009, »
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.

Offline deplanche

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2009, »
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.

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2009, »
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.

Offline deplanche

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #11 on: September 11, 2009, »
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. 

Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #12 on: September 11, 2009, »
here is a link to a video that i posted that should be a lot clearer.

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Offline mschell

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2009, »
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.
Mark
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Offline joshuashu

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Re: cant get it to work
« Reply #14 on: September 12, 2009, »
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