Author Topic: all members report any Aether II issues  (Read 31244 times)

Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #60 on: August 23, 2012, »
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I made two more of these things and have two more not working.  I really think these things are my bane now! LOL.

Here is what is going on:  One works perfectly except for the red being dim.  I can go through a sequence but the red is not functioning well.  I checked all the solder joints for the Red 5 pin thingy (I think it is a voltage regulator) and the surface solder of pin 2 and 7 on the LED (for red) and I am certain they are good.  Is it possible I have a faulty LED light?

The second one works with a caveat.  I can control RGBW no problem, but in between I get a disco flicker that is crazy.  I tried to see bridges and the like, but can't seem to nail down the problem with this one.  I think I am cursed to not build these things!

Side note:  I know that I am struggling with surface pad mount soldering.  Is there any tutorials on this?  It is driving me crazy!

Kurt

Kurt, sorry to see your bad luck.  Thought you'd nail these last 2.  Hopefully you'll get it figured out and get all 4 to work!  If not, I know someone who'll take em.   ;D
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline rm357

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all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #61 on: August 24, 2012, »
Post pictures.
Robert
Warner Robins, Georgia, USA

Offline kjam22

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #62 on: August 25, 2012, »
Finally got some time to work on this.  After blowing the fuse I was able to track down my problem - bad ld33.  Anyone have a suggestion on a good circuit design book?  I took circuits back in college but that was a long time ago and it was pretty basic stuff.

Also any good text on pic chips would be appreciated

Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #63 on: August 27, 2012, »
I built 2 yesterday and experienced the disco light issue on one.  I swapped pigtails and had no issue.  I was kinda rushing things at the end and I think I did not apply enough solder to the orange and white orange dmx wires (my least favorite part of the build).  Reapplied more solder to these wires and I had no disco using either pigtails then.  Fixed!

Maybe this will help others, but this works for me for soldering led pads.

Flux is necessary to solder the led pads.  Solder the pads one at a time or you'll end up with bridges between pads.  Make sure the part is oriented in the most comfortable way for you to accomplish soldering.  I found doing opposite led pad (pad I am soldering is on my left when iron coming from right) and with assembly tilted toward my left hand worked best.  Also, unlike the instructions I attached pcb to heatsink first and soldered wires for led when both were together so make sure your iron is hot. 

Step 1: Apply flux to a pad with toothpick/etc, get a nice amount of solder on your tip, and place this on pad.  I notice the solder doesn't immediately grab, but it will in a second or 2. 

Step 2: Position your wire close to pad with opposite hand and while your heat solder from step one push wire into solder. 

Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline caretaker

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #64 on: September 03, 2012, »
I want to thank RJ for posting the trouble shooting info for the Ather II's and more importantly the theory of operation for them as that help me immensely when trouble shooting 2 of my 4 Aether II's that would only come on white.  After checking and finding I was not getting 3.3 volts I had found that I had soldered 2 of the 3.3 voltage regulators in backwards. Having the theory of operation helped me pinpoint the problem quickly and if I could suggest adding the theory of operation for every LYNX device (of course on a basic levle like RJ did for the Aether II) to the wiki it might help others trouble shoot projects more quickly OR if a trouble shooting flow chart could be built that would work too.
Jeff Squires
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Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #65 on: December 19, 2013, »
I have an aether II stuck on all white.  Used for 2 seasons and I had no issues.  I have reflashed a dozen times.  It runs test firmware fine.  Some things I did.  Swapped pic, 485 chip, and LD33.  Based on this thread I am NOT getting 5V from the LD33 but only 1.73V. Which is why I replaced it.  Replace 5V reg? Any help?  Many thanks in advance.   
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #66 on: December 20, 2013, »
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I have an aether II stuck on all white.  Used for 2 seasons and I had no issues.  I have reflashed a dozen times.  It runs test firmware fine.  Some things I did.  Swapped pic, 485 chip, and LD33.  Based on this thread I am NOT getting 5V from the LD33 but only 1.73V. Which is why I replaced it.  Replace 5V reg? Any help?  Many thanks in advance.   

did you install a switch (or use the one in back of the case) to possibly use as a work light?  if not, i believe there are two spots on the boards to solder wires to add a switch...  might be shorting which would make it turn on, white.
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Offline caretaker

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #67 on: December 20, 2013, »
Sam, try reflashing the PIC,  How the Aether II's work is when your apply power the PIC powers up and sends 3.3 volts to all four LED voltage regulators turning them OFF, hence that is why there is a pop of white light when you first apply power normally. If possible to check if ALL of your LED's (red, green, blue and white) are coming on or just the white. If the former then I would suspect the PIC or the 3.3 Regulator, the latter bad regulator for the white LED.

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I have an aether II stuck on all white.  Used for 2 seasons and I had no issues.  I have reflashed a dozen times.  It runs test firmware fine.  Some things I did.  Swapped pic, 485 chip, and LD33.  Based on this thread I am NOT getting 5V from the LD33 but only 1.73V. Which is why I replaced it.  Replace 5V reg? Any help?  Many thanks in advance.   
Jeff Squires
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Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #68 on: December 20, 2013, »
Thanks guys.  No manual switch installed or solder bridge.  Reflashed and still all white.  All leds are coming on not just white. 

The 5v reg feeds the 3.3v reg right?  So if I am not getting 5v the cause would be the 5v right?  I suspect somehow the 5v reg may have touched the case and it shorted and is now is out of tolerance.  There are some signs to indicate this.  Scratching/dust.  If the 3.3v reg doesn't get proper voltage then the pic is not powered right, then all white?  Seem logical to warrant replacing 5v? 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline RJ

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #69 on: December 20, 2013, »
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Thanks guys.  No manual switch installed or solder bridge.  Reflashed and still all white.  All leds are coming on not just white. 

The 5v reg feeds the 3.3v reg right?  So if I am not getting 5v the cause would be the 5v right?  I suspect somehow the 5v reg may have touched the case and it shorted and is now is out of tolerance.  There are some signs to indicate this.  Scratching/dust.  If the 3.3v reg doesn't get proper voltage then the pic is not powered right, then all white?  Seem logical to warrant replacing 5v?
sounds like good logic to me!

RJ
Innovation beats imitation - and it's more satisfying

Offline tbone321

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #70 on: December 20, 2013, »
It could be a voltage issue.  If you have a volt meter, the first thing that I would do is measure the input voltage to the unit.  If that is good, then measure the output of the bridge rectifier.  Sometimes they can partially fail which will cut your voltage in half.  If that looks good then I would measure the voltage on the pins of the 5V regulator.  You should see the bridge voltage on one pin and 5V on another.  If you don't see the bridge voltage then you have a bad connection and if you don't see 5V, then the regulator needs to be replaced.  If you do, then you need to look at the 3.3V regulator and do the same measurements.  You should see the 5V from the 5V regulator and the 3.3V output.  If you don't see the 5V input, then you need to trace back the connection.  If there is no 3.3V, then that is the regulator that needs to be replaced.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #71 on: December 20, 2013, »
Input voltage 12v is ok.  From a limited understanding of things, I get 6vac from each side of rectifier.  Tested 5v reg and get 5v and 15v on the other leg.  Seems like its working...  Tested 3.3v reg and get 1.7v and -3.2v on the other leg.  Center is ground right? 

OK this is weird.  If I take the voltage from the cap nearest to 3.3v reg I get the 5v AND if I take a measurement from center leg of 5v reg and left leg of 3.3v reg (input?) I get the 5v.  Lost now... 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline tbone321

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #72 on: December 20, 2013, »
The center pin is NOT ground on that regulator.  Pin 1 is ground on that one.  I would find a common ground point for future measuerments and then you can just move the positive probe from pin to pin while checking measurements.  It appears that the 5V regulator is functioning normally and the issue is with the 3.3V regulator or one of the components connected to it.
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Offline zwiller

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #73 on: December 20, 2013, »
Looks like the posted drawing is wrong.  I was measuring pins from 2 and 3.  It appears the 3.3v reg is fine.  5v from pin 1 and 3 and 3.3 from pins 1 and 2. 
Sam, who is happy he flashed his etherdongle with newest firmware!

"Now, I had heard that word at least ten times a day from my old man. He worked in profanity the way other artists might work in oils or clay. It was his true medium; a master."

Offline tbone321

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Re: all members report any Aether II issues
« Reply #74 on: December 20, 2013, »
Try removing the PIC and power it up and see what happens.
If at first you don't succeed,
your not cut out for sky diving