Got my 1st Controller!

[caretaker]

If the number 6 LED is coming on dimly there would have to be some leakage from the pic. 

1. Did you try swapping out PIC's with a know good LE?  If you did did it make a difference?
2. Have you run the test mode on the LE?  Did it function correctly?
3. If you take out the PIC does the LED still glow dimly? 
In order for the LED to glow it would have to be getting some source of ground and the only ground for the LED is the PIC

[Halstaff]

Jeff, I haven't tried swapping out the pic with a known good one as this is my first and only Express.  Maybe I'll order another one and give that a try.
I have run test mode and everything seems to run fine except for the dim led on 6.  I haven't tried running a program other than test as I just got my Etherdongle and Pickit3 yesterday.  These are my first purchases and I still need to get the cables and cords.

[RJ]

Check pin 10 of the pic chip (10 down on left side looking at the front of the controller) for a weak bridge, could even be some flux on the pins since it takes so little current to make the led glow.

RJ

[Halstaff]

RJ, I don't see anything but I'll reflow the pins of the pic to make sure.

[Halstaff]

Well I reflowed the relevant joints and still the same result.  Everything checks out in test mode, the checksum is right but led6 still lights up much dimmer than the others.

[Halstaff]

Alright, please explain this to me. 
After redoing all the solder joints failed to fix the problem, I jumpered the led that wouldn't light with a good one.  Now it works!  Maybe not quite as bright as the other led's, but it does light.
Go figure!

[chrisatpsu]

you might have given it too much heat when you first put it on, and slightly damanged it? or is it in backwards?

[Halstaff]

I don't know.  I doubt it's in backwards as I never took it out, just reflowed the solder joints and it's working now.

[bassmants]

Great to hear!

[urthegman]

Congrats, I was rooting for you.

[sjb]

Halstaff, that is great news. Have fun once you get the dongle going.

Steve (from Edmonton)

[Halstaff]

Thanks guys but I'm still not really sure what I did to fix this.  All I did was jump the dim led and a good one.  Once the dim led lit, I removed the jumper and its worked since. 

[chrisatpsu]

if you're using more than one express (most do) i'd mark this one in some way that you know it's "that one" in case it acts up for you outside, or in the cold.

[sjb]

Possibly there was a slight bridge and with you jumpering it then removing it, this removed the bridge???

Who knows ITS WORKING, that all that really matters is it not?

Steve

[caretaker]

Most likely you have a bad (weak) LED when you jumper-ed it with another LED it had enough extra current flowing through it to make it work.  My bad for not reading your problem more thoroughly as I thought the LED was just glowing dimly on it's own (with no output to it) and in reality when it was supposed to be on (output to the number 6 opto) it would only lite dimly.      Glad you got it working it it give you any more problems just replace the LED.