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hardware fault


David Conley

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This is a controller that I built. I'm a good solderer and used a heat sink on all semiconductors. The last four channels don't work. They are getting commands from the the D flip-flop chip to the SIP. I'm stuck there. I'm looking for sonething that is in common with all four channels. I suppose it's possible that I have a huge coincidence here, but it doesn't seem likely. Any thoughts out there?

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I just answered my own question. There is a post deep in the forum about this exact same issue. I put the one SIP that is different in the wrong spot. The opto-couplers aren't getting enough juice to fire the triacs. I haven't fixed this yet, but I'm confident that it will solve the problem. I know that there was one different when I was assembling it, but must have brain farted when the moment of truth came. Assembling your own controller is definately worth the effort (and cost savings) if you have the skills.

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Hi David,

Im just curious about something. When did you purchase this controller?

Reason I ask, is that I bought some CBT-16PCs this past winter during the clearance sale. And back then all 5 SIP resistor packs were the same mustard color. Now I bought two more this past summer I bought two more of the same units. Now the one that is different is black while the other 4 are still mustard color.

So, I am just interested if all of the newer controllers use this black SIP pack. Or is this just for the above mentioned model only?

Thanks

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I have bought the PC versions at various times since they were released. The colors vary from kit to kit. I think it just depends on the component supplier/manufacturer that LOR uses, probably who gives them the best deal on the components when they have to replenish the stock.

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I agree with Denny, Max-Paul. I bought mine sometime in March. Just didn't get around to building it until now. All of my resistors are mustatd. It is well marked...I just wasn't paying enough attention. Maybe the LOR guys cound break out a Sharpie and mark the special one. It would prevent situations like this.

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What I was wondering is if LOR guys and gals decided to start supplying this 5th SIP package on purpose in a black body. Thats all I was wondering. Hey I put one of my diodes in backwards on my 4th kit. Been building stuff for years. So, I did the old V8 commerical and slammed the heal of my hand into my forehead. I sure you know what I am talking about LOL.

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Max-Paul wrote:

What I was wondering is if LOR guys and gals decided to start supplying this 5th SIP package on purpose in a black body. Thats all I was wondering. Hey I put one of my diodes in backwards on my 4th kit. Been building stuff for years. So, I did the old V8 commerical and slammed the heal of my hand into my forehead. I sure you know what I am talking about LOL.

At least you didn't drop a hot soldering iron in your lap!
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Denny wrote:

Max-Paul wrote:
What I was wondering is if LOR guys and gals decided to start supplying this 5th SIP package on purpose in a black body. Thats all I was wondering. Hey I put one of my diodes in backwards on my 4th kit. Been building stuff for years. So, I did the old V8 commerical and slammed the heal of my hand into my forehead. I sure you know what I am talking about LOL.

At least you didn't drop a hot soldering iron in your lap!

ha ha maybe not this time. But I hate to have to tell you how many times I did that, or grab it wrong and started to cook my fingers. This stuff happens more often the more you play with circuit board and other projects.
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I had an issue with the resistor networks where I relied on colors (once). Luckily I found it before I finished. What a headache this was to de-solder. I now watch very very closely because parts very in color and shape.

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I'm also having a heck of a time desoldering them. Without an electic extractor it's just not reasonable to get then out intact. I contacted the LOR people and they are sending me one of each. All they wanted was my address. Who says that customer service is a thing of the past.

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I tried to get them out as well but it's near impossible without the right tools. I used my soldering iron and a solder sucker but I still had to destroy them to get them out. The good news is LOR sent me the parts I destroyed and I was up and running.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I too have problems with a new controller I built over the summer.
Channels 13,14,15,& 16 are not working. The remaining channels work fine.
I'm not sure what I should be looking for. I DID double check the 6-pin IC chips and they are soldered in correctly. And I don't understand the thread here noting the way to correct the problem. What is the "SIP" and where do I locate that??

Please help.

Thanks

Bill

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Bill,

The SIP is the 8 pin resistor pack. There is one of then for each group of 4 channels. There is also one mounted up by the processor chip. The 4 going to the channels are 470 ohm for each (the mart number should be 8x-2-471 (the 471 means 47 times 10). the other part number is 8x-2-472 (47 times 100) for 4.7K. The 471 will work in the processor spot (although it will probably decrease the life of some other components) but the 472 will not provide a high enough threshold for the optical couplers (the 8 pin white chips at each channel) If these are in the wring spots you'll have a heck of a time getting them out intact. Be careful...You run the risk of lofting a pad or damaging a nearby component of you try for too long. LOR was very understanding of my brain fart. Let them know and they will probably send you one of each so that you can chop up the existing ones to get them out. Good luck.

p.s. Mine is up and running just fine now. Just in time to start Halloween prep.

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David:

Thanks for the guidance. I took a look at the board, and indeed, I've got the 471 & 472 in the wrong places. I TOO had a brain freeze (maybe senility???) when putting in these items. This is exactly why my mother never suggested becoming a rocket scientist!!! The damn thing would never have worked!!!!
And to top matters off, I'm currently building my final controller, and sure enough, I've made the same error on the board. But, I'm not too far along that I can gain access to de-solder and make the change.
Maybe LOR should highlight in BOLD that the numbers are different, especially for us old, senility driven guys.

Thanks again

Bill


Attached files 179513=10211-lor_64_snow_blue.gif

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When I get a kit the first thing I do is take an inventory and separate all the parts and label them is different bags. No screw up this way.

Thomas

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I go through the parts, and separate them into ziploc bags by installation page. This doesn't do anything to prevent mixing up these resistor packs, but it does speed things up, as I'm not searching through all the parts when I do the assembly on each page. I suppose since I'm not distracted by separating them from the other parts, I can focus more on making sure the odd man out is in the right place.

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Bill -

SIP=Single Inline Package. Most chips are DIPs - Dual Inline Packages, with legs on both sides of the silicon.

Jeffl -

The odd resistor package is marked. The marking ends in a -472. Not obvious, though. This seems to be a common enough issue that it probably should be flagged or marked or something. I bet people would still screw it up, though.

TGabriel -

Quit making sense. You;ll remove the necessity for tech support.

klb -

ziplock bags? Watch for static electricity there; those things can destroy processors stored in them. It doesn't take much to puncture that micron-thick insulator. I miss the days of the old metal ice cube trays.

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