Obejohnknobe Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Greetings everyone! Hope everyone has had a great holiday Light Show Season!! During the Christmas Light Show in early December, had one of my Pixie 8's decide to quit. Troubleshot cables, props and cards to verify it is the Pixie 8 card. Completely separated the card from the display and the Pixie 8 will not read and just blinks as if it is waiting to talk to the computer. Tried several different methods to get the computer to talk and nothing corrects the issue. Thinking last year, had a similar problem with a Pixie 4, worked with the LOR troubleshooting ticket individual and it ended up being the card lost it brains. Tried one of the methods the individual told me to do (memory is faint but should have copied and pasted for future reference) tried the power on while reset button is pushed to get an error code. Once powered on while reset button pushed, it blinked very fast and then released the button. At that time, 4 blinks and then 1 blink which appears to be an error code of 41, then repeat. Any ideas on how to get the card to read? I did submit a ticket but not sure if they were extremely busy as I got a response to do a video of it. Now, with it calmed down, figure I would ask the forum before making a video of it to send to them. Thank you!! John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 Page 34 of the current Pixie manual You may need to use HU to load a fresh boot loader? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 6 Author Share Posted January 6 I agree it might be the firmware but when I tried to find the Pixie 8. When using HU on a search, the light still blinks and HU says it cannot find it or nothing is connected. I remember faintly, the troubleshooting individual had me force the Pixie to accept the firmware but do not remember what the procedure was. Any idea how that is accomplished?? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 6 Share Posted January 6 50 minutes ago, Obejohnknobe said: I agree it might be the firmware but when I tried to find the Pixie 8. When using HU on a search, the light still blinks and HU says it cannot find it or nothing is connected. I remember faintly, the troubleshooting individual had me force the Pixie to accept the firmware but do not remember what the procedure was. Any idea how that is accomplished?? John Boot Loader is different than FW. I have had to load FW with only the single controller connected AND sent to any device Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimehc Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 Replace the Comm Chip.............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 OK, do not have the schematics to make a informed decision about which chip it is. Can only assume it is the chip in the chip socket labeled C17 next to the Ethernet connectors? If there is any others, forget it, I am not very good at soldering chip on a card. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 7 Share Posted January 7 that is the chip Gently pry (alternate ends so as to not warp the legs) with a small screwdriver But please do not call it Ethernet connector, someone may plug a cable that IS and do damage to the circuits (at either end) We say RJ45 or more correct: 8P8C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 7 Author Share Posted January 7 I can also assume the ship is an ESD chip? On the RJ45, my brain is not functioning well due to recovering from covid, so please forgive me if I end up calling it a thing-a-ma-jig Ethernet. LOL John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimehc Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/968-ISL81487EIPZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 If you have lights attached to the Pixie8, eill it run the self test and turn on the lights (all ports are tested at the same time, so if a light strand is connected to all 8 ports, all strabds will go light). If the self test DOES NOT turn any lights on anywhere, HU can't find it, and the L.E.D. is continually blinking waiting for a connection, chances are 100% you have a dead comm chip, replace it, run self-test, if it works you know you installed the comm chip correctky, stop sekf-test abd connect to HU with a cat5 or cat6 cable, HU should find your controller and put L.E.D. on steady. I just did this eith a Pixie16D board with every symptom you're experiencing. Comm chip IS in a socket, it's a snall 8 pin chip(4 legs per side). Make sure the notch is in the same position as the notch on the socket. And yes, this chip is directly next to the RJ45 sockets. Should take less than 5-10 minutes to pull old chip and replace wirh a new one. I think lightning took mine out, as after I replaced and tested mine, I lost port 13, all 15 other ports work perfectly, tried swapping connectors from other ports on the PCB to port 13 to see if the lights would light up, just in case the plug in connector that was originally instalked in port 13 had an issue, no, worked fine when I plugged the original connector from port 13 connector in any other port, lights always lit up, so no bad wiring anywhere on any of the connectors. But when I'd plug a known good light string on any other port into port 13, I get a quick blue flash of several bulbs on the string, and immediately after, nothing, like the power was there extremely brief, then gone. I'm still trying to figure out the issue on port 13 on mine. Just weird that it's the only port with this issue, especially if it was a lightning strike, which I'm pretty sure it was, due to at the time I had 10 older 5v CCB100D controllers installed, and I lost 6 of them in total(2 diffetent lightning storms took them out), also lost 8-5v light strings in those storms too. We had a direct hit to my wooden handicap ramp where the controllers were all mounted in the first storm, the second storm we had a strike directly between my house and my neighbors. That one also took out the electronics in one of their vehicles, wouldn't start, nothing, they had to get it towed to the dealer for repair, but even so, it continued to have issues after that. Lightning can do strange things, especially to controllers and RGB light strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 Lightning can make electronics do weird things. When I was young and still a newbie in the military electronics, he would give his sage advice on the Hierarchy of Troubleshooting. What was the last thing that happened before it started acting weird to start the troubleshooting chart. Most of the time, he was correct. I still feel like a newbie when it come to this forum as there are a lot of very knowledgeable personal in this hobby field. I have ordered the com chips (88 cents each) and should be in sometime this week. Come to think of this problem, we had a lightning strike a couple of days before we noticed the prop being out. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 9 hours ago, Jimehc said: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/968-ISL81487EIPZ Thank you, the data sheet is really helpful. The company seems to have put some ESD chip protection in the layers to prevent human discharge from damaging it. Love the breakout on how the chip works in tx and rx and gives me a sense of how it works. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 1 hour ago, Obejohnknobe said: Lightning can make electronics do weird things. When I was young and still a newbie in the military electronics, he would give his sage advice on the Hierarchy of Troubleshooting. What was the last thing that happened before it started acting weird to start the troubleshooting chart. Most of the time, he was correct. I still feel like a newbie when it come to this forum as there are a lot of very knowledgeable personal in this hobby field. I have ordered the com chips (88 cents each) and should be in sometime this week. Come to think of this problem, we had a lightning strike a couple of days before we noticed the prop being out. John Whrn I ordered my comm chips I ordered 10 of them, so I have a few spares since i have a total of 7 Pixie controllers. Probably should have ordered more!🤣 But 3 Pixie2's and are reserved as back ups to my 2 Pixie4's, and only 1 of my 2 Pixie16's is currently in use, I still need to get 2-12V 300+Watt power supplies and a weatherproof enlosure for the 2nd one to finish it up. Currently using my 2-12V 5Amp test bench power supplies for testing purposes before the complete installation. Once I get those last few items, it can be put into service, minus port 13, unless I stumble onto why it's not working and manage to fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 8 Author Share Posted January 8 I feel for you on port 13, seems like the lightning may have taken it out. At least you narrowed it down to it, good luck and keep me posted if you are able to figure it out. When I ordered the chips they come in bundles of 25. I have 1 - 16 channel AC Residential controller, 3 - Pixie16s, 6 - Pixie8s, and 4 - Pixie4s. I like them this way as it is easier for me to troubleshoot a prop instead of a long string of props. As of lately, I have had a rash of props going out or a string going out and for the most part, been able to eliminate the issue within a day or 2 with back up cables or cards and/or fuses. Most of my pixels are 5v with some 12v light strips and pixel flood lights. Those 25 comm chips will come in handy. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 (edited) 2 hours ago, Obejohnknobe said: I feel for you on port 13, seems like the lightning may have taken it out. At least you narrowed it down to it, good luck and keep me posted if you are able to figure it out. When I ordered the chips they come in bundles of 25. I have 1 - 16 channel AC Residential controller, 3 - Pixie16s, 6 - Pixie8s, and 4 - Pixie4s. I like them this way as it is easier for me to troubleshoot a prop instead of a long string of props. As of lately, I have had a rash of props going out or a string going out and for the most part, been able to eliminate the issue within a day or 2 with back up cables or cards and/or fuses. Most of my pixels are 5v with some 12v light strips and pixel flood lights. Those 25 comm chips will come in handy. John If I find out what the issue is and resolve it for port 13, I'll sure let you know! When I ordered mine it was as low as 1 chip, with a maximum of what stock they had in inventory at the time. I took the 10 as that gave me a discount on the price, thinking that would be enough to cover my RGB Controllers, turns out I should have ordered a lot more for backup. Considering I live in the lightning capital of the world, or so they claim. Not something Florida should really use as bragging rights!🤣🤣🤣 Edited January 8 by Orville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 4 hours ago, Obejohnknobe said: Thank you, the data sheet is really helpful. The company seems to have put some ESD chip protection in the layers to prevent human discharge from damaging it. Love the breakout on how the chip works in tx and rx and gives me a sense of how it works. John These are chips are members of 'Serial Com' drivers (RS232,422...) family that have been used for decades . Protection was there from day 1 as they commonly drove terminal devices on long cables that were subject to EMp from nearby devices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheDucks Posted January 8 Share Posted January 8 2 minutes ago, Orville said: If I find out what the issue is and resolve it for port 13, I'll sure let you know! When I ordered mine it was as low as 1 chip, with a maximum of what stock they had in inventory at the time. I took the 10 as that gave me a discoubt on the price, thinking thst would be enough to cover my RGB Controllers, turns out I should have ordered a lot more for backup. Considering I live in the lightning capital of the world, or so they claim. Not something Florida should really use as bragging rights!🤣🤣🤣 Local GROUNDED (to the earth) Phone line surge protectors (LOR uses the same pair as T+R ) ELK has one with a 8Pin (it is wired for RJ37, but that is an In Out with T+R normal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obejohnknobe Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 Chips came in and everything works now!!!!!! When I pulled the chip, there was evidence of water under the chip on slot pins 2, 3, and 4. Thank you everyone for the help!!! I do have extras so if this happens again, I know what to do. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k6ccc Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 Glad it was the easy fix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orville Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 (edited) 1 hour ago, Obejohnknobe said: Chips came in and everything works now!!!!!! When I pulled the chip, there was evidence of water under the chip on slot pins 2, 3, and 4. Thank you everyone for the help!!! I do have extras so if this happens again, I know what to do. John I was having water get into some of my RGB controllers, especially during heavy rains with high wind gusts. I'd suggest using a silicone sealer where the port wires come out, as well as the power cord. I also sealed around where the cat5 goes in. Easy enough to peel away when a cat5 cable change might be needed. Since I did that, I haven't had any water getting inside my RGB controllers. My controllers are mounted outside year round, whether in use or not. But if I want to move them for some reason, easy enough to peel the silicone sealant off the cat5 cables. I leave it alone on the port wires and power cords on them. Something you might want to consider to keep water (and other critters) out of your controllers. I do this on my CTB16PC ~AC~ controllers too. Edited January 20 by Orville Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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