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Messages - wildstar87

1
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
My mistake, I thought you were saying $300 for a transformer.  The around $100 was for the parts, not including the transformer.  That's only for one set.  I cannot do it for you, and all I did as far as the parts, was added the parts, or equivalents, from the BOM on github, to the carts, I didn't save any copies, since I didn't end up ordering anything, just telling you my experience.
2
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
What transformer are you looking at?  The one I got is still around $50 US.  Either from Mouser or Digikey.

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Triad-Magnetics/VPT24-6670?qs=wkKrz7WmEgM9dyICyimRcw%3D%3D
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/triad-magnetics/VPT24-6670/2090084

If you have someone build it for you, like JLCPCB, yes it's definitely going to be more expensive.  Keep in mind that when he posted that figure it was in 2015, prices have gone up.  Last I checked, which was a few months ago, the parts will run around $100, then you have the PCBs, but they aren't that expensive, especially if you order them individually.  If you try to order them all panelized (all together), they will cost A LOT more through JLCPCB, because they tack on an extra engineering fee.

Unless you are going to build it yourself, expect it to cost a bit more, depending on who is making it.  It was never meant to be a project that you could just send to a manufacturer and have it built for that cost, it was always a project for someone to do it themselves, to save costs.

There are also a lot of JBC C245 clones out there, though they aren't perfect either, but all you have to do is search for them. 
3
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Thanks, it was your third step that I was missing, as I already previously wired it up how you suggested before.  I wasn't aware of the hidden setting menu for the encoder options, and these aren't in the main menu (I wonder why?).  Previous searches I wasn't able to find anything, but I was able to search on the term, and find this information:

Quote from: sparkybg on
Connection of rotary encoder:
- A to B1
- B to B3
- C to 3.3V
- Button to B1 and 3.3V

The control method is selected this way:
- go to menu
- press and hold center button ot encoder button for 5 seconds
- pres and release center button to select the control option
- leave it alone for 5 seconds and it will exit

The meaning of options:
- KEYS - the plain old 3 button control
- ENC-A-1PPD - encoder with channel A event, 1 pulse per detent
- ENC-AB-2PPD - encoder with channel A and channel B event, 2 pulses per detent (one for A and one for B)
- ENC-A-2PPD - encoder with channel A event, 2 pulses per detent
- ENC-AB-4PPD - encoder with channel A and channel B event, 4 pulses per detent (2 for A and 2 for B channel)

Just select what works best for you. The goal is to select an variant which leads to change of temperature/option with one up or one down per detent.

Problem finally fixed, it works fine now, with the debouncing circuit, which is probably redundant now, but it works.  Again thanks, I wouldn't have known otherwise, as it isn't in any of the github docs, that I saw.
4
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Could really use some help figuring out the encoder.  I put in a debounce circuit, using a schmidt trigger, and it didn't really make things any better.  When I rotate in either direction, it doesn't always register the detent, so I end of rotating a lot more, to get one step.  One direction seems to be a little better than the other, but neither direction works perfectly.  Is there some setting I can look at, or troubleshooting steps that I can do?

Please help
5
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Got the rotary encoder hooked up, and it's working, mostly.  It isn't working that well, sometimes one click on the detent will change value, sometimes not, often takes multiple detents (in either direction), and it seems going faster doesn't really improve it that much.  I did put the 100nf caps in.  I'm assuming this might be a debounce issue?  The rotary encoder is the one that came in the kit that I got from you vulkan35.  Should I make the caps a bit bigger?
8
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Trying to put a rotary encoder in, just a generic EC11, but not sure how the wire it up.  Encoder has A, B, C, D, E terminals, where D,E are the switch, I'm assuming I put A on B1, B on B2, but what do I put for the C?  3.3V or GND?  I'm assuming that D would be B3, and E would be 3.3V, since B3 is being pulled down to GND with the switch open.  Since the header lists both 3.3V and GND, along with B1,B2,B3, I'm scratching my head at where GND would be used, since the normal switches are all pulled down to ground on open switch. 

Normal usage in EC11 datasheets seem to use C as GND

Do I need any other components?  I did search through the thread, saw some mentions of encoder, but nothing specific on what goes to where on encoder.
9
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Quote from: Morpheus1979 on
There already was a discussion about this:

So you can (kind of) use both outputs to drive two soldering tools -> but it is not recommended and only possible with strong limitations (because of the hardware and software design). Afaik 'Sparky' has no plans for a future HW revision with two totally separate heater channels and two separate sleep sense circuits... and 'Iwanushka' hasn't been active on this forum for over a year (so there won't be a new pcb revision from him either).

Thanks Morpheus1979, this is exactly what I needed to know, it's too bad that there isn't a FAQ somewhere (Valerionew github is closest I've found) for some of these seemingly common, slightly less-common questions.  The thread, while interesting to see the progress, and different uses, is not remotely easy to find specific information.  For my purposes, looks like this won't work, at least as a single, probably would be ok if I built one for each side, which seems a bit overkill, but it would also allow for truly independent operation.  This might be an option, as that is how the 988D is essentially done right now, two of mostly everything in the box.  I'll have to give this some thought.
10
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Thanks for the ZD-915 info.  Let me ask a more basic question, since this is kind of the mandatory for the use I want.  Can you have 2 outputs on your station, and either use them simultaneously, or individually selected?  All the projects I've seen, only have one output plug on their stations.  I'm looking at the schematic, and on the J2 Iron connector, there are Vout1, Vout2, and J6 Sensor connector, there is SenseA,SenseB.  I'm assuming that Vout1 and SenseA would control one output, and Vout2 and SenseB would control another output. 
11
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
Quote from: minkok on
If you want to use T12 and JBC tools to your station ( based on similarity to Hakko 907 ) you will struggle with a big problem - how to convert TC readings to PTC one.
If you want to use your handles to Unisolder - yes you can, but maybe you need to change the profiles or to create new ones.

Not trying to connect T12 or JBC handles to my current station, without using Unisolder so I don't think the reading conversion would be a problem, since Unisolder already supports all these handles, at least as far as the soldering irons are concerned.  The desoldering side is much more of a question, either using the existing desoldering iron, or using the gun from a ZD-915, or similar.

The main issue is I haven't seen any mention of how to use the 2 separate heater controls/sensor imputsj, and there isn't really documentation that I have found (I'm still slogging through this huge thread) that shows how the UI/Firmware works in regards to this.  I don't have any problem building this, but I don't want to get it all built, to find out it won't actually support what I need.

The station itself is fairly substantial, all metal case, nice rotary knobs.  By the measurements, I believe I could fit a 1.5" OLED in place of the 3 digit display, and a rotary encoder where the adjustment pot sits now.  Assuming Unisolder works like I think it does, I guess I would only be using the interface on the solder side, as that would control both the solder/desolder, depending on which output was selected.  The existing desoldering controls would no longer be used, but I could leave the vacuum button trigger hooked up to the existing controller, but have the temperature/sensing done by Unisolder.

Has no one really not done this at all?



12
Project logs / Re: Really universal soldering controller
I've looked through the original Github, as well as the Valerionew one, but have been unable to find this information.  I have crawled through a part of the thread, but this information has not come up through the search, or the thread I have read so far (Is there a FAQ somewhere?)

These are fairly simple questions.  Are there any specifics on how the 2 separate heater controls work?  Do these work with the 2 independent sensor inputs? Is it already built into the firmware?

More background:  I have a Xytronics 988D solder/desolder station.  The existing iron is what looks to be basically the same as Hakko 907/Clone.  The desoldering iron seems to be their own design.  I'd like to convert this so I can use a T12 or JBC handle on the soldering side, and use the existing desolder handle, or possibly a ZD-915 desolder handle.  It already has 24V Transformers, and vacuum pump built in, so thought it would be perfect for this conversion.

Any info would be appreciated, thanks!

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