So a few months ago, I tried to use my BPv3 to program an Arduino Pro Mini. I wasn't having success, so I went to the forums for advice. I was told to update my firmware, so I downloaded the latest version and went to work. I couldn't find the jumper I usually used, so I jammed the ICSP header into my breadboard so I could use a bit of wire to jumper the requisite pins. In a stroke of utter stupidity, I had put the ICSP header into a power rail on the breadboard. Instead of shorting two pins to load the bootloader, I shorted every pin together. When I hooked it up to USB, the PIC died in a puff of magic smoke.
Fast forward to now, I've got a permanent workspace and some projects that could use a Bus Pirate, but I'm too cheap to buy a new one. Therefore I decided to replace the PIC24 chip by hand. Using a couple of rosin core solder blobs as a kind of makeshift flux, I heated the chip with my rework station and pulled it off with some tweezers. Tomorrow, the new PIC comes in the mail from mouser, so if all goes well I'll have it fixed then.
Good luck with the repair, please keep us updated. Remember to clean up the old solder and then apply lots of flux so everything flows nicely.
Thanks.
Status Update: I got the PIC24 in today, but I'm waiting until tomorrow to do the fix because I'll be getting some solder braid and a new iron for my Aoyue workstation (I cracked the heating element on my current one when changing the tip, making it heat unevenly) from SRA. I have a question about flux though. I don't have any electronics flux on hand, but I use rosin core solder and I drag-solder ICs, so will I need extra flux? If so, how do I use it?
Go buy one of those flux pens, I used one while drag-soldering a LQFP100 , and then felt like a surgeon after.
Flux is always good, I won't solder without it, especially surface mount. Just smear it on the silver parts of the PCB before you start. Add more to any difficult spots, or places that get resoldered/wicked/etc, to help everything flow well.
Any recommendations on a pen frank? I use an ancient syringe of flux, but I bought a pen with my last mouser order and absolutely hate the flux in it.
Mine is made by MG Chemicals , I'm not sure if they are considered good or bad in comparison to other brands or methods but it's definitely helping.
I love MG Chemicals. Not sure about their flux, but their PCB chemicals and solder braids are amazing.
Anywho, I'm ordering some flux, but I got my iron the other day and couldn't resist. I got the PIC soldered on fine, only issue was a lifted pad that I moved on top of the pin it went to and soldered it on. Now, using my PICKit2 on Win7 x64, I can load the bootloader from the most recent archive. The code loads with no trouble, and it verifies fine. However, I can't use the bootloader. Whenever I plug my BP in, all the LEDs except the mode LED are lit. The loader GUI times out. Any ideas?
Also, I have an OLS now, if that would help.
[quote author="Sal_The_Tiller"] I can't use the bootloader. Whenever I plug my BP in, all the LEDs except the mode LED are lit. The loader GUI times out. Any ideas?[/quote]
Have you short connected PGC and PGD ?
In order to start the bootloader you need to short pin 4 and 5 of the ICSP connector and then connect the BP to the USB. It will then run the bootloader and you can then push the firmware with bootloader gui.
Yep, same thing wether or not I short the pins. Guess I should've mentioned that part lol.
Which bootloader file did you load?
Whenever I plug my BP in, all the LEDs except the mode LED are lit.
Have you inspected closely for shorts? The other LEDS (especially the VREG LED) should never be on unless commanded by the Bus Pirate.
I'm loading "BPv3-Bootloader-v4.4.hex" from the latest firmware archive.
Also, I checked every pin and no shorts. When I first got the chip, there was a short that caused a Vpp voltage error and I've put that short back by fiddling, but otherwise none.
Aside: I picked up some flux from radioshack the other day, and I cannot believe I soldered without it.
I'm loading "BPv3-Bootloader-v4.4.hex" from the latest firmware archive.
Also, I checked every pin and no shorts. When I first got the chip, there was a short that caused a Vpp voltage error and I've put that short back by fiddling, but otherwise none.
Aside: I picked up some flux from radioshack the other day, and I cannot believe I soldered without it.
I'd suggest fluxing all the pins on the FTDI and PIC chip and just touching the iron to each pin. That gives the solder a chance to reflow, and the flux to do it's work.
Other than that, I'm not sure what to suggest. If the VREG and USB LEDs are on there has to be an overall problem in the circuit - those are controlled by two different chips in two different arrangements (one sources, one sinks current).