Dangerous Prototypes Open Source Hardware

Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen3)

January 16, 2012, 04:56:42 pm

We really liked Arhi's SID gen 3...so we decided to build our own. We allready build a Version 1 which was based on his gen2 but a few bugs were found out, and corrected. so now here is the Soldering Iron Driver V1.5. Its based on arhis Gen3.
Read about his project, and development here...
viewtopic.php?f=56&t=2457
Read about our version here:
http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Pat ... evelopment

This driver is capable of driving all soldering irons based on RTC, J or K type thermocouples...ITs been tested on Hakko, Gordak, Solomon, and Weller soldering irons....

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #1 – January 16, 2012, 07:07:49 pm

PERFETTO !!!!

Lemme know when PCB's (or even a full kit) will be available as I know some ppl that would like to purchase it :)

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #2 – January 16, 2012, 07:59:44 pm

WOW, great board, pity that it's not single sided :)

Just found a perfect encoder for the controller COPAL RECW20D50-201-1 (optical beast)

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #3 – January 16, 2012, 08:07:23 pm

[quote author="ZASto"]WOW, great board, pity that it's not single sided :)[/quote]

Well, if it was single sided it could not have nice ground under the analog input... also you can always make 2 sided board at home and solder parts on both sides :D, not that you never did it :D

[quote author="ZASto"]Just found a perfect encoder for the controller COPAL RECW20D50-201-1 (optical beast)[/quote]

The major issue I had with encoders is the freaking button. I have some encoders with buttons at home and the "softest" one requires 0.7 kg of force to press the darn button ... (the other ones require more then 1 kg) ..

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #4 – January 16, 2012, 08:54:41 pm

Nah, will wait for PCB's :)
You know that I'll take one, don't you :D

As for encoder button, mine is without, will figure out some good layout for the box (hint: 5MK) :)

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #5 – January 16, 2012, 09:37:10 pm

I already have the 5MK box for it :D, assembling it right now :D

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #6 – January 16, 2012, 10:39:02 pm

It uses more I/O pins but how about these kind of buttons for controlling? the force is comparable (a little bit more then) to a normal switch.

http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/alps-s ... th=156_160 or http://www.voti.nl/winkel/catalog.html?SW-JS-02

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #7 – January 16, 2012, 10:42:26 pm

I never used joysticks on my electronics, I was tempted few times... anyhow for soldering iron I think encoder is way better choice as 99% of the time you will be only rotating it, the button is used only if you go trough menus (calibration, startup options etc..) so it's not crucial...

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #8 – January 16, 2012, 11:42:52 pm

there are lots of IOs available, and many different interfaces could be made....2/6 broken out pins are interrupt driven, 3/6 are analog/digital... and 1is digital only...

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #9 – January 17, 2012, 12:38:14 am

Just put the encoder remote from the board, in the top so you can mash it (with a hammer if needed!)

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #10 – January 17, 2012, 03:54:42 am

[quote author="AndThen"]Just put the encoder remote from the board, in the top so you can mash it (with a hammer if needed!)[/quote]

somebody else uses my trouble shooting method too.

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #11 – January 17, 2012, 12:30:54 pm

I happen to found this jog dial at mousers:

http://nl.mouser.com/ProductDetail/CK-C ... BLOhtYg%3d

the force is rated at 200g. It looks kinda the dial on the backside of some higer end Canon DSLRs.

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #12 – January 17, 2012, 07:46:19 pm

Hi guys, I got a free pcb of the version 1 and I want to know what part is R32, is a NTC?

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #13 – January 17, 2012, 10:39:28 pm

jup its the ntc...although I would advise you to wait a while before building anything as there is no firmware that suports the board, jet, if you are familiar with writing your own firmware, you could extrapolate from arhis gen3 driver, only watch out as he uses a different pinout...

there are also errors on this board you should be avare, it does not support RTD type irons, hakko/gorak...etc. it only supports k-type sensor stuf...also firmware for it most probably wont be built. the reason for this is that we rushed these prototype boards before arhi figured out there were issues with his gen2(on which this was based) in the mean time Arhi updated his to  gen3, and we did as well,our V1.5 corresponds with arhis Gen 3....sorry for the inconvenience..

If you need any help figuring stuff out, and continue to build the board, I am here to answer any questions...

Re: Dangerous Soldering Iron driver V1.5(based on Arhi's gen

Reply #14 – January 17, 2012, 10:52:50 pm

I could try to write my own firmware, I read that arhi posted a little hack to support Hakko-like soldering irons on the gen 2. However i have to wait because i don't have all the components yet.
Can you tell me the value of the NTC?

Thanks.