Really universal soldering controller

Topic: Really universal soldering controller (Read 774172 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4485 – January 15, 2021, 09:13:47 pm

Just to confirm this before I start buying parts.
This sensor http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/index.php?topic=7218.msg72386#msg72386 should work and support the 2 voltage levels from the new firmware to detect between holder and tip-change?

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4486 – January 15, 2021, 10:17:03 pm

Sleep will be corrected in the next firmware. Yes, it is a firmware issue.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4487 – January 15, 2021, 11:54:53 pm

New firmware published. Try it out.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4488 – January 16, 2021, 08:02:18 am

Quote from: SpeedProg on January 15, 2021, 09:13:47 pm

Just to confirm this before I start buying parts.
This sensor http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/index.php?topic=7218.msg72386#msg72386 should work and support the 2 voltage levels from the new firmware to detect between holder and tip-change?

If you want revised sch. it is better to use Touch Sensing old v1.2 mini from http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/index.php?topic=7218.msg72524#msg72524 by sch. they are the same.
If you want to use the board you have, you can, just add to the two inputs in series 200k ( use them as separate ins. ), add to the tip_change output in series 3k and connect the outputs together ( after 3k ).
I published the sch. too, you can compare them to change the old one.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4489 – January 16, 2021, 10:50:21 am

Quote from: sparkybg on January 15, 2021, 11:54:53 pm

New firmware published. Try it out.

Works fine now, thanks Sparky. Even the ZZZ looks ok again :-)

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4490 – January 16, 2021, 02:28:08 pm

Nice holder sensing seems to work again. But I realized something when flashing the new firmware, I can't use the boot loader one (and this I remember was the case back when I build the station too).

If I flash the firmware with bootloader the screen does never show anything.
If I flash the standalone everything is fine.
Any Idea what is happening there or what I could try to find out.

Also after flashing I assume I need to re calibrate, not sure how data is saved.

Also I didn't do this yet, I need to connect pin 8 to 28 and pin 53 to 54 to get the voltage based tip/holder distinction?

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4491 – January 16, 2021, 02:59:38 pm

1. Flash the bootloader only.
2. Using the USB and the PC software, upload the "with bootloader" firmware HEX.

This is what the bootloader is made for - uploading the firmware without PicKit, but just using the PC software and USB cable.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4492 – January 16, 2021, 03:17:08 pm

Quote from: Doomedahab on January 16, 2021, 10:50:21 am

Works fine now, thanks Sparky. Even the ZZZ looks ok again :-)

Yes, it was really stupid mistake.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4493 – January 16, 2021, 04:08:22 pm

Quote from: sparkybg on January 16, 2021, 02:59:38 pm

1. Flash the bootloader only.
2. Using the USB and the PC software, upload the "with bootloader" firmware HEX.

This is what the bootloader is made for - uploading the firmware without PicKit, but just using the PC software and USB cable.

When I only flash bootloader and then on windows load the standalone firmware using the PC software, the screen goes blank after a few seconds. And then everything is the same as if I flash bootloader+firmware with the pickit3. The bootloader is there (if I press the middle button during boot it shows the moving squares) but some how the firmware does not get loaded or idk.

Guess I just gonna live with not having the bootloader.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4494 – January 16, 2021, 04:35:36 pm

Quote from: SpeedProg on January 16, 2021, 04:08:22 pm

When I only flash bootloader and then on windows load the standalone firmware using the PC software, the screen goes blank after a few seconds. And then everything is the same as if I flash bootloader+firmware with the pickit3. The bootloader is there (if I press the middle button during boot it shows the moving squares) but some how the firmware does not get loaded or idk.

Guess I just gonna live with not having the bootloader.

You need to flash the "with bootloader" firmware, not the "standalone" :-)

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4495 – January 16, 2021, 06:16:55 pm

Quote from: Doomedahab on January 16, 2021, 04:35:36 pm

You need to flash the "with bootloader" firmware, not the "standalone" :-)

Tried that too (and again just now just to be sure) and it didn't make a difference

Is there any chance that I am maybe flashing the bootloader to a wrong memory region or something? So that then the address it trys to use to call the firmware is wrong?

When flashing Bootloader the output is as follows:
Connecting to MPLAB PICkit 3...

Currently loaded firmware on PICkit 3
Firmware Suite Version.....01.56.07
Firmware type..............PIC32MX
Programmer to target power is enabled - VDD = 3.375000 volts.
Target device PIC32MX564F128H found.
Device ID Revision = A2
2021-01-16 18:12:55 +0100 - Programming...

Device Erased...

Programming...

The following memory area(s) will be programmed:
program memory: start address = 0x1d000000, end address = 0x1d002fff
boot config memory
configuration memory
Programming/Verify complete
2021-01-16 18:13:00 +0100 - Programming complete

I gonna go install normal windows instead of using it from a VM and see if that makes any difference

But yeah flashed bootloader with PICkit3 and then installed the withbootloader firmware, understood that now that withbootloader doesn't mean it is with bootloader but that is should be used with the bootloader.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4496 – January 16, 2021, 06:30:01 pm

Post a video of what you do if you can

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4497 – January 16, 2021, 07:43:12 pm

Okay, i don't know what is going on, but it didn't work with windows either when I used the firmware stuff direly from git master.
But now I used the bootloader/firmware from the 02.12.2020 release and flashed the bootloader under linux with pickit3 and then used the software to flash the withbootloader firmware from inside a windows vm. and it works

Also it still keeps working after I flashed the git master firmware using the software afterwards.

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4498 – January 16, 2021, 07:57:22 pm

I am new here.
So few questions
1. What is the best way for me to get the controller?( buy a PCB only and part separately, buy a complete kit, buy a complete/assembled controller).What are prices of each option?

2. This topic is large( 300 pages) ,where can I find the latest development/features of the controller?

3. Who uses the controller with JBC tips?

3.Is here anyne who uses the controller with a nano tweezer e.g. JBC AN115 ?

Thanks for reply

Re: Really universal soldering controller

Reply #4499 – January 16, 2021, 07:57:41 pm

Linux has nothing to do with this.
Flash the latest bootloader and you must see running squares on the screen after power up. The you will be able to upload the latest "with bootloader" firmware with PC software.

...and DO NOT power the controller with PicKit3 - it does not have enough current to power the controller. The controller should be powered up while programming with PicKit3. And the computer and the controller must be powered from common source/wall outlet.