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QMX Immediately shutsdown; safe to apply power w/o control and display boards
Just completed my Rev 3 QMX assembly. It performs the USB stick emulation ok, to place the FW file on board. I did this both on initial power-up and by jumpering AUX2 to GND.? However, after FW load, when I press the left knob it draws power for an instant and then powers back down to 0.000A.? I'm using 7V, limited to 200mA.? I have inspected all my joints w/ a magnifier, all seem fine but I'm considering buying a USB microscope.
To start troubleshooting I want to check the power boards.? For easier access, is it safe to power up the unit without the control board and display boards plugged in? I've been monitoring this group since I placed my order.? I think I remember a reference to a troubleshooting guide by Hans, and another report of this failure mode, but I can't find either.? Pointers to either would be greatly appreciated.? I'm aware of the troubleshooting log Hans has posted about units he's fixed, but it doesn't mention this failure. Thanks for any advice and pointers. 73, -Al WA1TYB |
Just a quick thought. Without the control board will the unit even power up since the rotary push to power on won't be available? You might try just removing the display. If the current stays up, then the fault might be in the display board or the 5v power board.? I've seen other posts where faults/ bridges/shorts in the power boards' connector chains have caused odd problems. I took the advice in the build instructions and clipped the one set of pins back about a millimeter or so because I could definitely see I that a few were too long and extended past the solder pads and awful close to other items.? Greg
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Greg, THANK YOU.? Pulling the display board lets it come up, drawing
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~150mA at 6V. The terminal program is running, so it seems that at least part of the CPU is OK.? Now to figure out what I did wrong with the display board! Again, thanks. -Al WA1TYB On 3/22/2024 14:36, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote:
Just a quick thought. |
Hopefully something simple and/or obvious.
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Don't forget to check the 2 header connectors on the main board too.? Good hunting. Let us know if you solve it. Greg KI4NVX
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With the display board out of the radio, I measured 0 ohms between pin 2
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of the 4 pin connector (GND), and the pad to the right side of C301, which is marked VCC on the trace diagram. Seems "odd." Possible shorted C301? Unfortunately, I have no surface mount skills or equipment. What is a path forward? 73, -Al WA1TYB On 3/22/2024 15:44, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote:
Hopefully something simple and/or obvious. |
C301 sure looks like a bypass capacitor for the 5v feed into the LCD board. There to send little spikes and ripples on Vcc (the output of the 5V power supply) safely down the ground.?? One side of it should have continuity with pin 2 of JP303 (the four pin connector). The other side, I believe, should not show continuity with that pin 2, when checked with an ohm meter. And of course, there should also not be continuity directly between the actual contact ends of the capacitor, unless perhaps . . .? C301 is indeed shorted . . . OR There is a short between pins1 and 2 on the LCD component itself,? OR there is a short through the trimmer resistor (R305)? OR? if the trimmer resistor can actually be set to '0' ohms. Can you confirm that the trimmer resistor is? turned all the way counter-clockwise (when looking right down on the top of the bugger)? Greg Greg McCain gamccain50@...
On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 07:27:20 PM EDT, Al Simons <al@...> wrote:
With the display board out of the radio, I measured 0 ohms between pin 2 of the 4 pin connector (GND), and the pad to the right side of C301, which is marked VCC on the trace diagram. Seems "odd." Possible shorted C301? Unfortunately, I have no surface mount skills or equipment. What is a path forward? 73, -Al WA1TYB On 3/22/2024 15:44, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: > Hopefully something simple and/or obvious. > > Don't forget to check the 2 header connectors on the main board too. > > Good hunting. Let us know if you solve it. > > Greg KI4NVX > > > > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer > <> > >? ? On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 5:05 PM, Al Simons >? ? <al@...> wrote: >? ? Greg, THANK YOU.? Pulling the display board lets it come up, drawing >? ? ~150mA at 6V. The terminal program is running, so it seems that at >? ? least >? ? part of the CPU is OK.? Now to figure out what I did wrong with the >? ? display board! > >? ? Again, thanks. >? ? -Al WA1TYB > >? ? On 3/22/2024 14:36, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: >? ? > Just a quick thought. >? ? > >? ? > Without the control board will the unit even power up since the >? ? rotary >? ? > push to power on won't be available? >? ? > >? ? > You might try just removing the display. >? ? > If the current stays up, then the fault might be in the display >? ? board >? ? > or the 5v power board. >? ? > >? ? > I've seen other posts where faults/ bridges/shorts in the power >? ? > boards' connector chains have caused odd problems. I took the advice >? ? > in the build instructions and clipped the one set of pins back >? ? about a >? ? > millimeter or so because I could definitely see I that a few >? ? were too >? ? > long and extended past the solder pads and awful close to other >? ? items. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Greg >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <>> >? ? > >? ? >? ? On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 2:32 PM, Al Simons >? ? >? ? <al@...> wrote: >? ? >? ? Just completed my Rev 3 QMX assembly. It performs the USB stick >? ? >? ? emulation ok, to place the FW file on board. I did this both on >? ? >? ? initial power-up and by jumpering AUX2 to GND. However, after FW >? ? >? ? load, when I press the left knob it draws power for an >? ? instant and >? ? >? ? then powers back down to 0.000A.? I'm using 7V, limited to 200mA. >? ? >? ? I have inspected all my joints w/ a magnifier, all seem fine but >? ? >? ? I'm considering buying a USB microscope. >? ? > >? ? >? ? To start troubleshooting I want to check the power boards.? For >? ? >? ? easier access, is it safe to power up the unit without the >? ? control >? ? >? ? board and display boards plugged in? >? ? > >? ? >? ? I've been monitoring this group since I placed my order.? I think >? ? >? ? I remember a reference to a troubleshooting guide by Hans, and >? ? >? ? another report of this failure mode, but I can't find either. >? ? >? ? Pointers to either would be greatly appreciated. I'm aware of the >? ? >? ? troubleshooting log Hans has posted about units he's fixed, >? ? but it >? ? >? ? doesn't mention this failure. >? ? > >? ? >? ? Thanks for any advice and pointers. >? ? >? ? 73, >? ? >? ? -Al WA1TYB >? ? > >? ? > > > > > > > > |
I pulled the trimmer this afternoon, and it shows ~22k as spec'd, and
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the wiper goes smoothly over that range. I don't remember whether it went all the way to zero at the ends or not, but I've put the wiper mid-range in my testing and it doesn't change the apparent short between VCC and GND. I have raised the black pin spacer blocks on JP303 and 304 to make sure there was nothing extraneous being hidden, but the board is clean. I tried to pull the jumpers on display pins 1 and 2, to isolate the problem to the display board or the carrier board that has the various components on it, but I was unsuccessful on getting them unsoldered enough to be able to pull the wires. So of your list, I think we are down to a shorted C301, or a short on the display board.? Any other ideas welcome! Good night. -Al On 3/22/2024 18:59, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote:
C301 sure looks like a bypass capacitor for the 5v feed into the LCD |
Well,? I personally would carefully remove the cap and then check continuity between pins 1 and 2 at the LCD display itself. If it still shows a short, the problem is probably:,? -- a bridge between? pins 1 and 2 of the LCD solder connections --? something in the LCD internals -- or possibly something off in the PAD resistor PAD circuit on the other end. There's a Vcc feed over there too. And of course, check the cap itself for a short once it's out of the circuit. If it is shorted, that's the culprit. Good luck. Not sure if you are comfortable with working like that on small SMDs.? Greg
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Comfortable?? No...? I'll try to find someone locally who has equipment
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/ skills that I don't, or at least doesn't shake quite as much as I do. -Al On 3/23/2024 07:27, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote:
Well, |
Very sensible. A self supporting magnifier of some sort is almost certainly needed.? I got a headlamp magnifier thingy at Harbor Freight that actually works great. . Cheap too.? Has LED lights built in. Up to 15X magnification.? Was great for inspecting joints and traces, reading printing on components and replacing an SMD capacitor I managed to break. Print out the schematics to take with you if you find a willing helper. G Greg McCain gamccain50@...
On Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 10:30:57 AM EDT, Al Simons <al@...> wrote:
Comfortable?? No...? I'll try to find someone locally who has equipment / skills that I don't, or at least doesn't shake quite as much as I do. -Al On 3/23/2024 07:27, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: > Well, > > I personally would carefully remove the cap and then check continuity > between pins 1 and 2 at the LCD display itself. > > If it still shows a short, the problem is probably:, > -- a bridge between? pins 1 and 2 of the LCD solder connections > --? something in the LCD internals > -- or possibly something off in the PAD resistor PAD circuit on the > other end. There's a Vcc feed over there too. > > And of course, check the cap itself for a short once it's out of the > circuit. If it is shorted, that's the culprit. > > Good luck. Not sure if you are comfortable with working like that on > small SMDs. > > Greg > > > > > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer > <> > >? ? On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 11:41 PM, Al Simons >? ? <al@...> wrote: >? ? I pulled the trimmer this afternoon, and it shows ~22k as spec'd, and >? ? the wiper goes smoothly over that range. I don't remember whether it >? ? went all the way to zero at the ends or not, but I've put the wiper >? ? mid-range in my testing and it doesn't change the apparent short >? ? between >? ? VCC and GND. > >? ? I have raised the black pin spacer blocks on JP303 and 304 to make >? ? sure >? ? there was nothing extraneous being hidden, but the board is clean. > >? ? I tried to pull the jumpers on display pins 1 and 2, to isolate the >? ? problem to the display board or the carrier board that has the various >? ? components on it, but I was unsuccessful on getting them unsoldered >? ? enough to be able to pull the wires. > >? ? So of your list, I think we are down to a shorted C301, or a short on >? ? the display board.? Any other ideas welcome! > >? ? Good night. >? ? -Al > >? ? On 3/22/2024 18:59, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: >? ? > C301 sure looks like a bypass capacitor for the 5v feed into the LCD >? ? > board. There to send little spikes and ripples on Vcc (the output of >? ? > the 5V power supply) safely down the ground. >? ? > >? ? > One side of it should have continuity with pin 2 of JP303 (the four >? ? > pin connector). >? ? > >? ? > The other side, I believe, should not show continuity with that >? ? pin 2, >? ? > when checked with an ohm meter. >? ? > And of course, there should also not be continuity directly between >? ? > the actual contact ends of the capacitor, unless perhaps . . . >? ? > >? ? > C301 is indeed shorted . . . >? ? > OR There is a short between pins1 and 2 on the LCD component itself, >? ? > OR there is a short through the trimmer resistor (R305) >? ? > OR? if the trimmer resistor can actually be set to '0' ohms. >? ? > >? ? > Can you confirm that the trimmer resistor is? turned all the way >? ? > counter-clockwise (when looking right down on the top of the >? ? bugger)? >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Greg >? ? > >? ? > Greg McCain >? ? > gamccain50@... >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > On Friday, March 22, 2024 at 07:27:20 PM EDT, Al Simons >? ? > <al@...> wrote: >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > With the display board out of the radio, I measured 0 ohms >? ? between pin 2 >? ? > of the 4 pin connector (GND), and the pad to the right side of C301, >? ? > which is marked VCC on the trace diagram. Seems "odd." Possible >? ? shorted >? ? > C301? Unfortunately, I have no surface mount skills or equipment. >? ? > >? ? > What is a path forward? >? ? > >? ? > 73, >? ? > -Al WA1TYB >? ? > >? ? > On 3/22/2024 15:44, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: >? ? > > Hopefully something simple and/or obvious. >? ? > > >? ? > > Don't forget to check the 2 header connectors on the main >? ? board too. >? ? > > >? ? > > Good hunting. Let us know if you solve it. >? ? > > >? ? > > Greg KI4NVX >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <> >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <>>> >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 5:05 PM, Al Simons >? ? > >? ? <al@...> wrote: >? ? > >? ? Greg, THANK YOU.? Pulling the display board lets it come >? ? up, drawing >? ? > >? ? ~150mA at 6V. The terminal program is running, so it seems >? ? that at >? ? > >? ? least >? ? > >? ? part of the CPU is OK.? Now to figure out what I did wrong >? ? with the >? ? > >? ? display board! >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? Again, thanks. >? ? > >? ? -Al WA1TYB >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? On 3/22/2024 14:36, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote: >? ? > >? ? > Just a quick thought. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Without the control board will the unit even power up >? ? since the >? ? > >? ? rotary >? ? > >? ? > push to power on won't be available? >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > You might try just removing the display. >? ? > >? ? > If the current stays up, then the fault might be in the >? ? display >? ? > >? ? board >? ? > >? ? > or the 5v power board. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > I've seen other posts where faults/ bridges/shorts in the >? ? power >? ? > >? ? > boards' connector chains have caused odd problems. I took the >? ? > advice >? ? > >? ? > in the build instructions and clipped the one set of pins >? ? back >? ? > >? ? about a >? ? > >? ? > millimeter or so because I could definitely see I that a few >? ? > >? ? were too >? ? > >? ? > long and extended past the solder pads and awful close to >? ? other >? ? > >? ? items. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Greg >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <> >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <>> >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <> >? ? > >? ? < >? ? <>>>> >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? >? ? On Fri, Mar 22, 2024 at 2:32 PM, Al Simons >? ? > >? ? >? ? <al@...> wrote: >? ? > >? ? >? ? Just completed my Rev 3 QMX assembly. It performs the >? ? USB stick >? ? > >? ? >? ? emulation ok, to place the FW file on board. I did >? ? this both on >? ? > >? ? >? ? initial power-up and by jumpering AUX2 to GND. >? ? However, after FW >? ? > >? ? >? ? load, when I press the left knob it draws power for an >? ? > >? ? instant and >? ? > >? ? >? ? then powers back down to 0.000A.? I'm using 7V, limited to >? ? > 200mA. >? ? > >? ? >? ? I have inspected all my joints w/ a magnifier, all >? ? seem fine but >? ? > >? ? >? ? I'm considering buying a USB microscope. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? >? ? To start troubleshooting I want to check the power >? ? boards.? For >? ? > >? ? >? ? easier access, is it safe to power up the unit without the >? ? > >? ? control >? ? > >? ? >? ? board and display boards plugged in? >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? >? ? I've been monitoring this group since I placed my >? ? order.? I >? ? > think >? ? > >? ? >? ? I remember a reference to a troubleshooting guide by >? ? Hans, and >? ? > >? ? >? ? another report of this failure mode, but I can't find >? ? either. >? ? > >? ? >? ? Pointers to either would be greatly appreciated. I'm aware >? ? > of the >? ? > >? ? >? ? troubleshooting log Hans has posted about units he's >? ? fixed, >? ? > >? ? but it >? ? > >? ? >? ? doesn't mention this failure. >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? >? ? Thanks for any advice and pointers. >? ? > >? ? >? ? 73, >? ? > >? ? >? ? -Al WA1TYB >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > >? ? > > > > > > > > |
Ta-da!? Shorted cap 301.? Greg, thanks for you help and encouragement
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taking me somewhere I was hesitant to go.? A friend brought an iron that functioned as heated tweezers to our club Saturday coffee gathering, and I was able to pull it off.? Not sure about putting one back; I may go for a traditional thru hole piece instead of one designed for surface mount. This thing is SMALL. For a moment I couldn't find it, then noticed it trapped between my finger and fingernail. Couldn't even feel it. On 3/23/2024 07:27, Greg McCain via groups.io wrote:
Well, |
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