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07/18/2011, 01:25 PM | #1726 |
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Yeah, I reversed it going from the driver to the boards. Looks like I have a lot of work to do!!!
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07/18/2011, 01:32 PM | #1727 |
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Anyway to tell for sure I fried them?
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07/18/2011, 02:03 PM | #1728 |
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Replace 1 and see if that string lights up.
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07/19/2011, 05:45 PM | #1729 |
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Well, I screw my lamp, I was playing with a wire from the fan and sudently just 2/3s of my lamp stop working.
I have 4 boards with 3 CATs each, on 2 board I see there is a short between GND and 5V, the other 2 boards only turn on a string Will do some troubleshooting tonight, anyone had that problem before? (5V and GND in short) thks |
07/19/2011, 06:46 PM | #1730 |
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I just hope the problem is the capacitor instead of a cat chip, but I dont think I am that lucky
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07/20/2011, 12:22 AM | #1731 |
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well, did some test, cat4101's are fry, only 3 out of 12 make it, will order some tomorrow..
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07/20/2011, 02:00 AM | #1732 |
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07/20/2011, 06:15 AM | #1733 |
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FWIW, at a user's request via PM, I did another version of the CAT4101 triple board with the PWM signals separated out for each chip. If there is any more interest in this let me know and I will post the files.
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07/20/2011, 10:02 AM | #1734 |
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07/20/2011, 10:26 AM | #1735 |
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As above, I'm interested in the layouts being made public. I have cheated though and drilled 2 extra holes for a 6-way connector instead of the 4 and cut tracks to have 3 independent PWM signals
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07/20/2011, 12:09 PM | #1736 |
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07/20/2011, 06:24 PM | #1737 |
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Nope, waiting for PCBs from seeed. I'm hoping sometime next week they'll be here.
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07/21/2011, 01:34 PM | #1738 |
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Wow...great read...I got through most of it...lol.
I have a BC14 and want to use it for a test mule before I invest in lights on a larger scale. I would like to try the CAT board but only need 2 to run 18 leds on the little tank. Does anyone have two I can buy or where can I get them...sorry if this is a dumb question and I should probably know the answer but I'm exhausted from reading.
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07/21/2011, 05:16 PM | #1739 | |
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Quote:
Do you have Seeedstudio Gerber files for this new version of the seperate PWM CAT4101 board. I downloaded Eagle yesterday but the current CAM file on Seeed for some reason has errors in the latest Eagle. Great board BTW Thanks -Phillip Last edited by Tesla; 07/21/2011 at 05:43 PM. |
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07/22/2011, 06:16 PM | #1740 |
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4 channel, PWM controlled driver
A friend of mine has been helping me out with my LED build. He built me four boards using info he found here and modified them for his own use. Each board is around $55 to build. You need an external power supply. I'm using 24v/13A Meanwell power supplies.
- Each board has four channels at 1000mA each, independently controlled by PWM. - Four trim pots to manually set the max current each driver puts out to <1000mA - PMW override jumper to bypass the PWM in case you don't want a controller. It just sends 5v to the chip for you so they always run full on. - 12v outputs for your Arduino power so you don't need another adapter. Here's a picture of the board and the eagle files, parts list, etc. are in the zip folder. There are links to the parts at Digikey in the parts list. Last edited by jcgd; 07/22/2011 at 06:46 PM. |
07/22/2011, 08:39 PM | #1741 |
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Hey guys, still need some help. A couple posts back I mentioned that I moved my fixture and inadvertanly hooked my power supply up backwards (postive going to the negative) to the driver. Now none of my lights work. I used Fishman's boards and he had done the same thing and determined he fried his CAT's. So I ordered all new CAT's, most are on backorder, but I got 13 in and re-soldered them onto my boards and nothing. Same exact thing. Any other ideas where to start. It appears as though I am getting my PWM ok and power is getting to the board OK but no power to the led's. I am at a loss (not an electrical guy). My corals are now about a week without light and I need help quick. I appreciate any thoughts or ideas.
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07/24/2011, 01:18 PM | #1742 |
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Names Brucey; Turn everything off and use your DMM in diode test mode to confirm every single LED is still functional. Then get back to us.
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07/24/2011, 02:16 PM | #1743 |
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Already did. All work fine. I did determine that the on-board 5v was not working either. Replaced that on one of the boards (had an extra) and now I get limited strings lighting up (barely) with varying voltage to the strings and some strings nothing. Checked for shorts on the board etc, nothing. The only thing I don't know about is whether I could have fried the potentiometers doing this so that they are screwing with something maybe?
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07/24/2011, 05:43 PM | #1744 |
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Can you isolate one board or one driver for testing? Can you bypass the pot and your pwm source to rule them out?
Where is your pwm coming from? Was that device connected when power was reversed? At one point I had an arduino connected to a driver and reversed power to the driver. The output pin on the 'duino's AVR was fried as a result. Linear regs are easy to troubleshoot. What are your Vin and Vout?
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07/24/2011, 06:41 PM | #1745 |
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Don't know if I can bypass POT. My PWM is from the typhoon board. Output from that is a little low. Shows something like 4.8 to 4.93 volts. I guess I could take my 5v output on the driver and just wire it to the PWM to make sure that isn't it. Input voltage is somewhere around 15 something which is where I need it but when I check voltage at the LED's connections to the board it is all over the place, from 10 something down to 9 something.
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07/25/2011, 12:48 AM | #1746 | |
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Quote:
Cheers
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07/25/2011, 06:36 AM | #1747 |
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Brucey,
See PM, but you can bypass the trimpot. Jumper the 2 out pins of the pot together with a short wire (you can take it out later). Use the 5 volt output to supply the PWM (this is my standard test configuration). Does this light the LEDs at about 900 ma?
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07/25/2011, 06:55 AM | #1748 |
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Anything on the board getting hot?
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07/25/2011, 07:14 AM | #1749 |
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Nothing getting hot. Fishman, when you say jumper the 2 outpins you have me a little confused. Do you want me to remove the pot from the board and then jumper? Which 2 are the out pins?
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07/25/2011, 07:41 AM | #1750 |
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The two outer pins of the three pins on the pot. That will effectively remove the pot from the circuit.
I really don't see how the pots could be damaged though. Do you have any bare PCBs to build a new driver from scratch? That would eliminate the driver, vs. there being a problem in the LED array or wiring.
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