pablocarlac

Good night.

It is rare that it fails. My board MC003 it still works perfectly.

I have been doing a lot of abusive tests to add a wifi module with ESP without success yet and it still works fine.

I have tested it with both 5k and 10k resistors as pull up on tx, rx and it works with both.

Hello.

Finally I can say that it worked well !!! Both tracking and goto.

I share a photo and a small video.

The problem was, as Malc-c commented that it was loading the wrong firmware. The page contains the updates and not the original firmware.

I was able to get the specific firmware of the board thanks to the technical support of SW.

I want to thank Malc-c for his help, he was fundamental to the success of the repair.

I didn't know anything about Pic.

Hopefully our experience will serve someone who encounters this problem.

Greetings

I could use a change of air.

But yes, we are very far ... I don't think I meet the requirements. 😊

Yes, you are right.

They are for different uses. It was only for a test and thus confirm that it only needed the reform for the first firmware update.

The diode is well placed. The cathode points towards the tx of the pic. The anodes of both are linked and to Vcc through a resistor.

Hi Malc-c

The firmware of the v3 is 3.39.15

I tested the jumpers in all 3 positions and there were no improvements. Only removing j1 changes the direction of keys in Alt manually.

Also remove the 10k resistor and the 1n4148. I was able to find only 1 of the smd diodes and the other probe with a 1n4148 and also with a 1n4007 (classic rectifier) and there is always communication with the pics.

It seems that it requires the reform of the diodes and resistance only for the first firmware update, because it returned to update the motors with this last reform again with success.

I will keep you informed for any novelty. 

Thanks for your help

Hello.

Today I was able to review the entire circuit and check with an oscilloscope that the signals from the encoders are reaching all the legs of the pics.

It is very rare since the firmware can be updated perfectly, both on the phone and on the motor board.

In this forum a couple of people wrote the same situation, but it seems that they could not solve it.

I am running out of ideas.

I will try to read the original program of the pics.

I'm going to have to learn, since I know little about pics.

@malc-cthanks for your help, the MC003 that you fix was with a v4 controller. This is V3, will the problem come from there ??.

When did I update the controller?

It is rare that when enabling the auxiliary encoders it no longer has a position reading.

Very disconcerting all this ...🤔

I keep you informed if there is progress.

Greetings

Hello Malc-c

The firmware download it from there.

Successfully update the hand control and motors to the latest version

It's strange. it erroneously processes the signals of the encoders and when I activate the auxiliary it no longer registers anything. Connections are fine.

Later I test the inputs 23 to 26 of the pic with an oscilloscope.

But I think the problem has to be in the firmware.

I have the original pics, but the hex program is protected and I can't do much else.

I'll keep trying. I keep you informed and any ideas will be welcome.

Thank you

Regards

Hello boys.

As they say in these places "not everything is pink" I can't align with the goto.

The repair is fine to use it manually from the keys, but when I want to align it by any method it goes in any direction. I was checking the plate carefully, I changed the lm324, the 74h14 and it remains the same.

I have read what happened to other dobson users, but it seems that none of them can solve it.

I made a video to show what it indicates.

It seems that the photodiodes are malfunctioning. But it is rare that the two axes have the same problem.

With the auxiliary encoder disable something indicates, enable the indication is totally wrong. If I move it manually it doesn't indicate anything.

I have tried several firmware from v3 but nothing changed.

It seems to be some software problem, but I don't know what to do anymore.😕

Any idea what may be happening ???

Thank you very much for your attention

Greetings

On 08/03/2021 at 03:02, Thor123 said:

Nice, I will try this ASAP!

Hello people.

I have exactly the same problem with the same dobson.

The synscan is v3.

Could you fix it?

Greetings

Hi guys.

Today I have good news !!! Finally the board worked !!!!

By reforming the diodes and feeding through the resistor, the control could communicate with the board.

I did not cut any connections and soldered the diodes on the original connections.

I attach some photos and a video of the dobson already working.

I am very grateful to the Hall of Astronomers and its members for showing and sharing their work.

Thanks.

Greetings

Hello boys I have successfully programmed and changed pics without positive result, then changed lm 324 and 74c14.

There was a change in what the syn scan shows, but it still doesn't recognize the engines. I'm going to check all the welds again and then try the diode reform.

I continue with the tests and comment on the results.

Greetings

Thanks Malc-c for your quick reply. I was thinking the same thing that you recommended. I'm going to start by changing the PICs. Just have them share the news.

Greetings

Thanks Malc-c for responding so quickly.
I bought the dobson used because it is not in stock here.
The previous owner told me that Skywatcher USA sold him a wrong connector. He wanted to update the firmware and it burned.
I read that you cut the legs but I have a soldier x air station.
I work in automotive electronics, but I don't remember anything about pic.
As soon as the components arrive, I share the process.
Would you be kind enough to tell me which file to upload? and if it is the same for the two pic?
Sorry for my poor English, I use google translator
Thank you

Hello people.

Looking for information on how to repair my board came to this site. I have a Dobson 254 with the board not working. In addition to the pic, there are small holes in the lm324 and 74hc14. I live in Argentina and this board is not available here so I am going to try to repair it, since I understand some electronics and in the past I have programmed some pic. But I don't remember much anymore. I have read the 9 pages a couple of times and I do not understand which is the file for the pics. If it is the same for the two pics and if it is for the Dobsons, because they also name the eq6. My English is very poor, that makes it difficult for me to understand the reading, it also helped me with the google translator. Thank you very much for your attention and for sharing your work. There are some photos of the phone and the mother.