Ren-T (The transformer board) package.

[Wayne J]

This .zip file is the Ren-T package. It contains several files. The trace file in .pdf for home etching. A .txt file for parts ID and placement. The BOM in a .txt, .pdf, and .xls formats. The .xls part#'s are hyperlinked to Mouser's website. Also there is a .pdf for component assembly. A .jpg for parts ID on the board, and the latest schematic as a .pdf

Most of the info within the package is in the Wiki with more explaination, with exception of the trace file .pdf.

You can download the .zip here.....


Ren-T Package (http://jamesfamilychristmas.com/files/RenT/Ren-T%20package.zip)

[jderba]

Man, what awesome documentation!

thanks,

Jack

[Wayne J]

Here is the Ren-T assembled as in "Case3" with the Tamura transformer.

[Doug-in-the-woods]

board looks great, can't wait until I get one or etch one?
What is the large square thing on the right side of the board (to the right of the transformer?

[Wayne J]

That is the optional AC entry / switch module.

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/46/rs1wd0.th.jpg (http://img209.imageshack.us/my.php?image=rs1wd0.jpg)

[Wayne J]

Important note on the Tamura transformer.

During testing and troubleshooting of the Ren-C, it has been found that the Tamura transformer does not provide reliable Zero Cross and should not be used. A Center Tap transformer needs to be used, such as the Xicon 41PG300 listed in the BOM. The BOM and assembly notes have been modified for this change, as well as the WIKI.

[P. Short]

The comment that Wayne made applies to any non-center-tapped transformer (it's a compatability issue between the zero-crossing circuit and the four-diode full-wave bridge rectifier circuit).

Also, the Radio Shack transformer SKU# 273-1365 is a nice part for this application.

--

Phil

[Rod_R]

Wayne,
Could you tell me what I need to do to use the Ren-T board to bring in my Zero-Crossing signal to pin 3 on the RJ-45 and bring my 5v power for the electronics in on pins 7&8. Also is it possible to carry the 5v power from Renard to Renard on pins 7&8. I have an external 5v 6amp power supply I would like to use for all 3 of my Renard 64 boards using the PWM firmware and LED's.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Brian

[Wayne J]

I'm not quite sure what you are trying to do. ZC is brought in on pins 7&8 of J4 and the +5 goes to U1-3 on the Renard 64 board using the PWM firmware.

[Rod_R]

One of the options in Phil documentation said that the ZC could be brought in on pin 3 of J3 and the 5V could be brought in on 7&8 on J3. I am just trying to use one cable to bring both the 5V and the ZC to all 3 boards. Do all 3 boards need the ZC or just the first?
Thanks again for the help.
Brian

[P. Short]

Everyone else but Brian Bayliss should ignore this...(because it's really specific to his situation, and I don't want to answer another 6 million questions about it).

The Renard-T board is designed to bring the zero-crossing signal out on pins 7 and 8, without an option to bring it out on pin 3. If you really, really want to bring regulated, filtered +5V in through pins 7,8 on the Ren64, I would make a special cable to handle this:

Connect
-- JR1-1,2 to J4-1,2 (Ren64) to GND (your p/s)
-- JR1-7 (Ren-T) to J4-3 (Ren64)
-- JR1-4 (Ren-T) to J4-4 (Ren64)
-- JR1-5 (Ren-T) to J4-5 (Ren64)
-- J4-7,J4-8 to +5V (your p/s)

And, of course, some of the assembly options on the Ren64 are different from the standard instructions (shunt between J2-1 and J2-2, jumper in place of D1, jumper between U1-1 and U1-3. In addition, you need to use the coop Ren64, not the Beta board.

--

Phil

[jmelvin]

Instead of the 1N5819 can I sub in some 1N4002's? I have a bunch of them laying around.

[P. Short]

If you are using the Ren-T just for zero-crossing (and do not have the regulator and RS232-RS495 components installed), that should be OK.

If you are using the Ren-T to supply power to one of the Renard controllers, or have the 78L05, 75C189 and ST485 installed on the board for RS23-RS485 conversion, then the voltage drop across the 1N4002 may be too high, and you should use the 1N5819 (or 1N5817) diodes for their lower forward voltage drop.

--

Phil

[Wayne J]

Some notes on the Ren-T assembly.


First... there is 120V going into this board, insulating the solder pads that carry this, after assembly, would be wise.

The pads for the transformer are X1, X2, X3, X4 (CT), and X5

There are no mounting holes in pcb for the transformer, they were left out because of the different transformers that can be used and different mounting hardware.

[Doug-in-the-woods]

Next thing your going to tell us is WE have to assemble the boards ourselves!! And this whole Rne-T thingy is just an Aril Fools joke!!
Boy now that I got the board I need to get to soldering. Got my parts from Mouser and Jameco for all the SSR's and this Ren_T thingy.
I need to double check for updates as I saw something yesterday about a Renard64 going poof!
Build using method 1 or 2 or I am so confused.
One good piece of news is I got Vixen 1.1.11 working without any error messages finnally. Just don't pin to start menu
Thanks or the board Wayne. Hope all the updates in the Wiki are correct.
Now where did I put that cheap soldering iron? Oh yea I will need 4 irons as my scout troop had fun assembling the SSRs last year.
Suggestion- glue your IC sockets on before soldering. It holds the socket on the board to aid in soldering the pins as the sockets tend to fall out when you turn over the oard to solder. I use a dab of Aliens tacky glue. Crazy glue would be too expensive for all them sockets

[P. Short]

Other suggestion...solder in the components starting with the lowest profile ones first (usually the resistors). Put the parts in the board, put a piece of wood against the top of the board, and flip it over holding the board against the wood, and then solder the parts in. Then do the same thing with the next highest parts (often the ICs or sockets), and so forth. The RJ45 connectors will end up being soldered in last, since they tend to be the tallest parts.

No need for glue in this case. The only time that I've ever used glue is for fine-pitch SMT parts.

--

Phil

[Wayne J]

Assembly notes....

Guys, be sure to follow the assembly in the wiki exactly. Which ever configuration you choose (case 1-3) only install the parts listed. :wink:

8)

[Wayne J]

Another note....

the LED's (D3) short lead, goes into the square pad.


8)

[BillAd]

Hi,

I built a Ren-t using the recommend Radio Shack transformer and have the secondary yellow leds connected to T5 and T8 (the holes are larger than x3 and x5) and the black center tap led connected to x4. I believe the XMUS board needs 12 volts (or so) yet when I measure the voltage from the Ren-t it is in the neighborhood of 5.5 volts. Do I have the transformer connected properly? And is this sufficient for the XMUS board? Thanks.

Bill

[Wayne J]

You have the transformer connected correctly. 5v is correct on the output.

My understanding on the 16 channel renard is it needs a min. of 9v.

The Ren-T can provide the ZC signal to it, but I think the 16 channel board provides that for it's self. I'm not up to date on it.
Let Phil or xmus chime in on this one.

[P. Short]

The xmus board (as built from the usual BOM) requires 8V filtered DC, not the output from the Ren-T board. The filter capacitor on the xmus board isn't large enough for it to be powered from the Ren-T. There is no reason that I can think of to use the Ren-T in conjunction with the xmus board, except maybe to convert RS232 to RS485 if the distance from the PC to the first xmus board is too great.

--

Phil

[Doug-in-the-woods]

looking at pic of completed board and noticed jumper wires.
Looking at the board I assembled( looks like it has traces for the jumper wires on top of the board.
Need to check w/ ohm meter.
I started installing jumpers but saw the traces.
Do I need the jumpers?

[RavingLunatic]

Not sure what you are seeing but you shouldn't need any jumpers on the Ren-T

You might be seeing the vias which take a signal from the bottom over the top (to avoid other traces) and then it goes back down to the bottom.

[Wayne J]

looking at pic of completed board and noticed jumper wires.
Looking at the board I assembled( looks like it has traces for the jumper wires on top of the board.
Need to check w/ ohm meter.
I started installing jumpers but saw the traces.
Do I need the jumpers?
No, not needed. It was made that way to look like the home etch version, but the via's make the contact, so don't add the wire jumpers.

[Doug-in-the-woods]

trying to decipher the Ren-T to Renard64 connections- yea still.
I built the Ren-T as per case 3
Building Renard 64 as per option 1
Now the assembly states that the Ren-T is not beefy enought to supply 1A (pwr and leds on Renard64)
I Using method 2 bring DC into J3-3 AND DC in J3-7,8
Which is the zero crossing and which is the 12v for the 1a power?
Also if j3-3 is used which pin is carrying the ground?
These may seem simple questions but I have read the assembly several times but can't decipher power connections, zero crossing etc.
Also will the pc power supply be adquet enought to run 1A current? Am contemplating taping into the supply on the xmas computer (currently supplying power to the olson 64 and the 12v tap is providing power to the Tunecast via the car adapter guts.

[Wayne J]

I can only answer a couple of these, but here goes.... Ren-T built to case 3 is fine, I'm assuming your using the PWM firmware, so theRen-T is carring the zero cross signal in the cat5 to the Ren64.
Yes the PC supply should have enough current for all you have listed. Most pc supply are capable of 6A.


Have you looked at this article in the wiki? It should answer all of the above questions.

http://christmasinshirley.com/wiki/index.php?title=Renard_Standard_Setup

[bonuts]

RenT - Case 3

[siteimg:a4e9c309f0]138[/siteimg:a4e9c309f0]
[siteimg:a4e9c309f0]139[/siteimg:a4e9c309f0]

Ren64 - ZC Alternative 1 - PWM firmware - 3-Pin Shrouded Header U1 - Jumper J2-2 to J2-3

[siteimg:a4e9c309f0]140[/siteimg:a4e9c309f0]
[siteimg:a4e9c309f0]141[/siteimg:a4e9c309f0]

RenT takes care of bringing in the ZC.
Using a PC Power supply to bring +5v DC to U1 per the WIKI instructions.

Hope it helps someone.

[shocker]

i want to build my own ren t can i have the expresspcb file for it
thanks !

[zaker]

Download the zip file in the first post of this thread, it has a PDF of the board so you can etch your own, I made three this way.

Tom