RPM's dc ssr issues

**Warlock** · 10-31-2010, 05:36 AM

The dcssr is not working...I got no activity light at all on RPM's dc ssr..I got power and everything else is working as I'm trying to get my mighty mini's working for today..Any help would be greatly appreciated

**RPM** · 11-01-2010, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by Warlock

The dcssr is not working...I got no activity light at all on RPM's dc ssr..I got power and everything else is working as I'm trying to get my mighty mini's working for today..Any help would be greatly appreciated

Can you post some pictures to see if we can figure out what's going on with it?

Robert

**Matt_Edwards** · 11-01-2010, 08:33 PM

Warlock,
is this the same controller we were discussing on Chat the other night?

I think the last action you were going to check if the FET were install with hte correct orientation.

Do you still have a problem with the board?

**Warlock** · 11-01-2010, 09:47 PM

Same issues guys...Robert the issues are as follows...dc ssr 16 refused to address so I could only use the dc ssr and not the other that is automatically set for 1 - 16 (so dc ssr could not be addressed for 17-32) half the board only worked(no idea why that was the case either).Gonna try and get it all fixed for christmas and get all this gear running...
Thanks for the help guys as always
Joe...

**RPM** · 11-01-2010, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Warlock

Same issues guys...Robert the issues are as follows...dc ssr 16 refused to address so I could only use the dc ssr and not the other that is automatically set for 1 - 16 (so dc ssr could not be addressed for 17-32) half the board only worked(no idea why that was the case either).Gonna try and get it all fixed for christmas and get all this gear running...
Thanks for the help guys as always
Joe...

Off hand I can't think of why the board wouldn't take a new address... we'll get to that later.

If only half of the board has output, you may have the FET's on one side in backwards. I apologize for not having an assembly manual up yet, but I'll be adding some more detailed assembly pictures to my store soon.
One thing to check for with the FETS is look at the side that is working and the other side should have the FETS mounted in the opposite direction.
Also, the 74HC595's are mounted in opposite directions.
I'll attach a picture that shows the orientation.

**Warlock** · 11-01-2010, 10:29 PM

Ok so that explains that issue Robert...Your pic on your site I used as a reference didn't show them reversed so I installed them all the way...Ok I can fix that easy enough..

Now for the addressing issue as I was using your other 16 channel ssr you gave me the board of with my dimmer order last year but couldn't as the dc ssr would not address...Please also look at the dongle issues I was having..
Thanks again as always
Joe...

**mschell** · 11-01-2010, 10:40 PM

I've built 3 of RPM's DMX16DCSSR boards in the last few months. If you follow the indications on the board - put the tab of the FETs where the thicker white line is on the silkscreen, watch the orientation of the chips, and be sure the AVRs are programmed correctly, things will work. If you bought the board directly from RPM in the last buy, you'll even get the ATTINY2313 programed.

Since the power LED is driven by the Atmega, you'll know for sure if the chip is programmed and if it is receiving a good DMX signal. (Power LED blinks if it's getting power but no DMX, on solid if it's getting a good DMX signal)

Please describe what behavior you're seeing and we'll be glad to help you work thru it.

**Warlock** · 11-01-2010, 10:58 PM

Power led was on solid...It worked it simply would not address when I went through the step-by-step RPM gave me....It's why it is such a confusing issue to me...I programmed the grinch dimmer easy enough...I spent like 4 hours trying to get it to work with no success...No idea why..
Thanks as always
Joe...

**mschell** · 11-01-2010, 11:17 PM

If you pull out the DMX cable, does the power LED start blinking?

OK, then let's review the steps to set the address.

1. Power off the board.
2. Use Vixen or something else to set DMX channel 1 to the desired value of the start address. Note that this is the actual DMX value, not a percentage. So if you want the starting address to 32, you need to have the value that is being sent to channel 1 to 32.
3. Put the jumper on the pins marked "Address Program"
4. Apply power to the board - both RED and Green LEDs should be solid.
5. Wait 10-15 sec.
6. Turn power off
7. Remove jumper from pins.

Now, apply power to the board and test to see if the board responds to the start address. The Green LED will blink when a channel within the board's address range is changed.

What program are you using to send DMX to the board? I just tested with a DMX USB PRO dongle and the utility that comes with it to send DMX. I have also tried this with Vixen.

**RPM** · 11-02-2010, 12:18 AM

Originally Posted by Warlock

Power led was on solid...It worked it simply would not address when I went through the step-by-step RPM gave me....It's why it is such a confusing issue to me...I programmed the grinch dimmer easy enough...I spent like 4 hours trying to get it to work with no success...No idea why..
Thanks as always
Joe...

Joe,

Are you sure you are using Vixen in actual intensity levels (0-255) and not
percentage intensity levels (0-100%)?
If you are in percent mode you will have a problem with setting the address.