Complete noob

[Crypted1]

Hail fellow DIY'ers.
First let me say I've lurking around here for some time, just never registered.
OK, I got the bug... I want to attempt a light display for next year. I've been reading about the different boards and vixen. ( LOR is just too expensive for me right now) The work that I've seen is simply amazing. The question I have is I can't seem to find anything about dimming. Is the dimming function built into the boards, or do you have to run another type of controller. I'm very insterested in the SSR borads as mechanical relays fail so often. And another thing is I don't really want to build my own boards. I'm good with installing the boards in whatever housing I can find, and adding the wires, but the traces on the boards scare me. If anyone can help me out that is great.
Thanks.

[Trip]

Most boards dim, dimming is controlled by vixen.

Renard boards all dim and they all use SSRs. The Renard64 has external SSR boards with 4 SSRs per board. The Ren24-16-8 have onboard SSRs.

You can order the PCBs from other members here as well.

[Brad Riley]

You can order the PCBs from other members here as well.

This being a diy site, you have to buy the pbc's and parts and do the assembly work yourself. Don't be afraid. There are many here with little to no electronics or soldering experience. Read the WiKi and don't be afraid to ask questions. Almost everyone here started out where you are today, and there are a lot of eager people willing to pass along what we have learned.


Brad

[dmcole]

Hail fellow DIY'ers.
And another thing is I don't really want to build my own boards. I'm good with installing the boards in whatever housing I can find, and adding the wires, but the traces on the boards scare me. If anyone can help me out that is great.

Crypted:

Do not let the soldering of PCBs scare you. I always had problems soldering when I was a kid and eventually gave up on electronics because I "built" so many kits that didn't work it wasn't even funny.

But my desire to build electronics stuff eventually outweighed my fear and when I presented myself here a number of people pointed me to a number of videos on good soldering techniques (rather than listing them here, just Google "soldering video" and you'll find many).

The No. 1 best piece of advice I received was the notion that the $8 soldering iron down at Radio Shack isn't quite what you need. Search this board for specific recommendations, but I think it's safe to say that if you buy an iron that comes in two units -- as a stand and a handpiece -- where the stand has a temperature control, then you're going to be OK. (Also, buy some extra tips.)

Then buy some stripboard, 22-gauge wire and solder at RS and start trying to link multiple holes together, making the soldering points nice and shiny. (You're going to need a multimeter too, so buy one to make sure you're building your little stripboard circuits correctly.)

Then, buy an inexpensive soldering kit from somewhere like Sparkfun or Adafruit. Build one or two of those (if you mess it up, no big deal -- buy another).

You'll then build up enough confidence to start on a DIYChristmas project, I'm sure.

Remember: I have bad eyesight and I'm the most uncoordinated person you'll ever meet, so if I can solder, anybody can.

Best of luck and have a happy Christmas.

\dmc

[Crypted1]

Thanks for the words on encourgement. It nice to find a place that hepls noobs out not just tell then to use the search function or read the wikki. Any way...

I can solder. I'm good with installing components on the boards. Its laying the traces on the boards that scares the jebbies out of me. I think I should have given you my back ground.

I'm indsutrial elecrtician with a degree in industrial automation. When one of our 300+ robots go down and we have to change a board, the Maint. guys pull it and give it to me. I usually just send it out for repair, but when we run across an out dated board, I have fun taking all the components off.

I was going to run my dispaly with one of the PLC's I have but would have to interface with mechanical relays. The outputs of the PLC can't handle the current that some displays run and mechanical relays fails so often. So thats what let me to search the web and found you guys!!! So if you have any more tips for a complete noob... send 'em all my way. I'll be reading the wikki. I'll check back often.

[Brad Riley]

You don't HAVE to etch your PCB's. Some of us do, but thats
because we may have already had the skills to design and etch pcb's.
Not to worry, wjohn sells professionally made pcb's, and he right here on this site.
Once your research is complete and you have decided what you want to tackle, pm wjohn. He's a great guy and will be more than willing to help you.

Brad

[dmcole]

You don't HAVE to etch your PCB's.

Yes, as Brad says, some do, some don't. I fall into the latter category.

I think that if there weren't professionally made PCBs, I probably would still be waiting to stick my toe into this particular ocean.

As Brad said in the previous note, just PM wJohn -- he sells a number of different kinds of professionally made boards. And as Brian just posted in another thread:

Frank Kostyun has a store for the Renard24 (not SS) boards on his site at http://www.kostyun.com/ - he has a BOM with the parts required that you can import into the Mouser BOM tool. Note that there are also the Renard 8SS/16SS/24SS line of controllers also. You can PM WayneJ to order the PCBs for those - the BOM should be on the Wiki. You would need an enclosure also - (http://yourbroadbrandstore.com is the usual place to get them) and some method of running plugs. Many folks just buy 6' extension cords at Lowes/HD for ~$1 or less each.

HTH.

\dmc

[keebler]

this is a great place to learn!

everyone of us has been in your shoes at one point in our lives.
and if something gets "overwhelming", just ask for help. we are all here to help each other and learn, and in the process helps you to help others.

that is what makes DIYC the best do-it-yourself community on the web.