My ren64's are dieing

[smartalec]

In feb this year i brought 4 ren64's, i had them all hooked up an they looked great blinking an flashing for 1 month on my bench.
then i turned them off, an when i switched them on an i was surprised non of them worked, i then replugged the rs485 line into one of the ren64's an the other 3 worked.
just the other day i was using a ren64 by itself, switched it off, switched it on 24hrs later, at it does'nt work now either.

so now i have 2 ren64's that dont want to work.

is there any testing procedure to help work out what has happened to these 2 ren64's.
as i would hate for another one to die on me.

thanks alec.

[budude]

Can you clarify what you mean by not working? Symptoms?

[g2ktcf]

I hate to ask this question...but it sounds like a power problem.

What transfomer are you using?

[smartalec]

Originally Posted by budude

Can you clarify what you mean by not working? Symptoms?

i plug the power in, all the leds quickly flash like they normaly do when powered up, an thats it, nothing else.
nothing is working beyond that,
i dont have a pic programmer (got the pics pre programmed)
its like it just does'nt want to do anything else.

thats why i asked is there testing procedures i can do to try an track down the fault im experancing.

thanks for the fast reply
alec

[smartalec]

Originally Posted by g2ktcf

I hate to ask this question...but it sounds like a power problem.

What transfomer are you using?

well thats a funny question, reason is the follows

i have a 6.3v AC transformer for all the ZC circuit,
an i have a computer power supply to run the board.(removed the regulator)

so when i tested the board to a working one, they were both using the same power source

[g2ktcf]

Originally Posted by smartalec

well thats a funny question, reason is the follows

i have a 6.3v AC transformer for all the ZC circuit,
an i have a computer power supply to run the board.(removed the regulator)

so when i tested the board to a working one, they were both using the same power source

ok, I would start by getting a diagnostic FW chip in and making sure that your oscillators and PICs are talking properly.

[smartalec]

Originally Posted by g2ktcf

ok, I would start by getting a diagnostic FW chip in and making sure that your oscillators and PICs are talking properly.

bugger i was hoping i would'nt have to do that.
no pic programmer yet.

is there any other tests i can do with the multimeter?

[g2ktcf]

Originally Posted by smartalec

bugger i was hoping i would'nt have to do that.
no pic programmer yet.

is there any other tests i can do with the multimeter?

well, start checking your power rail for one. Make sure that your PC supply is giving you 5 volts. Also, make sure that GND is actually GND. Thats about all you are going to do with DMM. Is your power led on?? if so, check the voltage across it.

[smartalec]

Originally Posted by g2ktcf

well, start checking your power rail for one. Make sure that your PC supply is giving you 5 volts. Also, make sure that GND is actually GND. Thats about all you are going to do with DMM. Is your power led on?? if so, check the voltage across it.

yer power supply is working fine the power light lights up
even the dcssr's leds light up (there not connected to anything else)
if like there working, i disconnect it for X amount of time then they dont start back up again.

[g2ktcf]

Originally Posted by smartalec

yer power supply is working fine the power light lights up
even the dcssr's leds light up (there not connected to anything else)
if like there working, i disconnect it for X amount of time then they dont start back up again.

well you need to wait for your programmer IMHO. With that, we verify the osciallator and the internals of the PICs. And, you may have had some surge that zapped the programs.