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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
 Posted - 05/15/2010 : 5:00:42 PM
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New component time again.
DIP RESISTOR NETWORKS
Well, here is another resistor thingie Mr. Resistor has never seen. This is some kind of resistor network. They look like IC's but are not. They are not polarity sensitive like the SIP's and get soldered directly into the board. You should keep the noch the same as the artwork though for overall neatness.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/15/2010 5:01:36 PM |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2010 : 5:03:59 PM
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Here they are soldered in.
Sorry about that lighting. Yuk!
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/15/2010 5:06:37 PM |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/15/2010 : 5:58:21 PM
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I spoke with Hueber today. heck I speak to Joey every day it seems. I am responsible for the back of this machine, Hueber the front. He has been working diligently on the track diagram for the front. He's been working on it for 4 years to be exact. Except, now we have a little more urgency.
I gave some thought to where the SUSIC and input output cards would go. Hueber suggested one of the drawers, I was thnking the rear of the machine. Hueber has the better idea. I will need to access these cards for testing troubleshooting, etc. That means I would have to turn the machine away from the wall each time I do this. Not good. I can fit the power supply back there, but the cards will go in the drawer.
I am thinking of making some kind of arm extension out of the top of the drawer. I would mount terminal blocks here and connect the rear of the CTC machine (snake) to one side. The the cards would connect to the other side. It would allow for easy changes and testing. I was thinking of getting some drawer hardware so we could slife it in and out.
I have two of the terminal boards re-labeled and I am hooking up the large cables that came with this. I am using only the stranded 24 and 48 wire cables. The terminal boards are in groups of 24 so that works real good. I will not use the solid wire as that will never hold up to amoving connection. I can use that out on the RR for signal hookup where there is no movement.
Here is a shot.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/15/2010 6:05:53 PM |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2010 : 07:09:58 AM
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The next part are the Waldron male headers to be installed on the 2 outout ports and 1 input port. RR devices will plug into these ports depending on the type (input outout)
Here they are installed on the card along with the DIP switches. The best way to do this is to solder only the center pin, make sure its seats correctly, then solder the rest. These are heavy pins and require a lot of heat, so these 72 joints will go slowly.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/16/2010 07:19:20 AM |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2010 : 07:21:49 AM
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We are almost there. Here, at the top, you see the 3 LED's installed. They are polarity sensitive and must be installed with the longer anode in the + hole. The green LED gives error messages regarding the SMINI's micro controller if it is working as the SMINI. The yellow blinks when it is receiving info to the RR from the PC. The red blinks when the RR is sending info to the PC.
Also installed is the crystal. It is just abobe the microcontroller socket to the left. I forgot to take a picture of this new component. Just solder it in, it is not polarity sensitive.
Because of the nature of things, the yellow will much more active than the red. One initialized correctly, the green should have a stead blink rate.
Also at the top left you will find installed 2 8 pin IC sockets in the 485 part of the board. I also installed the waldron header. This will receive the cable from the RS 485 conversion card or prior node.
Note, you can only have one section of the card either 232 or 485 with it's IC's installed or you will let the magic smoke out.
Also if you look carefully, you will see 6 jumper wires around the board. There is a long one and a short one at each location. These determine whether the outputs are to be current sinking or current sourcing.
What's the difference? It depends on what side of the circuit the load is on. That's too much for my head, but the real reason is what kind of LED's are going to be in your signals? Some have a common internal connection (ISS) some don't (Oregon).
If you use signals internally wired like ISS you will need the short jumper for current sourcing. If not, the current sinking like I need. You must specify this when you order the board. It matters as the type of output transistor is different so they need to know what kind to give you. I think you can wire some up both ways, but that is much to complicated for me.
Also installed are the 19 capacitors on the board. There are different types, so be carefull.
At this stage all that is left to do is install the 48 output transistors and the board will be done. That's just shy of 150 joints so it will take a while. We will talk about that new component in the next and final construction phase of the SMINI!
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/16/2010 07:47:40 AM |
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jbvb
Fireman
USA
1864 Posts |
Posted - 05/16/2010 : 08:23:40 AM
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| Ralph, in my experience solid copper telco cables from quad (4-wire) to 50-pair can be used in situations where they get flexed occasionally, if you put a loop or two in them to take up the flexing gradually. Just avoid putting a terminal block on the back of a door that gets opened every time the railroad is operated. The wire gauge would be perfectly adequate for the digital sensors etc. |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2010 : 06:40:27 AM
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Mark, thanks. It was good to stop by yesterday with Hueber and shoot the buull, and see your progress. That 3/4 mile commute is gonna kill me though!
It's time for a new component.
TRANSISITORS
This wonderfull little invention has changed our lives. There are all kinds. From large metal pwer transistors, to the small signal one you see here.
They are a 3 terminal device and come wired 2 wys. PNP and NPN. It has to do with the way they are wired internally.
These things can do a few things. They can amplify signals something called gain. They can also act as an on off single pole toggle that can be controlled electrically. Thats what we are interested in.
The 3 connections are the base, emitter, and collector. They must be wired correctly into a circuit. From what I have learned, if you apply a current to the base of the transistor it will conduct a current between it's emitter and collector terminals. Thats the switch.
We have to solder 48 of these transistors, one on each output pin. Remember current sinking. That requires one kind, so that must be decided when you order the board.
You can see all the transistors soldered into the board. Also, I have installed all of the IC's on the board. Be carefull when you do this. They must be inserted with the notch facing the right direction. Plus these can be a bugger to insert all the pins into the sockets without bending or ruining them.
I ruined one. I had a socket for U-9 the just frustrated me. I was just getting ready to unsolder the socket and replace it. I even stuck a flat end screwdriver in it to loosen it up. The IC did not sit all the way down like the others, but checking continuity with my VOM showed all pins making contact. If I have any trouble during testing of the section of the board, at least I will have some idea why.
So now the board is done. Time to test it to see if big stooge here did it right. I need to obtain a serial cable before I can continue with this project so stay tuned.
You will notice on the right side of the board there are components not inserted. These do not come with the kit. They are for a capacitor resistor filter. If you have a lot of electrical noise on your RR providing false inputs, you can install these. They recommend you try it without them first.
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Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/18/2010 06:52:43 AM |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2010 : 08:32:36 AM
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Looking impressive Ralph!
Yes, it was great to see you yesterday and I enjoyed our conversation about CMRI. You've learned a lot! (Don't let his 'dumb' act fool you guys - Ralph's been doing his homework!) Our conversation yesterday gave me a lot of 'food for thought'. I wish I was ready to install it now, but I guess I should get some track laid first! But it does give me some good ideas of how to prepare for this.
I can't wait to see this in operation on your layout. |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2010 : 06:59:28 AM
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Well, not much happenig here. Things are slow at work so I have some time to myself. What I have been working on was mostly reconecting the snake to the back of the CTC machine.
The next thing was to dig out the old PC from the basement and see if it works. It does.
I then searched the web for a free copy of basic 4.5 software. That is what I am going to use to program. I found it and installed it on the old computer.
The rest of my order arrived Monday so now I have 2 DIN 32 and 2 DOUT 32 cards for the ctc panel.
For now I am trying to get things hooked up and to begin testing on the SMINI. A friend and forum member Jim Main was kind enough to make me a serial cable to go from the computer to the conversion card. I will try to make the conversion card to SMINI cable today.
Slowing me down is a pinched nerve in my neck. I am in terrible pain from this with pains down my right shoulder and arm. Makes it tough to do anything.
The next big hurdle is to properly test the SMINI and conversion card. Let's hope I can jump it. |
Edited by - LVRALPH on 05/22/2010 07:04:31 AM |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2010 : 4:00:53 PM
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| I was wondering if you have made any progress. Drug yourself up and get back to work! I can't wait to see things working! |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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LVRALPH
Fireman
5430 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2010 : 8:05:36 PM
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Success!
It's alive. I'll detail tomorrow what happened, but I have gotten my SMINI to initialize!. The computer and the SMINI are talking. Next will be to test the inputs and outputs, but I am getting there! |
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dlwrailfan1
Crew Chief
USA
574 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2010 : 11:44:38 PM
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Dr. Ralphenstein or is that stien,
You grafted a SMINI on to a DOUT and success. WOW! Thanks for keeping us posted.
Eric |
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MarkF
Engineer
USA
9272 Posts |
Posted - 05/22/2010 : 11:46:57 PM
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| No kidding? That's really cool! I can't wait to hear/see about it. Don't keep us waiting! |
Mark
See my homepage at http://home.comcast.net/~prrndiv/
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Signaling my model railroad
