Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
help me with this intermittent problem!!--BS2SX — Parallax Forums

help me with this intermittent problem!!--BS2SX

ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
edited 2000-03-14 11:25 in General Discussion
> I have breadboarded my circuit where the BS2SX and the PAKII are both
> sharing the same +5v supply and are both grounded to the same
> ground...the
> problem still happens. Sometimes if I turn it on and off a
> couple of times
> or disconnect the ground but still leave the +5volt supply on it then
> reconnect the ground it works (or the other way disconnect +5v
> leave ground
> on then reconnect +5v)--then it works perfectly but until i do
> that its like
> theres no power getting to it. I did check voltages throughout
> and they all
> make sense but 1 it is on the PAKII you are supposed to tie pin 3 to +5v
> through a 22K resistor but when i measure voltage on pin
> 3(expecting around
> +5v) i get like 7mV basically 0. should pin 3 goto anything else but +5v
> through the resistor? it said busy output optional so i didn't hook
> anything up to it...the bs2sx should default to program0 right?

As far as the PAK-II, the resistor is a pull up. The chip pulls the pin low
or lets it float to indicate its busy status. This is not a problem since
you are using data line sensing (built into the Stamp library) to check the
status so you don't need to hook anything up, but it also doesn't suprise me
that you read a 0 on that pin.

I still say you must have a ground problem somewhere. I would suggest making
as simple a circuit as possible (say the BS2SX and an LED) and see if the
problem stays or goes away. If it stays then you have very little to trouble
shoot. If it goes away, then you can add one thing at a time until the
problem reappears.

Another idea: are you sure the Stamp is not starting? Perhaps you should put
an LED on a Stamp pin and turn it on as the first step of your program. That
way you can see if you are really resetting or not. Do you have a motor or
other noisy device nearby? Could you be resetting the Stamp (or the PAK)
spuriously? This is very common when using motors.

Regards,

Al Williams
AWC
*Floating point math for the Stamp, PIC, SX, or any microcontroller at
http://www.al-williams.com/awce

Comments

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-03-14 02:47
    I have breadboarded my circuit where the BS2SX and the PAKII are both
    sharing the same +5v supply and are both grounded to the same ground...the
    problem still happens. Sometimes if I turn it on and off a couple of times
    or disconnect the ground but still leave the +5volt supply on it then
    reconnect the ground it works (or the other way disconnect +5v leave ground
    on then reconnect +5v)--then it works perfectly but until i do that its like
    theres no power getting to it. I did check voltages throughout and they all
    make sense but 1 it is on the PAKII you are supposed to tie pin 3 to +5v
    through a 22K resistor but when i measure voltage on pin 3(expecting around
    +5v) i get like 7mV basically 0. should pin 3 goto anything else but +5v
    through the resistor? it said busy output optional so i didn't hook
    anything up to it...the bs2sx should default to program0 right?

    >From: "Aunt Bea" <r_fl_z@h...>
    >Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 18:58:40 GMT
    >
    >Steve:
    >
    >For what its worth: I had a stamp running with only a serial lcd attached,
    >which would run perfectly while attached to the computer. When the cable
    >was removed from the stamp, the program would not run. Reset and power
    >up/down had no effect. It turned out that the problem was that I was
    >driving the display with a desktop power supply, and the stamp with a line
    >transformer. Apparantly the slightly different grounds caused a problem.
    >Once I powered the stamp from the desktop power supply it ran
    >perfectly...cable or no.
    >
    >>From: "Steve Znavor" <sznavor23@h...>
    >>Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 03:06:00 GMT
    >>
    >>When i run my BS2SX program by hitting the "run" icon on the basic stamp
    >>editor and the debug screen pops up the program runs absolutely
    >>perfect...but when i turn off power and disconnect my BS2SX from my
    >>computer
    >>(its running by itself now) and then power it back up the stamp works only
    >>every now and then barely ever--i dont get it. Is there anything i can
    >>do
    >>to fix it?
    >>______________________________________________________
    >>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps
    >>http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >
    >______________________________________________________
    >
    >
    >eGroups.com Home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps/
    >http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >
    >

    ______________________________________________________
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-03-14 02:47
    I have breadboarded my circuit where the BS2SX and the PAKII are both
    sharing the same +5v supply and are both grounded to the same ground...the
    problem still happens. Sometimes if I turn it on and off a couple of times
    or disconnect the ground but still leave the +5volt supply on it then
    reconnect the ground it works (or the other way disconnect +5v leave ground
    on then reconnect +5v)--then it works perfectly but until i do that its like
    theres no power getting to it. I did check voltages throughout and they all
    make sense but 1 it is on the PAKII you are supposed to tie pin 3 to +5v
    through a 22K resistor but when i measure voltage on pin 3(expecting around
    +5v) i get like 7mV basically 0. should pin 3 goto anything else but +5v
    through the resistor? it said busy output optional so i didn't hook
    anything up to it...the bs2sx should default to program0 right?

    >From: "Aunt Bea" <r_fl_z@h...>
    >Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 18:58:40 GMT
    >
    >Steve:
    >
    >For what its worth: I had a stamp running with only a serial lcd attached,
    >which would run perfectly while attached to the computer. When the cable
    >was removed from the stamp, the program would not run. Reset and power
    >up/down had no effect. It turned out that the problem was that I was
    >driving the display with a desktop power supply, and the stamp with a line
    >transformer. Apparantly the slightly different grounds caused a problem.
    >Once I powered the stamp from the desktop power supply it ran
    >perfectly...cable or no.
    >
    >>From: "Steve Znavor" <sznavor23@h...>
    >>Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 03:06:00 GMT
    >>
    >>When i run my BS2SX program by hitting the "run" icon on the basic stamp
    >>editor and the debug screen pops up the program runs absolutely
    >>perfect...but when i turn off power and disconnect my BS2SX from my
    >>computer
    >>(its running by itself now) and then power it back up the stamp works only
    >>every now and then barely ever--i dont get it. Is there anything i can
    >>do
    >>to fix it?
    >>______________________________________________________
    >>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps
    >>http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >>
    >
    >______________________________________________________
    >
    >
    >eGroups.com Home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps/
    >http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >
    >

    ______________________________________________________
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-03-14 09:17
    Steve:

    I'm afraid the common ground suggestion is all I can do for you. Yes, the
    BS2SX defaults to pgm 0. Have you tried a second BS2SX to see if the first
    is defective?

    Regards


    >From: "Steve Znavor" <sznavor23@h...>
    >Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] help me with this intermittent problem!!--BS2SX
    >Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 19:47:31 GMT
    >
    >I have breadboarded my circuit where the BS2SX and the PAKII are both
    >sharing the same +5v supply and are both grounded to the same ground...the
    >problem still happens. Sometimes if I turn it on and off a couple of times
    >or disconnect the ground but still leave the +5volt supply on it then
    >reconnect the ground it works (or the other way disconnect +5v leave ground
    >on then reconnect +5v)--then it works perfectly but until i do that its
    >like
    >theres no power getting to it. I did check voltages throughout and they
    >all
    >make sense but 1 it is on the PAKII you are supposed to tie pin 3 to +5v
    >through a 22K resistor but when i measure voltage on pin 3(expecting around
    >+5v) i get like 7mV basically 0. should pin 3 goto anything else but +5v
    >through the resistor? it said busy output optional so i didn't hook
    >anything up to it...the bs2sx should default to program0 right?
    >
    >>From: "Aunt Bea" <r_fl_z@h...>
    >>Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] Re: problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 18:58:40 GMT
    >>
    >>Steve:
    >>
    >>For what its worth: I had a stamp running with only a serial lcd attached,
    >>which would run perfectly while attached to the computer. When the cable
    >>was removed from the stamp, the program would not run. Reset and power
    >>up/down had no effect. It turned out that the problem was that I was
    >>driving the display with a desktop power supply, and the stamp with a line
    >>transformer. Apparantly the slightly different grounds caused a problem.
    >>Once I powered the stamp from the desktop power supply it ran
    >>perfectly...cable or no.
    >>
    >>>From: "Steve Znavor" <sznavor23@h...>
    >>>Reply-To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>>To: basicstamps@egroups.com
    >>>Subject: [noparse][[/noparse]basicstamps] problems when bs2sx is not connected to desktop
    >>>Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 03:06:00 GMT
    >>>
    >>>When i run my BS2SX program by hitting the "run" icon on the basic stamp
    >>>editor and the debug screen pops up the program runs absolutely
    >>>perfect...but when i turn off power and disconnect my BS2SX from my
    >>>computer
    >>>(its running by itself now) and then power it back up the stamp works
    >>>only
    >>>every now and then barely ever--i dont get it. Is there anything i can
    >>>do
    >>>to fix it?
    >>>______________________________________________________
    >>>Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps
    >>>http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>>
    >>
    >>______________________________________________________
    >>
    >>
    >>eGroups.com Home: http://www.egroups.com/group/basicstamps/
    >>http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications
    >>
    >>
    >
    >______________________________________________________
    >
    >
    >-- 20 megs of disk space in your group's Document Vault
    >-- http://www.egroups.com/docvault/basicstamps/?m=1
    >
    >

    ______________________________________________________
  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-03-14 10:40

  • ArchiverArchiver Posts: 46,084
    edited 2000-03-14 11:25

Sign In or Register to comment.