Low power on LED and error message

firewater

I am using a Basic Stamp 2 and when I try to launch the editor (2.3.1) I·get an error message.I am on a PC with 2GB·of·RAM,dual Opterons·with windows XP.If I click cancel or continue twice it will launch.It doesn't seam to have any other effect except when I run the·PULSOUT or HIGH_LOW examples the·LED·will·barely light.My meter shows 1.62V,the battery is·new and I·connected·it·directly·to Vss and Vdd and it lights much more brightly.Here is the error message:

Exception Processing Message c0000013 Parameters
75b6bf9c 4 75b6bf9c 75b6bf9c

I don't know if the problem is·the·error·message,the board or the Stamp.
The board is one that I got with the book "123 robotics experiments for the evil genius" by Mike Predko
It' a very simple·serial board. It uses·two 220ohm DIP resistors and·two 0.01uf mylar capacitors.I checked the solder points very carefully and the DIP's are in the right way.
Does anyone know what the problem might be?

Mike Green

The message doesn't sound like anything that has to do with the Stamp. Make sure the editor is installed properly. If you're using USB for your serial port, make sure you have the proper USB to serial adapter driver installed. The one that comes with the editor only supports the FTDI chip.

If you connect the LED directly between Vss and Vdd, you will burn out something. The LED operates from roughly 1.7V and requires a series resistor to limit the incoming current to about 20ma. Usually a 220 ohm resistor is used for this, probably one in the DIP pack. Don't use the LED without it.

Not having the book, it's hard to tell what's up since there's no schematic available other than in the book. You can download the Basic Stamp Manual from Parallax's website and compare your circuit with what's recommended for connecting a Stamp to a PC.

pwillard

I have and use the Predko board as well.· It works fine.· Myke has done a simplified basic BOE design minus the wall-wart power and servo connections that has built in 220 ohm resistors in series with all the I/O pins to prevent shorts or high current devices from damaging the Stamp.· The board works fine for me and the 220 ohm in series with the pins means you have a built-in current limit resistor for the LED.· I'm using Stamp IDE 2.3 wih a "real" serial port and have no issues with this board.

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There's nothing like a new idea and a warm soldering iron.

firewater

Yes, pwillard's set up is almost exactly like mine.The DIP resistors are just a different color, the caps are disc type and I'am using a full size breadboard because I allready had it and finding one that fit onto the PCB was difficult, also I didn't want to limit myself to such a small breadboard.I am also using a "real" serial port.I followed the schematics from Parrallax and used a resistor in addition the the DIP's on the PCB.The Predko book doesn't give a schematic otherwise I'd post it, only a parts list.It does show a photo of the DIP's, the MFR BOURNS still shows them on their site but I ordered them from MOUSER and they had a direct replacement.

http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=4116R-1-224LFvirtualkey65210000virtualkey652-4116R-1LF-220K

The part in the picture shows 4116R-1-221

http://www.bourns.com/PDFs/4100R.pdf

D Faust

I am using a boe and get a similar error message when starting the editor. It doesn't seem to affect anything else, but gets annoying. I also have no problems with leds. I think these are separate problems.

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LOOKDOWN ThisThread, [noparse][[/noparse]Your_?, My_?, Cool_Thing], looknum
LOOKUP looknum, [noparse][[/noparse]1, 2, 3], subnum
ON subnum GOTO Hope_this_helps, Thanks!, WOW!!
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pwillard

Whoa!· It makes sense now... You used 220K Ohms·· and not the low resistance 220 Ohms specified·for those DIPS.· It will definitely make those LEDS very dim!· Almost no current will get through at 220K. Instead of 22 milliamps, you get like 22 microamps... oops.


Problem Solved, I think.

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There's nothing like a new idea and a warm soldering iron.

Post Edited (pwillard) : 8/12/2007 11:38:45 PM GMT

firewater

·Yes,thats it thanks pwillard.The problem was·a·misprint in the book·so I had to guess and when I·searched·the old part number·at MOUSER they didn't have it but gave me what was susposed to be a·direct replacement which was wrong.The book reads:· (Experiment 11 Assembling the included PCB page 31)

Two 220 v 16-pin resistor Dual In-line Packages (DIPs)

I think I'll write the publisher and tell them about this.