Hi Rob, first of all thanks a lot for sharing your hard work!
I've built the Nano+DRV8825_hw203 version of the focuser. With LCD and all. I have two questions:
a) LCD only shows the first two digits of text in each row. While the motor is moving it shows the first three digits and when the motor stops again the first two only.
If I use the LCD testprogram I see only the "F" in the first row and the "T" in the second row.
LCD itself works fine on a Arduino Uno which I have used for testing. Why is that?
b) While powering on the Nano both LED are steady on and then go off when Nano finished booting. When I press a push button the LED is flickering so low that you can hardly see it. Why is that? ;)
If I use the LED testprogram everything is fine.
Appreciate any advice :)
edit1: just saw that this post is at the wrong place, sry for that. Feel free to move it if possible
edit2: added a pic from the LCD
Now it maybe that you installed these, if that is the case maybe there is another libray that conflicts with this and that is what the arduino is using. That seems to be the most plausible explanation.
b) Yes, that is the case. The faster the pulses arrive the brighter will be the LED. When the app is used with a MOVE of say 100 steps, then the pulses to the LED occur really quickly one after the other and the LED is really a slow reaction device so the light is starting to fall and then the next pulse arrives, so the LED is brighter.
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I have installed the whole Arduino SW on a different PC to make sure that no old crap is somewhere... same result.
The only difference is that at the beginning of the upload of the sketch to my Nano the log window shows: Build options changed, rebuilding all Have not seen this before. Appears only one time on the other PC. Important?
I'm running out of ideas ;)
b) is OK for now, it's not a tragedy but a working LCD would be very nice. Any ideas?
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1/ check the wiring of the SDA and SCLK lines for the I2C chip of the LCD. Maybe there is a short or they are reversed.
2/ Check the sda line thoroughly - perhaps its making contact or shorted to something else. Tere should only be a contact from A5 to SCLK. Nothing else
3/ Check you have VCC and GND - check the voltage between VCC and GND at the I2C chip of the LCD- should be 5V
4/ Did you make any changes at all to the Arduino code? Have to ask.
5/ Send me some close up photos of the board, both sides
Robert
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1/ Checked. Neither a short nor reversed
2/ Checked. Looks good
3/ 4.68V between VCC and GND at I2C chip
4/ Nope. Skills to low...
5/ Watch at own risk... It's truly no masterpiece. A miracle that the stepper is moving ;)
Yes its the full option except the buzzer is not attached so far cause the one I've ordered does not fit into the case.
Checked the push buttons. They are looking good.
Did you remove the required code in the firmware file that handles the pushbuttons?
Attached is zip, download and unzip it, it will create a fole - go into that folder, doubleclick on the ino file and compile-upload to your controller - let me know what happes
If that does not work then
1. Have you a spare UNO?
2. If you have, then connect the LCD to it, and nothing else and then upload the file I gave you and let it run, what happens?
3.
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I have used your "new" ino file.... nothing happens, the display shows still the same on the NANO
Have tested on my UNO with the new ino file. Shows the same as on the NANO. Have found a spare I2C but also this changes nothing.
But: Let's stop here. Don't wan't to waste your time cause I've decided to build a new one. Will learn from my mistakes and will do it better the next time. Let you know the result! Gimme two weeks pls.
Manymany thx for your help and time!
Cheers
Martin
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Thats exactly what I've ordered. Also connectors and sockets for all the buttons and switches. And a what you call Vero Board. It's no fun to solder all that bridges. And some spare 8825 and a NANO ;)
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i too built the Nano+DRV8825_hw203 version of the focuser and have the same LCD screen issues.
1st 2 digits on the Postion. And flashes to 3 when you press button.
2 digits on Middle (on/off) just like above pic.
F and C on the end. and the "C" changes to "+"
my screen look just like the above pic
but all works good on with the Windows App.
Temp reading work in Windows app.
no problem with LEDS
when i turn it on i see "M" while booting up
1
sad to admit i soldered the DRV and Nano to my homemade circit board.
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Hi BJ Jones
email me at brown_rb @ yahoo.com (without the spaces). If possible include pics
Please provide answers to each of the following, this will help with troubleshooting
Startup screen - is boot message displayed?
What the screen looks like, does it change if you send any commands
DO you have push-buttons
What was output of test program 1
What was output of test program 5
What firmware .ino file are you using
Please list all the things not working
In general, a position which keeps changing and is in the low digitis say 3-15 indicates a problem with the push button switches - this can be verified by using test program 1
Cheers
Robert
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it failed the LCD test
after emailing Mr Brown and running a few test sketch which didnt work
i decieded to just try make my lcd show "HELLO WORLD"
I went to Amazon where i bought my lcd and ck the BRAND thats where i read the reviews to see if they had a problem turns out others and with no documentation on SAINSMART LCD some Kind Soul posted a sketch that work on this SAINSMART LCD with that i was able test my lcd and make it say HELLOW WORLD
then with that sketch Mr.Brown was able to edit his sketch to make the SAINSMART LCD work
it seems not all LCD use the same pin maping or LIBRARIES.
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I've built a new focuser like I said above and what can I say: It works, except the LCD ;) Same issue as before. Have done a little bit of research and found this page: https://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/LCD-Blue-I2C#v3
Like BJ said before it seems that there are different types of I2C modules out there. In my case it looks like I have the "LCD Version 3 - Marked "LCM1602 IIC A0 A1 A2"" (Fourth pic from the top). At the end of the page is an I2C ADDRESS SCANNER sketch and it gives me 0x27 as a result.
If I use this test sketch I2C LCD DISPLAY VERSION 1: on the page the LCD works fine but I had to use a different library (explained at the beginning of the page).
Just a hint from my side. Didn't know what to do as I am not a coder ;) And please Rob don't waste to much time for this issue it is not urgent or important for me at the moment. Just want to give you an update.
Cheers
Martin
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emailling me direct would be faster Martin :-)
1. Send me the .ino code that you are using for your focuser
2. Send me the lcd code that you tried that worked
I'll make the changes and then send it back to you to try the changes.
Cheers
Robert
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Hi Rob, first of all thanks a lot for sharing your hard work!
I've built the Nano+DRV8825_hw203 version of the focuser. With LCD and all. I have two questions:
a) LCD only shows the first two digits of text in each row. While the motor is moving it shows the first three digits and when the motor stops again the first two only.
If I use the LCD testprogram I see only the "F" in the first row and the "T" in the second row.
LCD itself works fine on a Arduino Uno which I have used for testing. Why is that?
b) While powering on the Nano both LED are steady on and then go off when Nano finished booting. When I press a push button the LED is flickering so low that you can hardly see it. Why is that? ;)
If I use the LED testprogram everything is fine.
Appreciate any advice :)
edit1: just saw that this post is at the wrong place, sry for that. Feel free to move it if possible
edit2: added a pic from the LCD
Thx
Martin
Last edit: Martin Broger 2016-01-09
If the LCD was faulty or wired wrong then u would see nothing or garbage.
You are getting something.
I suspect that you have the wrong LCD library installed on your computer.The libraries are
https://sourceforge.net/projects/arduinofocuscontrollerpro/files/Libraries/
Now it maybe that you installed these, if that is the case maybe there is another libray that conflicts with this and that is what the arduino is using. That seems to be the most plausible explanation.
b) Yes, that is the case. The faster the pulses arrive the brighter will be the LED. When the app is used with a MOVE of say 100 steps, then the pulses to the LED occur really quickly one after the other and the LED is really a slow reaction device so the light is starting to fall and then the next pulse arrives, so the LED is brighter.
I have installed the whole Arduino SW on a different PC to make sure that no old crap is somewhere... same result.
The only difference is that at the beginning of the upload of the sketch to my Nano the log window shows: Build options changed, rebuilding all Have not seen this before. Appears only one time on the other PC. Important?
I'm running out of ideas ;)
b) is OK for now, it's not a tragedy but a working LCD would be very nice. Any ideas?
1/ check the wiring of the SDA and SCLK lines for the I2C chip of the LCD. Maybe there is a short or they are reversed.
2/ Check the sda line thoroughly - perhaps its making contact or shorted to something else. Tere should only be a contact from A5 to SCLK. Nothing else
3/ Check you have VCC and GND - check the voltage between VCC and GND at the I2C chip of the LCD- should be 5V
4/ Did you make any changes at all to the Arduino code? Have to ask.
5/ Send me some close up photos of the board, both sides
Robert
Did you make the full option?
Are the push button swiches wired correctly?
1/ Checked. Neither a short nor reversed
2/ Checked. Looks good
3/ 4.68V between VCC and GND at I2C chip
4/ Nope. Skills to low...
5/ Watch at own risk... It's truly no masterpiece. A miracle that the stepper is moving ;)
Yes its the full option except the buzzer is not attached so far cause the one I've ordered does not fit into the case.
Checked the push buttons. They are looking good.
If you need more pics don't hesitate to tell me.
Cheers
Martin
Did you remove the required code in the firmware file that handles the pushbuttons?
Attached is zip, download and unzip it, it will create a fole - go into that folder, doubleclick on the ino file and compile-upload to your controller - let me know what happes
no need to use the application - just let the code run on the arduino
If that does not work then
1. Have you a spare UNO?
2. If you have, then connect the LCD to it, and nothing else and then upload the file I gave you and let it run, what happens?
3.
Nope, have done nothing with the code
I have used your "new" ino file.... nothing happens, the display shows still the same on the NANO
Have tested on my UNO with the new ino file. Shows the same as on the NANO. Have found a spare I2C but also this changes nothing.
But: Let's stop here. Don't wan't to waste your time cause I've decided to build a new one. Will learn from my mistakes and will do it better the next time. Let you know the result! Gimme two weeks pls.
Manymany thx for your help and time!
Cheers
Martin
I would recommend these 15p headers soldered to the board and then plug the nano into the header
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20pcs-Stackable-Shield-Female-Header-15pin-female-header-connector-for-Arduino-/151834803064?hash=item235a0f3b78:g:zzQAAOSw42JWDP6-
Thats exactly what I've ordered. Also connectors and sockets for all the buttons and switches. And a what you call Vero Board. It's no fun to solder all that bridges. And some spare 8825 and a NANO ;)
i too built the Nano+DRV8825_hw203 version of the focuser and have the same LCD screen issues.
1st 2 digits on the Postion. And flashes to 3 when you press button.
2 digits on Middle (on/off) just like above pic.
F and C on the end. and the "C" changes to "+"
my screen look just like the above pic
but all works good on with the Windows App.
Temp reading work in Windows app.
no problem with LEDS
when i turn it on i see "M" while booting up
1
sad to admit i soldered the DRV and Nano to my homemade circit board.
We may have a solution to your LCD issue. BJ had a very similar issue so we now have something we can try.
Hi BJ Jones
email me at brown_rb @ yahoo.com (without the spaces). If possible include pics
Please provide answers to each of the following, this will help with troubleshooting
In general, a position which keeps changing and is in the low digitis say 3-15 indicates a problem with the push button switches - this can be verified by using test program 1
Cheers
Robert
update to my problem
it failed the LCD test
after emailing Mr Brown and running a few test sketch which didnt work
i decieded to just try make my lcd show "HELLO WORLD"
I went to Amazon where i bought my lcd and ck the BRAND thats where i read the reviews to see if they had a problem turns out others and with no documentation on SAINSMART LCD some Kind Soul posted a sketch that work on this SAINSMART LCD with that i was able test my lcd and make it say HELLOW WORLD
then with that sketch Mr.Brown was able to edit his sketch to make the SAINSMART LCD work
it seems not all LCD use the same pin maping or LIBRARIES.
Hi again,
I've built a new focuser like I said above and what can I say: It works, except the LCD ;) Same issue as before. Have done a little bit of research and found this page: https://arduino-info.wikispaces.com/LCD-Blue-I2C#v3
Like BJ said before it seems that there are different types of I2C modules out there. In my case it looks like I have the "LCD Version 3 - Marked "LCM1602 IIC A0 A1 A2"" (Fourth pic from the top). At the end of the page is an I2C ADDRESS SCANNER sketch and it gives me 0x27 as a result.
If I use this test sketch I2C LCD DISPLAY VERSION 1: on the page the LCD works fine but I had to use a different library (explained at the beginning of the page).
Just a hint from my side. Didn't know what to do as I am not a coder ;) And please Rob don't waste to much time for this issue it is not urgent or important for me at the moment. Just want to give you an update.
Cheers
Martin
emailling me direct would be faster Martin :-)
1. Send me the .ino code that you are using for your focuser
2. Send me the lcd code that you tried that worked
I'll make the changes and then send it back to you to try the changes.
Cheers
Robert