Monochron doesn't beep

For RTC breakouts, etc., use the Other Products from Adafruit forum

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
User avatar
samckittrick
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:07 pm

Monochron doesn't beep

Post by samckittrick »

I just recieved my Monochron kit and have started building it. I get a little less than 5 volts in the appropriate places but the Piezo buzzer is not beeping. It got dark outside so I've suspended my work for a little while, but I plan to continue working on the kit as suggested in the other threads. Any suggestions on things i should check to determine what went wrong or if one of the parts is bad?

Here are pictures of what I have so far.
IMG_5794r.jpg
IMG_5794r.jpg (354.34 KiB) Viewed 3174 times
IMG_5795r.jpg
IMG_5795r.jpg (290.04 KiB) Viewed 3174 times

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I get a little less than 5 volts in the appropriate places
How much is "a little less"? If it is off by more than a few tenths of a volt than something is awry. Make sure your meter has fresh batteries and double check that against a known source.

The build looks pretty good so far. What is the stray solder joint in the prototyping area? (third row from top - leftmost column)

User avatar
samckittrick
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:07 pm

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by samckittrick »

I rechecked the voltage. It is about 4.72 - 4.79.

The stray solder joint is a bead of solder from accidentally touching it with the soldering iron. It doesn't appear to be making contact with any other part of the board.

Thanks for your help.

Scott

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

It is about 4.72 - 4.79.
Those voltage regulators are typically closer to 5v than that. I'd check you meter calibration. In any case, the processor should still function at that level.

User avatar
samckittrick
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:07 pm

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by samckittrick »

Good call. My multimeter is reading lower than it should be. I borrowed a friend's and it is giving the proper readings on several new batteries, and the power supply that came with the kit. It shows 5.04V on the monochron board.

I continued the build and have it all complete at this point. The led lights up and the lcd screen is powered but doesn't display anything. Still no sound either.

Scott

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Contact [email protected] and ask for a new monochron processor. Include a link to this thread.

User avatar
samckittrick
 
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2012 10:07 pm

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by samckittrick »

I got my replacement processor in the mail today, popped it in and plugged in the clock. It works perfectly. :-D

This it a great kit. I really enjoyed making it. I'm going to have to learn more about electronics now.

Thanks for your help.
Scott

technicalturtle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:02 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by technicalturtle »

I just bought and am now building the Monochron kit. When I got to the step to test the Piezo buzzer it would not work. My voltages are good, my LED lights by the switch and the LCD powers up, but there is nothing on it. Basically I am having the same exact trouble as was discussed above and I'm wondering if it is the same issue. Are there any other troubleshooting steps I can take? Thanks

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

If you post photos of the front & back of the board we'll take a look for any assembly problems.

technicalturtle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:02 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by technicalturtle »

Here are pictures of my assembly
Attachments
2012-01-21 11.53.22.jpg
2012-01-21 11.53.22.jpg (385.37 KiB) Viewed 2981 times
2012-01-21 11.52.52.jpg
2012-01-21 11.52.52.jpg (374.13 KiB) Viewed 2981 times

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Looks like some cold solder joints there. They may or may not be related to the beep problem. But it is best to clean them up so they don't cause you trouble down the road.

Use a clean, hot iron and re-flow anything that doesn't look smooth and shiny. And make sure that the solder flows well onto both the pin and the surrounding pad. (Where it is balled up around the pin, it often has not flowed onto the pad.)

Image

technicalturtle
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2012 11:02 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by technicalturtle »

So I cleaned up my joints, but when I removed my processor chip I broke off 2 pins. So I got an extra atmega328p pre-programmed with ADAboot thinking I would use avrdude and my FDIfriend to load a MONOCHRON .hex file. I plugged in the new chip, plugged in power, and checked the MONOCHRON board LED light out of curiosity. It did still turn on from the switch. No sound coming from buzzer at any point though. I plugged in the FTDI and send the command

C:\>avrdude -c arduino -P COM5 -p m328p -b 57600

the TX LED on my FTDIfriend blinks a handful of times and I get back

avrdude: stk500_getsync(): not in sync: resp=0x00

I'm fairly certain I'm getting good pin contact.

There is something else I noticed. After I unplug the power and unplug the FTDIfriend, if I plug back in FTDIfriend with the power still unplugged I get an RX LED flash in the FTDIfriend.

Any thoughts?

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

For future reference, there is no need to remove chips from the sockets to touch up the solder joints.

Since the new chip does not have Monochron firmware on it yet, there would not be any beeps.

For programming via avrdude. Are you following the steps hereexactly? The timing can be tricky between connecting the FTDI and starting the download.

shahzadk
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2013 2:20 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by shahzadk »

I started building my Monochron and the first test went file (showed 5.06). Now, with the second test, I cannot get the beep sound. Attaching images for help please.

Thank you.
Attachments
MC_Back.jpg
MC_Back.jpg (218.09 KiB) Viewed 1722 times
MC_Front.jpg
MC_Front.jpg (195.38 KiB) Viewed 1722 times

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88091
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: Monochron doesn't beep

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

I see several cold solder joints and many where the solder has no flowed onto the pad. Review our soldering guide, then retouch your solder joints until they are shiny and have flowed well onto both the pin and the pad. If you are using a low-wattage (25W or less) iron, be sure to give it some time to re-heat between joints.

http://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-guid ... -soldering
http://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-guid ... n-problems

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Clock Kits (discontinued)”