Unrecognised Junebug......

[theo92]

Hey, the same old thing again,when I'm ready to bring the weather station in my home with SHT11,MPHX6115,couple of 18F2550....then my PIC programmers turned back and not working ..... ohhh!! put it a end...I said myself....now hear the story,

My old selfmade PIC programmer was damaged a week ago...I dont cared as my junebug laid in my hand. It was working very very good....but now it's not detected by my PC; I mean it's detected but A unrecognised USB device message pops from taskbar.

I tried and troubleshooted everything. Ohhh!!I forget to tell ya, that the tutor part was not constructed, the pad of power LED was damaged(by me of course, nothing to blame bill, becoz I never had xperience of soldering such a dual sided compact PCB like junebug),so the top and bottom layer's U5V connection was disrupted, I connected it manually by a soldering a wire. It worked just good. Another pad was damaged so I had to solder and connect it with top and bottom circuity as well.....It worked good too.

But now it's not detected by PC.I checked:

the VUSB capacitance....0.47uF...I replaced it but no help...
the U5V and GND connections with multimeter in continuty mode....everything sounded well.
the the FB1...I connected it with a wire.
then the USB conector....good as well
every soldering joints....I will recheck...but as first look it semmed to be good...

preesing down the function button while conecting the USB cable, still flashes the busy LED; which simply proves that the 20MHz crystal and the PIC connections are good....

SO Where to check more? Please help...

And this is for Bill, Is there no way to buy a Junebug PCB from india,i mean from any indian distributor?. I dont have credit card, as you live in canada, the my bank fund transfers wont work.I need to buy only one more junebug PCB for rest of my life; I was a little careless at first when working with this PCB that make me a cry a bit; also i had no xperiences for that too...But this time I'll be serious and careful.....so is there any way to buy the junebug PCB from india ?

 

[3v0]

Bill will provide a better answer but for now.

Take a good look at the Junebug schematic. Only the 18F2550 and the bits between it and the USB connector have anything to do with it connecting to MPLAB or PICkit2 software. The fact that your computer sees the Junebug (but does not know what it is) tends to indicate the hardware is good.

When this sort of thing happens I switch to PICkit2 application rather then MPLAB. Try connecting several times. Try rebooting the PC.

Next swap out the 18F2550 for that spare you programmed. It was more common for a ICD2 to loose it marbles but it can happen here too. Just less likely.

3v0

EDIT: If you can try it on another PC.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Are you saying it was working and stopped? Is there 5v on U5V? Does the bootloader led flash if you hold the BL button while plugging it in?
And as 3VO said try another PC.

 

[theo92]

Take a good look at the Junebug schematic. Only the 18F2550 and the bits between it and the USB connector have anything to do with it connecting to MPLAB or PICkit2 software. The fact that your computer sees the Junebug (but does not know what it is) tends to indicate the hardware is good.When this sort of thing happens I switch to PICkit2 application rather then MPLAB. Try connecting several times. Try rebooting the PC.

I don't use MPLAB at all. I always use the Pickit 2 standalone application.

I'll certainly try it on my friend's PC...as it was proved that my PC sometime works like a 'ghost'

Are you saying it was working and stopped

Yes it worked very very well...and now it's not.
And yes, there is ~5V at U5V.

Does the bootloader led flash if you hold the BL button while plugging it in?
And as 3VO said try another PC.

Yes the bootloader/busy LED flashes.....as I wrote earlier:

preesing down the function button while conecting the USB cable, still flashes the busy LED; which simply proves that the 20MHz crystal and the PIC connections are good....

Tonight, i'm going to bed; I'll give a moere clear and definite description tomorrow.

the PIC is not damaged....it's starange that when I plug the same 22550 in my selfmade PIckit2; PC detects it, PICkit2 softw detecs too and reports everything is good.Though it has some poor connections and broken tracks that is prohibiting it from detecting any PIC.....though it detects sometime when I shake it a some kinda way; like the oldmen used to shake off their TV for a sharp HD pics

More information tomorrow ok?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Do you have all the 0.1uF caps installed? Along with the 220uF cap?

 

[mvs sarma]

Do you have all the 0.1uF caps installed? Along with the 220uF cap?

Bill, If I remember Theo92 had programmed his 18F2550 using ART2003 from Fox Delta Amateur Radio Projects and Kits (the LVP programmer), we had enogh discussion on this. I was asking how the button press would respond as the concerned pin is not to be used etc. Whether he is suffering due o that , Now, we may have to analyze.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

He did say he had it working.

 

[mvs sarma]

He did say he had it working.

I agree , it works till such time there is need for re loading or updating firmware- now the time appears to have come, while the reason for failure is yet to be established.

PS: he should have programmed another 18f2550 during the working time of the RT2003 programmed chip. now he has to do a trick?

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Hmm, strange. The Junebug kits have no problem with firmware updates. I agree with mvs sarma as the first thing I would have done is program another 18F2550 with his ART2003 programmed Junebug and swapped the chips.

 

[AtomSoft]

are you connecting it alone? Like unplug it. Make sure the ICSP is not plugged in then plug it back to the USB (try another port) and see if it works with nothing connected. If that doesnt help it sounds like you need to check the data lines on the board not the power lines.Make sure where the D+/D- lines are on the board are ok and make sure the USB D+/D- pins are ok. Then make sure its not just your cable. Just because the cable works on something else doesnt mean that it will here the USB socket itself migh not be strong enough or supporting the wire good enough so it connects and disconnects alot.

 

[Pommie]

Can an LVP programmed chip be used? As RB5 is tied high it would enter programming mode instead of running the code.

Mike.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Can an LVP programmed chip be used? As RB5 is tied high it would enter programming mode instead of running the code.

Mike.

I thought the same thing but Theo said he got a homebuilt Junebug clone working so I sent him a Junebug PCB.

 

[mvs sarma]

I thought the same thing but Theo said he got a homebuilt Junebug clone working so I sent him a Junebug PCB.

@Theo92
If yopu don't fine local help over there, I am ready to handle your JUNEBUG and restore it at actual cost and/or freight charges. you may reach me on my mail. No point in further trying it before you reach a specific skill level. I am ripe with 30 yrs of servicing experience and willing to help.

 

[theo92]

Okkkk!!! lot of responses!!!very happy.

s Do you have all the 0.1uF caps installed? Along with the 220uF cap?

YES!!it has, but 220uF? mine has a 100uF/25V?
hope it'd not make a trouble.

Bill, If I remember Theo92 had programmed his 18F2550 using ART2003 from Fox Delta Amateur Radio Projects and Kits (the LVP programmer), we had enogh discussion on this. I was asking how the button press would respond as the concerned pin is not to be used etc. Whether he is suffering due o that , Now, we may have to analyze.

I did LVP,but it didn't created any trouble in the past month.....so why now?
I upgraded to OS version 3.20(if i remember it right) without any hassle....
I was a doubt in a corner of mind,that as LVP was used the PGM pin is unused.....and it may cause some hassle;but it didn't....time has came to analyze.

are you connecting it alone? Like unplug it. Make sure the ICSP is not plugged in then plug it back to the USB (try another port) and see if it works with nothing connected. If that doesnt help it sounds like you need to check the data lines on the board not the power lines.Make sure where the D+/D- lines are on the board are ok and make sure the USB D+/D- pins are ok. Then make sure its not just your cable. Just because the cable works on something else doesnt mean that it will here the USB socket itself migh not be strong enough or supporting the wire good enough so it connects and disconnects alot.

ICSP is blank..i mean disconnected...
tried all 8 usb ports...
I'll xperiment the second tricks.....good point.

If yopu don't fine local help over there, I am ready to handle your JUNEBUG and restore it at actual cost and/or freight charges. you may reach me on my mail. No point in further trying it before you reach a specific skill level. I am ripe with 30 yrs of servicing experience and willing to help

Very happy; at first I'll try to save my junebug baby; I'm sure there is some terrible soldering fault(s); it needs to desolder the ic socket; i destroyed two pads by trying to desolder; there is a 'soldering god' in my locality; he is also experienced; i will tell him to try desoldering once....if everything fails, there is MVS sarma; he is a big support for me, although everybody is my support; but MVS is quite more as he lives in my country.

This junebug needs a skilled and cute desoldering of some parts.....
I'll let you know the next......

 

[theo92]

**broken link removed**

Flickr: theo92's Photostream
Flickr: theo92's Photostream

 

[blueroomelectronics]

100uF is fine. The PGM pin is the bootloader switch pin and that's why most of us figured it wouldn't work if the 18F2550 was programmed with an LVP programmer like the Art2003

Since you managed to get it programmed once and it worked just program it again then use the working Junebug to HVP another 18F2550 for use in the Junebug.

 

[Pommie]

It makes me wonder if somehow RB5 was permanently tied to ground and the bootloader was executed every time. When the PicKit2 software ran it would see the bootloader and download the operating system. It would be worth trying tying RB5 to ground and see what happens.

Mike.

 

[theo92]

I'll be working for the junebug to give ya a new life(aint no doctor though)after a week...
But I've made another nice PICKit2 of Gayan Soyza and mine PCB layout....really good...it works 100% perfectly without any trouble......here it's...
Bill, you also finished/started schemating junebug on this day before one year; not that? as the junebug manual's schematic page date suggests.....well, I finished it too today;26th december....what a similarity

 

[mvs sarma]

I'll be working for the junebug to give ya a new life(aint no doctor though)after a week...
But I've made another nice PICKit2 of Gayan Soyza and mine PCB layout....really good...it works 100% perfectly without any trouble......here it's...
Bill, you also finished/started schemating junebug on this day before one year; not that? as the junebug manual's schematic page date suggests.....well, I finished it too today;26th december....what a similarity

Capacitor C6 appears wrong on JUNE BUG
please check w.r.t. the assembly instruction manual. it should have been 0.47uF polyester . C8 is redundant.
Please ensure that the JUNE BUG is handled little more carefully as many a time the PTH gives trouble due to too hot and iron!

 

[theo92]

C6 should be a non polar polyester cap. But I used a 0.47uF electrolytic.....I used this in every 18F2550 USB projects, i mean in VUSB pin; giving the negative side of the cap negative bias; that make no trouble.....

well, I've to handle and I will handle junebug very very carefully n slowly next time....

what's PTH? is it the material which junebug is made of?

is it not possible to desolder any component from junebug PCB?

huhhhh!!!!do you like my selfmade pickit 2 aka junebug??