Fast reef pi build, I hope.....

theatrus · Feb 10, 2019

stefanm said:
Yes the AC tester thing is whack, although humidity is low right now and I was wearing socks yesterday on a tiled floor and have a cat, could be static, though the doubt it, I'll replace the PSU's hopefully this week and report back.

My guess is the Y capacitor or a similar capacitor across the isolation gap is leaking. You should not be getting shocked anywhere.

Was this off the relay pack or somewhere else?

stefanm · Feb 10, 2019

theatrus said:
My guess is the Y capacitor or a similar capacitor across the isolation gap is leaking. You should not be getting shocked anywhere.

Was this off the relay pack or somewhere else?

The first shock was from the female stereo jack, where I had mounted the pull up resistor, the second was from one of the relay wires I had stripped the end to resolder the connector.

The 12 volt PSU was from a failed return pump, now the more I think about it this seems more like the culprit, it's probably what caused the return pump to fail. If I get the chance later I'll swap it out.

stefanm · Feb 10, 2019

I cracked open the 12 v psu, I can't really make out much other than it looks like it's been getting a little hot in there.

Bigtrout · Feb 10, 2019

Are some of those large brown capacitors blown, the tops look bulged and they have black tar looking marks.
Looks like some things were getting a bit hot....interesting

Ranjib · Feb 11, 2019

stefanm said:
I cracked open the 12 v psu, I can't really make out much other than it looks like it's been getting a little hot in there.

oh wow.. thats not good.

stefanm · Feb 11, 2019

Yes a definite bulge on those two caps, thankfully I got those shocks

otherwise I might have baked my pi!

theatrus · Feb 11, 2019

stefanm said:
Yes a definite bulge on those two caps, thankfully I got those shocks otherwise I might have baked my pi!

Su’scon: you know it’s quality.

Wouldn’t explain the shocks. That could just be a dodgy transformer.

stefanm · Feb 11, 2019

theatrus said:
Su’scon: you know it’s quality.

Wouldn’t explain the shocks. That could just be a dodgy transformer.

Yeah I doubt the caps, even though they're low quality are responsible, I installed a new PSU and no shocks, even mean well PSU's don't use the best caps either, I think their reliability is more down to the circuit as a whole.

theatrus · Feb 11, 2019

stefanm said:
Yeah I doubt the caps, even though they're low quality are responsible, I installed a new PSU and no shocks, even mean well PSU's don't use the best caps either, I think their reliability is more down to the circuit as a whole.

Glad to hear the shocks went away!

Bigtrout · Feb 11, 2019

theatrus said:
Su’scon: you know it’s quality.

Wouldn’t explain the shocks. That could just be a dodgy transformer.

There is more than the capacitors, that looks a little baked in that psu if you look at the pics close.
Anyways glad to see you are getting no more shocks!
One of my biggest fears is reaching into a tank of water where 120v is present...its happened to me once, a glass heater had the bottom of the tube crack and fall off, I didnt see it and reached in to replant a plant...bam, I almost pulled that 30 gallon tank over trying to get my arm and hand out of the tank!!!

theatrus · Feb 11, 2019

Bigtrout said:
There is more than the capacitors, that looks a little baked in that psu if you look at the pics close.
Anyways glad to see you are getting no more shocks!
One of my biggest fears is reaching into a tank of water where 120v is present...its happened to me once, a glass heater had the bottom of the tube crack and fall off, I didnt see it and reached in to replant a plant...bam, I almost pulled that 30 gallon tank over trying to get my arm and hand out of the tank!!!

I tend to expect some level of bake in the plastic enclosures. Its not truly baked until the FR4 discolors

Bigtrout · Feb 11, 2019

theatrus said:
I tend to expect some level of bake in the plastic enclosures. Its not truly baked until the FR4 discolors

Or the solder melts off the board

Bigtrout · Feb 11, 2019

Things like these are why all my aquariums are all on GFCI outlets now.

stefanm · Feb 12, 2019

Had a quick fiddle with the pi today, managed to solder the 2 temperature sensors to the stereo jack without destroying the jack. Both the sensors are working, but I'm getting a pop up error 404 not found on 1 (something like that).

Also tested the last doser and I've got voltage, seems the l293d was affected by the dodgy PSU.

The only other thing is one of the relays not working, seems to be a problem with my wiring as I'm not getting continuity, I'll have to investigate that, probably the fault is either on one of the keystones or cat6 jack's.

Once I sort that I'll get it running on the tank.

stefanm · Feb 20, 2019

Right, I found all the issues and sorted them.

1) some unknown idiot had wired the pwm output of the non working l293d to ground and the control wire was also grounded, I'll need to give that idiot a slap....once I can identify him!

2) the control for the non working relay was traced to a faulty rj45 socket, the above idiot had wired it correctly, the socket was a knock off (I knew that) I gad a spare original, so swapped them out and bingo, all working.

So now I need to get a little bit of configuration sorted and test with AC power, then I should be good to hook it up on the tank, I desperately need the doser up as manual alk dosing sucks, hopefully my few SPS (Monti caps and digitata) can actually show some noticeable growth and improvement.

Working relays

crusso1993 · Feb 20, 2019

stefanm said:
Right, I found all the issues and sorted them.

1) some unknown idiot had wired the pwm output of the non working l293d to ground and the control wire was also grounded, I'll need to give that idiot a slap....once I can identify him!

It's comforting to know these "idiots" do not raid my house only!

Ranjib · Feb 20, 2019

Perseverance

Bigtrout · Feb 20, 2019

stefanm said:
Right, I found all the issues and sorted them.

1) some unknown idiot had wired the pwm output of the non working l293d to ground and the control wire was also grounded, I'll need to give that idiot a slap....once I can identify him!

2) the control for the non working relay was traced to a faulty rj45 socket, the above idiot had wired it correctly, the socket was a knock off (I knew that) I gad a spare original, so swapped them out and bingo, all working.

So now I need to get a little bit of configuration sorted and test with AC power, then I should be good to hook it up on the tank, I desperately need the doser up as manual alk dosing sucks, hopefully my few SPS (Monti caps and digitata) can actually show some noticeable growth and improvement.

Working relays

Great job, and kudos on troubleshooting your own mistakes, thats how you learn!
When people have trouble on a build, thats why I always ask them to doublecheck the wiring first, 90 percent of the time thats where the trouble is, and its a matter of checking thru logically to find the trouble.

stefanm · Feb 21, 2019

Bigtrout said:
Great job, and kudos on troubleshooting your own mistakes, thats how you learn!
When people have trouble on a build, thats why I always ask them to doublecheck the wiring first, 90 percent of the time thats where the trouble is, and its a matter of checking thru logically to find the trouble.

Glad I didn't blow up the pi!
I have a couple of free hours right now, so going to finish up the last bits, I'll get some stickers made up for the power bar and control box, I'll also put a reef pi logo on the boxes

crusso1993 · Feb 21, 2019

stefanm said:
Glad I didn't blow up the pi!
I have a couple of free hours right now, so going to finish up the last bits, I'll get some stickers made up for the power bar and control box, I'll also put a reef pi logo on the boxes

Looking forward to seeing the finished product!