pine 140 Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 2 years ago I had a small project using a F5529 LP with TMP006 sensor booster pack, connecting to an OpenWRT router using serial to send data to ti.exosite.com, and also a 16x2 LCD readout. Last month it suddenly stopped sending data. Trouble shooting confirmed the problem is at the serial part on the LP. The LP also refused being re-programmed during the trouble shooting tests. The F5529, TMP006, and OpenWRT are all confirmed working flawlessly. Another lost feature is the ability to show time on the LCD which it retrieves from exosite everytime data is sent successfully. A nice clock also really. Today, after two weeks, it suddenly come back to life! Hurray! tripwire 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
spirilis 1,265 Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 Weird ... any idea what happened? Was it exposed to the elements? Fun fact- I showcased a Lightning Sensor project one time at the NY Maker Faire (@@bluehash got 43oh a table that year), and I stored the board stack inside one of the TI booth's cabinets overnight. Next day it wouldn't work... eventually figured out condensation got to it and the LFXT crystal in particular wasn't working right. Soldering iron helped temporarily (touching all the pads I could see), but it wasn't until I got home and hit the FR5969 launchpad with a sustained blast from a heat gun that it resolved itself perfectly. pine and tripwire 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
veryalive 49 Posted April 3, 2016 Share Posted April 3, 2016 a question .... WHAT IS YOUR 5529 LP BOARD REV ??? Rev 1.4 had weird problems with a kind of power switch driven by the emulator side. I had such problems with the Rev 1.4 board which I resolved by reflashing the EZ FET. At TI'er on the E2E Forum helped me; this was about 2 years ago. In Rev 1.5 5529 LP, those power switches were removed.... o tripwire and pine 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pine 140 Posted April 3, 2016 Author Share Posted April 3, 2016 Weird ... any idea what happened? Was it exposed to the elements? Fun fact- I showcased a Lightning Sensor project one time at the NY Maker Faire (@@bluehash got 43oh a table that year), and I stored the board stack inside one of the TI booth's cabinets overnight. Next day it wouldn't work... eventually figured out condensation got to it and the LFXT crystal in particular wasn't working right. Soldering iron helped temporarily (touching all the pads I could see), but it wasn't until I got home and hit the FR5969 launchpad with a sustained blast from a heat gun that it resolved itself perfectly. Yes it is weird, it has been always on the desk undisturbed, I have no scope to test so am only able to diagnose the problem to the serial / program part without any further conclusion. Since it stopped sending data I kept turn it on for it can still display temperature data on the LCD. Today is like usual I didn't touched it but before dinner noticed the timestamp is back on the LCD which means it come back! I was always thinking the ezFET emulator just gave up and expired, until you mentioned environmental factors, which reminds me of high humidity recently. Highlighted below is over 90% relative humidity in March (LP stopped on 20 March). a question .... WHAT IS YOUR 5529 LP BOARD REV ??? Rev 1.4 had weird problems with a kind of power switch driven by the emulator side. I had such problems with the Rev 1.4 board which I resolved by reflashing the EZ FET. At TI'er on the E2E Forum helped me; this was about 2 years ago. In Rev 1.5 5529 LP, those power switches were removed.... o Thanks for the info, will check if mine need some update.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pine 140 Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 (edited) Woke up and it's gone again.. tried to dry it with a hair dryer but still nothing. Perhaps it's time to order a new LP [Edit] It worked again! It magically talked to exosite again after a few hour of silence on the serial since powered on. Edited April 4, 2016 by pine Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pine 140 Posted April 4, 2016 Author Share Posted April 4, 2016 Ok I think it is likely the connector on the LP, or the parts nearby. It has been on and off today, that makes me think the emulator chip should still be ok, and therefore tried what the Russian cosmonaut did in the movie Armageddon - knocking. Knock on the right side, nothing, the left side, occasionally the LP resets! Sometimes after reset the serial worked. As I'm facing the back of the LP with the USB connector on the upper left hand side, I tried to monkey with that. Although not 100% of the time, the LP resets when the cable is moved, so that's the culprit! This will also explain why the LP is not recognized when it is connected directly to the PC. Looking to remove the TP link router and the mini usb hub (mounting a 8G flash stick for the TP link router) next week from the whole package to have a closer look of the connector. Since early in the project I have these fixed on the back of the LP using some screws and paper clips. For now I'll keep the hammer (my phone) handy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pine 140 Posted April 14, 2016 Author Share Posted April 14, 2016 The LP finally retired last week. Won't even power on. Plugged into PC directly and it cannot recognize the device. The replacement LP delivered today, and my desk companion is back again I believe only the USB hub part of the old board is failing, and the rest including the 5529 should still be good. Wrapped it properly and perhaps one day it can be of some good use. Btw, the old one is LP Rev.1.4 and the new is 1.5. The screw holes of the new one is much easier to work with as it is less tight. Screwdriver is already needed halfway on the old one, but for the new one only on the final few turns. spirilis 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
solipso 8 Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 pine: It is strange; you got me pretty curious about the failure of your V1.4 launchpad. I would like to try to investigate what happened to your board if you agree to send it to me for an autopsy. You can contact me via my email it (a) boos.cz to negotiate details. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fred 453 Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 I'd say that if the FET / hub side of things is where the problem is, then it makes a good candidate to be programmed using the FET on the other launchpad and left permanently in your project. You could even cut the broken FET part off. (Edited for phone keyboard typos.) pine and tripwire 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
pine 140 Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 If day that if the FET / hub side of things I'd where the problem is, then it makes a good candidate to be programmed using the FET on the other launchpad and left permanently in your project. You could even cut the broken FET part off. Yes! Like this idea! It's still a damn good 5529 mounted on a very nice board with good connectors. Interestingly on the same line, my wife asked yesterday, after learning that I believed only the hub part is not working, if the LP can be cut and replaced as she saw the dotted line printed on the LP . (And she is not from engineering background). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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