Gluon stop working

[alpert]

Hello,
I have few problems with my Gluon board. I hope you can help me.

I'm using Gluonpilot v1o.
1) I've tried to connect the card to the "Gluon control station" and i saw that the sensors worked.
2) I have tried to write it a small program using "Lubin" blockset for simulink. This software was supposed to blink the LEDs and send some data from the I2C. I've transfer my program to the card using Mplab and PIKit 3. The led was blinking, but I saw no response on the I2C C,D ports (I have used a scope to check that. The C port was 0v and the D was 3.3v steady).

3) I have tried to write a small program in C, using the MPLAB. the program look like that:

#include <stdio.h>
#include <math.h>
#include "microcontroller\microcontroller.h"
#include "uart1\uart1.h"
#include "i2c\i2c.h"
#include "led\led.h"

void main ()
{
microcontroller_init();

uart1_open(115200l); // open UART1

printf ("Starting test...\n\r");
microcontroller_delay_ms(5);

i2c_init(); // Initialise the I2C(1) module
led_init();
led1_on();
led2_on();

while(1)
{
I2Cwrite(0x052, 0, 100);
led1_toggle();

microcontroller_delay_ms(100);

} // end while
} // end main


4) I have transfer the program to the gluon using the PIKit 3. The LEDs worked fine, but again, no response from the I2C.

5) i have tried to restore the gloun to his default by copy the hex file from Gloun's website (rtos_pilot_v0.7.2) . Then, i have tried to connect it to the "Control station" and it didn't work.
Only the red LED is blinking now.

Questions:
A) why does my I2C doesn't work?
B) What does it mean that only the red LED blinks (withe the rtos program)?
C) Is there any way to make the Gluon work again?

Thanks,
Lior

[Tom]

Hello Lior,

Does the pressure sensor work in Gluonconfig?

[alpert]

Hi Tom,
Thanks for your quick answer.
I don't remember if the pressure sensor works, i'll check it first thing tomorrow morning.

Do you have any idea about the I2C? is it possible that there is a problem in the board?
What does it mean that only the red led blinking?

Thanks,
Lior

[Tom]

Hi,

Red light blinking = gluonpilot is working, no GPS connected

The pressure sensor uses I2C, so if this one works the problem can't be I2C.

Did you connect on 57600 baud?

[alpert]

Hi,
1) When I first got the Gluon card, everything worked with the "Gluon Control" (gyros and barometer)
2) After i programed it with my I2C program and restoring it to the default "rtos_pilot_v0.7.2" HEX file, I couldn't get a connection to the "Gluon Control". I have tried all the baud rate.

I've just over on the schematic of the SLAVE I2C, and i noticed that i made a huge mistake. It appear that the client (slave) work on 5v while the Gluon set to 3.3v

Do you believe that damage have been done to the Gluon board? Is there any way to getting it back alive?

Thanks,
Lior

[e_lm_70]

How did you power the GluonPilot board when you connected the I2C "stuffs"

I2C ... has SDA and SCL ... what are C,D ports ?

Normally you power your GlueonPilot over the serial interface plug (this will provide 5volt) ... or connecting the RX power (the 5volt from the Radio RX) ... else there is a 5volt plug near VBat sensor.

The i2C are not solder by default ... I guess the Vcc on I2C plug is a 3.3V output ... that is regulated by the "big" 3.3V linear volt chip, that is locate between the leds and the 16V capacitor ... now ... even if you abused of this linear volt chip, this should have survived ...

Anyhow, if you managed to re-flash the board, it can't be in too bad shape, else the firmware update would have failed ...

Tchuss

e_lm_70

[Tom]

How did you connect the "slave" to the gluonpilot? Communication lines are not critical, but maybe you connected 3V3 to 5V?

[alpert]

Hi,
Since my I2C slave can output 5VDC (it's a MIKROKOPTER brushless driver), I was powering the gluon threw it. In that way i also had a common ground.

I have used only the SDA and SCL to connect the I2C to the slave.

[alpert]

Does some one have any idea how to get this card back alive?

(so it could comunicate with the "Gluon Control" software)

thanks.

[e_lm_70]

You said that you did managed to re-firmware the GluonPilot.

If the firmware update works, this means the board can't be in a very damage status ... (at least the CPU is still alive, and the 5v input and 3.3v regulator are working.

A quick check about the status ... you can see the logs during the power up.

Connect the USB cable to your PC, use Putty or an equivalent COM terminal software ... you just need to see the logs over serial on the screen.

Open the terminal before power up the board (the serial interface is functional even before connected to the GluonPilot boar)

Take care to set the right COM speed and port (speed is 56k (if I recall right), port you need to find on your computer)

Plug the cable to the board, and this should power up and start the execution of the Firmware code ...

Based on what you can see on display, you may get an idea if the code get stuck sameware ...

Good luck

e_lm_70

ps: In worst case you may send back to Tom for a more deep inspection ...