Topic: Motor not working control box had new R1 & D1 fitted but relay not working

[c5mick]

Hi mr-c5
Is everything sorted now, I am glad my bag of bits are coming in handy. It all helps towards the faults and remedies when people are stuck. Nice to see you are getting loads of help.
Regards
Mick

[KarlG]

Hi Mark,

there's no need to redo this test between X1 & 13, as I mentioned before it doesn't  matter as this is part of the circuit that appears to be working.

As far as the C5 scene in Germany goes, well they appear to be very few and far between. I'm just SW of Munich and when checking in YouTube I found a video from some guy cruising around in Munich, but I can no longer find the bl**dy video. There is another video in YouTube of an electric car meeting, mentioned by Theo (from C5alive), where there was a car with a Greater Munich registration (every population centre in Germany has it's own registration, e.g. M for Munich). I was going to try and contact these guys to see if they were interested in having a meetup in Munich, but with my workload it might not be possible.

So I'm keeping an eye open concerning the op-amp swop,  and don't forget to do the op-amp voltage supply mod.

Once again, a tip. When handling the op-amp avoid touching the leads with your fingers, always ground yourself before working on the boards. This is to prevent damage caused by static electricity.

Av phun.

Karl.

[mr-c5]

Hi Mick, it's getting there but not fixed yet but well on the way thanks to you! Catch you on fb
Mark

[KarlG]

I would like to advise C5Mick and mr-c5 to use anti-static protection when working with electronic equipment. I had a quick look in ebay UK and found the following:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Anti-Static-Static-Release-Wrist-Strap-/190499134227?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networking&hash=item2c5aa21b13
Nice and cheap, only £902,92   not only that, 83 sold. He must be well on the way to being a millionaire.

Somewhat better:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/Anti-Static-Electricity-Grounding-Wristband-Wrist-Strap-Band-ESD-Discharge-PC-/180733245991?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networking&hash=item2a148a7a27
They're charging a massive £1.99, no idea what the UK P&P is, but only £0.99 to Germany???

In Germany the earth connection in the mains socket is open, so I can just clip onto it. In the UK it's not so easy. if you have no access to an earthing point you could use a mains plug with the lead connected to the earth pin. If you do this, first check that the earth connection is really connected. With a multimeter set to AC volts check that you have a voltage reading between the live side and earth. No reading no earth.

[c5mick]

Hi Karl
I used to build the odd PC and still use the wrist earthing strap from those days. It is long enough to connect on my pc frame and either my wrist or ankle. I don't get any static from my hair nowadays, lol. As its long gone.

[KarlG]

There is a steel, fire protection door, to the cellar, 90% of the time when, in the semi dark, I try to insert the key I get a 5mm long spark. I stopped grabbing the handle a long time ago.

Up till now I've had three cases of computers that have been blown by the owners cleaning the inside with a vacuum cleaner. I have a dog, and when I vacuum the couch I can see how the hairs cling to the outside of the tube.

So it's easy to see how the static charge can buildup, especially with modern day synthetic clothing and shoes.

[c5mick]

I have know vacuum cleaners to damage computers, I hate to wife going anywhere near mine when it's on and she has vacuum in her hand

[mr-c5]

Hi all!
Apologies for the delay, only just got some free time tonight to progress this. Well I removed the old op amp using the desolder pump which worked a treat, it just fell off and hardly touched it with the iron. Soldered in the socket that Mick gave me and inserted the new chip Mike also gave me into it noting the correct way around. Refitted everything to the C5 and BINGO the LED's didn't extinguish like beofre and neither did the battery cut out alarm go off. The power gets to the motor because having cleaned up the bushes and reconnected it the motor runs on the button too! No road test as yet but looking good so far.

Big big thanks for everyone's input all of which has been incredibly supportive and helpful. Hopefully this post also leaves a trail for someone else to diagnose their fault. Now I wonder if anyone fancies drawing up a fault finding schematic covering every type of control box & pod fault!   


Thanks again!
Mark

[KarlG]

Hi Mark,

glad to hear all worked out well, now when the weather picks up you can get out and have some fun.

Your idea of a fault finding schematic is not bad, but there are so many faults that can crop up that can be caused by so many components. It would be the work for a doctor's degree. E.g. your problem could have been caused by the op-amp, the ULA, or other components on the board.

Most of the time it's a case of working though the board step by step. At times it's almost impossible to determine the cause because a component is on it's way out, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

Main thing is you're up and running.

Av phun.