No more reset?

[necro_nemesis]

Is this a 5vdc buck converter running off the 12vdc line? If it is what I think it is this doesn't make a lot of sense to me when you're dealing with a watchdog circuit meant to protect against problems with low 5vdc logic levels that run all the higher voltage goodies in a nice dry wooden box. Testing 12vdc; if it even does that which I doubt it does since it attempts to regulate to 5vdc, seems to negate the whole purpose of the watchdog circuit reset.

I was thinking I could build these with one of my board orders for literally well under 10 bucks but then figured why? Comments invited please.

The one from kahn.com (original I believe)



and the one now being offered by PinSound with "lasers shooting from your eyes" online promotional material. Apparently people can't get enough of these things...





Maybe I'm just old skool but this is the way I think you going about fixing the problem when you're dealing with it at the boards.

 

[koji]

Exactly, the no more reset boards that take from the 12v will get you going for a while.. but sooner or later, when you have issues on the 12v line, you are back to square 1. Good for people with no soldering skills who just want to have the machine back up.. but since you are bound to have some problems at some point (If you are having trouble with 5v, it is likely your 12v is also aged, or potentially a bit low).. do schedule time to have the driver board serviced properly.

It's really not too bad to go over some basic repinning, test the associated 5v BRs, replace a few caps and definitely replace the regulator with the EZsbc solution.


Yeah, agreed about board cost. Even having it arrive assembled would be very cheap. I think there is a community which has attacked pinsound for stealing this idea etc.. I didn't quite get what was really novel about it tho, as it is clearly just its own power conversion.. I can't say there is any magic going on, and like you say, it is bypassing all of the driver board 5v circuit anyway.

I think you would get flack from some people in the community to undercut Kahr... it might not be worth it, esp if you agree it isn't a fix anyway.

 

[necro_nemesis]

5vdc has a watchdog to reset the game if the voltage drops to the point of logic being questionable. Like coils locking on. Monitoring or using 12v negates this failsafe that is deliberately incorporated into the design for safety reasons.

 

[koji]

Fair. Never really thought about the importance of the watchdog.. everyone seemed to just be trying to find a way around it, without wondering if they should.

 

[MrMikeman]

Fair. Never really thought about the importance of the watchdog.. everyone seemed to just be trying to find a way around it, without wondering if they should.

Like Dr Malcom said in Jurassic Park. They were too busy figuring if they could they never stopped to think if they should