A Wiring Tester for GTA and Pro Mini Strong Encoders

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Mike_K
Posts: 669
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:35
Location: Hertfordshire

A Wiring Tester for GTA and Pro Mini Strong Encoders

Post by Mike_K »

wc_04.jpg

I've had so many support calls/emails for various encoders in the last few months that I haven't had time to do much of my own modelling. The most common problems seem to be with pots being wired incorrectly, electrical trims with a separate trim pot and broken wires/faulty crimps in plugs. These have been easy to rectify with my GTA/GTB/GTF encoders that have an LCD, they have a menu option "I/P Val" (Input Values), which gives the joystick values and switch positions to the encoder, you can see what is going on and usually work out what is wrong and how to correct it. But for the GTS (or DM More Pro Mini Strong) based encoders, you have to try to ask them to measure voltages, which can be tricky if the board is already installed, they often measure in the wrong location and we go around in circles.

What I really needed was the display from the "GTA" type encoder, so with a little thought, a spare Pro Mini Strong and OLED, I ripped the input menu from my GTA encoder, loaded it onto the Pro Mini Strong, soldered the OLED onto D0-D6 (where the DIP switches normally are), powered the OLED from D0/D1 and we now have the same facility for a GTS encoder. They've been "lent" to customers with a deposit, refundable when I get them back. So far I've sent out four and we've got all working, but nobody has wanted to send the testers back, wanting to keep them for the next conversion! Win-win, they've got working conversions, I've not had the boards returned as faulty and made a few extra pennies on the testers as a bonus.

I thought I'd share it with all, for those who can program a Pro Mini Strong with Phil_G or the F3A firmware, this is a five-minute build and can be useful for fault finding or even better, checking the wiring before connecting the encoder up. I've written a short instruction guide that I've uploaded to my website (to help the storage on the forum) and the program/sketch is attached below.

www.vintagetx.co.uk/download/GTS_Wiring_Tester_01a.pdf

Pro_Mini_Encoder_Wiring_Tester_01a.ino
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Mike
Tobe
Posts: 665
Joined: 16 Feb 2018, 06:19
Location: Varberg or Stockholm, Sweden

Re: A Wiring Tester for GTA and Pro Mini Strong Encoders

Post by Tobe »

...I got one! Works great so you should have one too if you are going to make conversions!
Cheers,

Tobe
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