No serial connection with TinyG V8

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  • August 5, 2015 at 10:16 pm #8167
    pateaux
    Member

    I recently put my shapeoko back together after building a new space for it and expanding it a bit, and now I cannot connect to the tinyG. I was trying to run a RasPi 2B with Chilipeppr and couldnt get any connection from the Pi to the TinyG at all, so I connected it to my PC, and windows tells me “USB device not recognized”. This PC has run tgFX for a while, so I am certain that my FTDI environment is fine. It looks like my TinyG just stopped communicating over serial.

    This is my 2nd TinyG, the first I made the error of wiring the terminals backwards and frying it, so I know what that is like, and this is different (in fact, my tinyG stayed hooked up to the power supply (off, just wired) the entire time my mill was down (several months), so this is not a case of being wired incorrectly. When I power on the TinyG, I get the “SpDir” light blinking for a few seconds (I guess the bootloader is ok?) followed by all the motor lights coming on for a second, and I hear the motors engage briefly, as they have always done. I cannot figure out WTF has happened! Ive tried connecting with my PC, my Mac, and a RasPi2 with no luck anywhere. I am not a hardware guy, and I am lost at this point, can anyone help me diagnose this thing further, or tell me if I can send this to anyone with a programmer that might be able to fix it?

    Thanks

    August 6, 2015 at 7:18 am #8169
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    This activity:

    I get the “SpDir” light blinking for a few seconds (I guess the bootloader is ok?) followed by all the motor lights coming on for a second, and I hear the motors engage briefly, as they have always done.

    sounds correct, the normal tinyG startup.

    From the accumulated experiences of other users:

    Have you tried a new (or different) USB cable?

    Have you tried starting up with only tinyG connected, no other connections (to motors, pwm spindles, etc)? Could be a noise source is corrupting tinyG ground, which becomes PC/laptop ground when USB cable inserted

    Perhaps your Vmot PS has gone bad? tinyG will run with simple 12 – 30 V supply, e.g. a spare laptop or router supply that you ‘trust’.

    PS: Assuming you get up and running, make sure to update your FW – 440.18 is now the Master branch hex.

    August 6, 2015 at 11:48 am #8172
    pateaux
    Member

    Have you tried a new (or different) USB cable?

    Yes. 3 cables that have worked on this machine before.

    Have you tried starting up with only tinyG connected, no other connections (to motors, pwm spindles, etc)? Could be a noise source is corrupting tinyG ground, which becomes PC/laptop ground when USB cable inserted

    Perhaps your Vmot PS has gone bad? tinyG will run with simple 12 – 30 V supply, e.g. a spare laptop or router supply that you ‘trust’.

    I really wanted this to be it. Ive disconnected everything from the TinyG, tested my power supply, and put a new clean wire between the TG and PS, and I am getting the same result.

    If the bootloader is ok, then I should be able to hit it with new firmware within 3 sec of startup right? Windows alerts me that the USB is not recognized a second or two after the bootloader process is done, so there might be a chance of flashing it that way. Not sure how I will know what port it is on?

    August 6, 2015 at 2:48 pm #8173
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    If the bootloader is ok, then I should be able to hit it with new firmware within 3 sec of startup right? Windows alerts me that the USB is not recognized a second or two after the bootloader process is done, so there might be a chance of flashing it that way. Not sure how I will know what port it is on?

    On tinyGV8, the ftdi device converts USB to serial in front of the xMega device. The ftdi device functionality is not part of tinyG FW.
    So I doubt this would work or help.

    It is sounding like the ftdi device has died.

    August 6, 2015 at 6:23 pm #8175
    pateaux
    Member

    Does that mean that it is trash? I have another tinyG v8 (my first one, that I brilliantly hooked up backwards and toasted before I ever got the machine running. Could there be a chance of salvaging anything from one to fix the other? I REALLY don’t want to buy a third board.

    August 6, 2015 at 9:00 pm #8176
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    From what I see from your description, something is very wrong with the USB interface. If you are sure that PCs are ftdi ready, then I think your have to conclude device has failed. Know anyone one who could test it for you?

    January 19, 2018 at 12:50 am #10764
    TedBlack
    Member

    It’s a bit late, but if you still have your board that isn’t communicating this could fix it for $5.

    Same crap happened to me. Disconnected board, reconnected it, and the USB wasn’t recognized anymore. I did absolutely nothing wrong!
    TinyG USB not recognized
    TinyG USB not recognised
    (for those trying to find this via search engine)

    So… I bought 2 x new FTDI chips from RS, soldered a new one on the board. Worked!

    I have a TinyG V.8
    The FTDI chip was a FT230XS

    Details of exact chip I ordered from RS Components:
    FTDI Chip FT230XS-R UART Interface 3MBd, 5 V, 16-Pin, SSOP
    RS Stock No.757-0010ManufacturerFTDI Chip Mfr. Part No.FT230XS-R
    Cost: $2.75 each in a pack of 2.

    January 20, 2018 at 3:48 am #10773
    Zootalaws
    Member

    Or just buy a ready-made FTDI to USB device and connect it via the serial pins

    ~$3

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