Author Topic: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??  (Read 943 times)

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Offline northern44

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PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« on: January 15, 2022, 11:03:36 AM »
Hi everyone. I've got a cabled VP1 from about 2003 which has a failed PCB board (6320C). It was otherwise working well, logging to Weatherlink.

There's no cracked solder joints on the ISS, cable ports are good, but a bit of corrosion around some of the tracks - I varnished it quite a few years ago.

Finding PCBs for VP1s is very similar to finding hens teeth! Looks like they've all been sold from the usual Davis spares sellers.

I've replaced various parts over the years and am loath to spend £500+ on a whole new VP2 system, but I think that might be my only option.

Anyone know of a secret source, or happen to have one lying around?   :grin:

Offline broadstairs

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2022, 11:54:04 AM »
If it is possible to modify a VP1 wireless board, then I have one of those.

Stuart
Ecowitt GW1003 with ultrasonic wind gauge, lightning sensor and PM2.5 sensor with Personal Weather Tablet as a console.

Offline davidmc36

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2022, 07:45:20 PM »
At minimum I believe it would require a completely different communication chip be SMD soldered onto the board. That's the norm, only put one chip, wired or wireless.

And then the humidity sensor would likely go fritzy like all of them and the effort would be useless.

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2022, 07:52:25 PM »
If there is anyone where you live that repairs vintage electronics (computers, game systems, etc), I would see if they could repair your board. Most of the times it's just a bad trace and those can repaired.

Offline northern44

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2022, 08:48:16 AM »
Thanks for those replies and esp Stuart for your offer.

Looking at the (few) photos online of a wireless VP1 board, they look pretty different to my wired one (pics attached).

There's definitely overlap however - I was getting "low battery on station 1" errors before the ISS failed completely, which makes absolutely no sense for a wired setup.

I'll have a look around for anyone local with PCB repair skills.  I did replace the analogue humidity sensor a few years back so it does seem a shame to give up on the whole system (rain sensor reed switch and anemometer are newish also).

I''m keeping my fingers crossed that someone on this board might have an unused PCB also!    :-) [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2022, 02:59:07 PM »
There's definitely overlap however - I was getting "low battery on station 1" errors before the ISS failed completely, which makes absolutely no sense for a wired setup.

Actually, that may be a clue. It sounds like the board detected a lower than expected power supply voltage. Unfortunately many things could cause that. For example:

1) Console power adapter - perhaps the output voltage has dropped just enough that the voltage loss of the long cable between the console and ISS is a problem.

2) Cable between console and ISS

3) power regulation circuit on the ISS PCB
« Last Edit: January 16, 2022, 03:21:07 PM by doubleohwhatever »

Offline northern44

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2022, 03:55:35 PM »
Good suggestions!

Maybe it's (3) the power regulator.  I've already tried a shorter cable and running the console on a fresh set of batteries only.

Not sure where the regulator is on the ISS, I think the unit adjacent to the RJ11 "Console" connector (top LHS of attached photo) is an unused aerial connector. 
(Although I've inspected all solder joints previously with decent magnification and they're superficially ok.)
   
« Last Edit: January 17, 2022, 04:08:52 PM by northern44 »

Offline davidmc36

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2022, 04:13:10 PM »
Yes, antenna connector. [ You are not allowed to view attachments ]

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2022, 04:17:15 PM »
I can't make out the marking on the IC to be 100% sure but U11 looks like it would be the regulator.

As for a pinout, I think it might be this:
Pin 1: Ground
Pin 2: Input
Pin 3: Output

Pin 3 being closest to the C13 marking on the PCB
« Last Edit: January 17, 2022, 04:28:42 PM by doubleohwhatever »

Offline davidmc36

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2022, 04:29:14 PM »
Based on it's proximity to both battery holder and SuperCap and what little I could trace around on the board.....that would be my guess.

I see marking of 3A04
« Last Edit: January 17, 2022, 04:33:45 PM by davidmc36 »

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2022, 04:36:42 PM »
Yeah, I'm fairly certain that's it after another look.

Unfortunately, without knowing the IC part # and without a working board, I have no clue what the correct voltage should be.

Offline Jim_49

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2022, 11:19:13 PM »
Looking at U11 in the OP's picture it looks like there is a Motorola logo with a V6 marking.  Motorola used to have a cross reference from marking to part number.  Years ago Motorola spun off their digital, analog and interface ICs to ON Semiconductor, now known as ONSEMI.  I checked there and couldn't find anything.  It's probably in some archive.  Since I retired I have lost all my contacts for this kind of stuff.

I believe U11 is a SOT223 package.  Assuming it is a fixed output regulator I'm guessing, based on other data sheets, the pin assignments would be:

Pin 1 (closest to C12) - ground
Pin 2 - Vout
Pin 3 - Vin
Tab - Vout

You would need the data sheet to make sure.  If my guess is correct pin 2 should be connected to the tab.  C13/C14 look like they are the input filter and C11/C12 look like the output filter judging from the visible traces.  You should be able to perform some continuity measurements to determine what's what.

Looking at the photo that davidmc36 provided the circuitry for U11 looks the same.  I can't make out any markings on U11.  Is that where 3A04 is?  Is there also a logo?

Online mcrossley

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #12 on: January 18, 2022, 03:11:56 AM »
I checked an old VP 2 ISS, the U11 chip on that board is also marked 3A 04. A newer ISS had no markings that I could see through the coating.

As the ISS uses 3V as reference voltages for the sensors, best guess is that the regulator is 3V too?
Mark

Offline davidmc36

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #13 on: January 18, 2022, 07:24:45 AM »
Powered up the board.

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Offline northern44

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #14 on: January 18, 2022, 08:45:53 AM »
 :eek:

Well there's a massive amount of knowledge and helpfulness here to say the least.

Thanks for the info and excellent detective work.  I'll hook her up this weekend and check the pinout voltages.
Mind you I covered the bloody thing in lacquer a few years ago so checking continuity will be a challenge.

So that's a big game of spot the difference when you load up photos of wired and wireless PCBs side by side. 
Given the extra components, you'd have thought wireless would be much more expensive but looking at current prices in the uk, a wired VP2 is £25 more. Hey ho.

I'll feed back on the outcome.

Offline davidmc36

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #15 on: January 18, 2022, 10:02:05 AM »
.... checking continuity will be a challenge.....

I have a set of needle probes for my meter.

Just tape a pair of straight pins to your probes to poke through the lacquer. Easy to put a dab over it after.

Offline WiFiLogger

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #16 on: January 18, 2022, 12:17:03 PM »
If I may help with LDO.
This is Torex XC62F

3 = 3. v
A = .0v
0 = "Based on internal standards"
4 = "Represents the assembly lot no. Based on internal standards"

Please check PDF for full info.

Offline Jim_49

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #17 on: January 18, 2022, 01:27:15 PM »
Well, it looks like my guess was way off base.  Manufacturer - wrong.  Package - wrong.  Pinout - wrong.  At least I was consistent.

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #18 on: January 18, 2022, 01:58:09 PM »
Eh, we've been diagnosing a 20-year old board over the internet. I'd say it's been a great team effort thus far.

Offline northern44

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #19 on: January 23, 2022, 10:07:09 AM »
OP here - I have emotions to report!

Is this common on an internet weatherstation board?

1. Relief, happiness and contentment. And a stable bank balance.

My trusty VP1 is fixed and up and running again, all sensors working cap'n.

2. Embarrassment and some shame at my poor diagnosis.

It was an corroded RJ11 coupler that was the problem, nothing to do with the ISS board.  :roll:

There's long run from the console to the ISS, so there's two cables, joined with a (15 year old) female-female RJ11 coupler in a 'weatherproof' junction box with grommets. 

I'd already brought a new 40 metre cable and tried replacing cables 1 and 2 and checked (successfully) for continuity on my network cable tester.  What I hadn't done is take the console outside to the ISS and hooked it up with a 2m cable directly - and that's what worked yesterday. Not sure why the cable-tester was reporting things ok - I've got a memory of one of the 4 wires being slightly dimmer on the tester last month.

So one new RJ11 connector later and all is fine. I've now filled every RJ11 port with dielectric grease (coupler and ISS).  The outside world can be hard place for IT kit, my cables regularly get chewed by mice and occasionally cows!

I can only say thank you and thank you again for all the help and knowledge released in the posts above. I'm sure those pinouts and specs for the power regulator will be useful info for someone in the future.

One positive here is that the 2 month gap in readings has given me an incentive to ditch my Weatherlink setup on a networked Win10 laptop and replace it with a raspberry pi running CumulusMX. Seems much more stable for Wunderground uploads and no need to pay for any Davis subs, quids in!

Offline doubleohwhatever

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Re: PCB for cabled Vantage Pro (not VP2) ISS - now extinct??
« Reply #20 on: January 23, 2022, 10:10:28 AM »
Awesome! I'm happy to hear your VP1 can keep on going.