Beginners Setup Guide The Grinch

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Introduction

This page was created to help out the new users who aren't fully confident that they have built their Grinch boards correctly. These steps are designed to allow the user to test/verify each component of their setup in a manner that should help to eliminate the possibility of damaging any of the components during initial testing.


Some of the following procedures require the individual to be familiar with the operation of a digital multimeter (or voltmeter/ohmmeter if you prefer). If you currently do not know how to measure resistance or how to measure voltage, please take some time now an learn these basic skills before attempting these procedures. This website provides some basic information on using multimeters.


Multimeter Usage Tip
All voltages in this document are referenced to GND. So for all measurements, the multimeter negative (-), usually black, lead needs to be connected to a GND point on the PCB. A good GND location would be pin 1 of any of the ICs. The positive lead (+), usually red, gets connected to the location called out in the procedure. All voltages are also DC and the multimeter should be set accordingly.


Due to the nature of the information contained on this page, it is imperative that all individuals read and understand the disclaimers contained here.


Grinch Basic Setup Steps

  1. Ensure power is off
  2. Remove all cables
  3. Remove all four IC chips
  4. Connect the power cable
  5. Turn on power
  6. Power LED should be lit.
  7. Measure DC voltage at U1 IC socket pin 24
    • It should be VCC (between 3.5 and 5.0 VDC)
    • If it isn’t then check your power source for correct voltage
  8. Install a known good SSR (or suitable tester) to Grinch RJ45 Connector A
    • If you are not sure that the SSR is good, these steps should help verify it. If any of these steps fail, check/repair the SSR and/or Grinch-to-SSR wiring.
    1. Momentarily connect a jumper (small piece of wire) between UI IC socket pin 1 and pn 5
      • SSR Channel 1 should be ON
    2. Momentarily connect a jumper between UI IC socket pin 1 and pn 6
      • SSR Channel 2 should be ON
    3. Momentarily connect a jumper between UI IC socket pin 1 and pn 7
      • SSR Channel 3 should be ON
    4. Momentarily connect a jumper between UI IC socket pin 1 and pn 8
      • SSR Channel 4 should be ON
  9. Power LED remains lit.
    • If the power LED goes out, double check the SSR and Grinch-to-SSR wiring.
    • If sure that the SSR is not the problem, go to the Grinch Troubleshooting Guide
  10. Turn power off
  11. Connect computer data cable to the Grinch, Do Not connect cable to the host computer.
  12. Check for continuity on the critical Grinch data lines
    1. Measure resistance between DB25 connector (mates to LPT port on computer) pin 1 and U1 IC socket pin 3
    2. Measure resistance between DB25 connector pin 2 and U1 IC socket pin 2
    3. Measure resistance between DB25 connector pin 14 and U1 IC socket pin 4
    4. Measure resistance between U1 IC socket pin 1 and any/all of DB25 connector pin 18 thru pin 25 (at least one of these pins must be a direct short to U1 IC socket pin 1)
  13. Install IC chip U1 only
  14. Ensure that the host computer is OFF
  15. Connect the data cable to the host computer
  16. Turn ON power to the host computer and allow the computer to fully boot up
  17. Start the Vixen program
  18. Turn ON power to the Grinch
  19. Run a sequence setup for the Grinch
    • If the SSR does not respond as expected, go to the Grinch Troubleshooting Guide
    • If the SSR did respond as expected
      1. Remove power from the Grinch
      2. Disconnect the data cable from the IN RJ45 connector
      3. Install the next IC chip
      4. Connect the data cable to the IN RJ45 connector
  20. Move the SSR connection from RJ45 connector A to RJ45 connector E
  21. Repeat steps 18 & 19 for IC chip U2
  22. Move the SSR connection from RJ45 connector E to RJ45 connector I
  23. Repeat steps 18 & 19 for IC chip U3
  24. Move the SSR connection from RJ45 connector I to RJ45 connector M
  25. Repeat steps 18 & 19 for IC chip U4
  26. Connect SSRs to all the output RJ45 connectors A thru P
  27. Run a sequence to test all channels of the Grinch



Your Grinch should now be fully operational!

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