Beginners Setup Guide The Renard SS8

Introduction

This page was created to help out the new users who aren't fully confident that they have built their Renard SS8 board correctly. These steps are designed to allow the user to test/verify most components in a manner that should help to eliminate the possibility of damaging any of the components during initial testing.

The following procedures may appear to be tedious and time consuming but they are here for the individuals who are not confident in their soldering skills. By following these steps, the individual will be able to test out individual components and signal paths to verify that everything is working properly.

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 DC 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. The best location would be the GND Test Point located below U1. The positive lead (+), usually red, gets connected to the location called out in the procedure.

Disclaimers

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

Renard SS8 Basic Setup Steps

1. Ensure all power is OFF
2. Remove all cables
3. If installed, remove all 12 removable IC chips (U2, U4 thru U6, and M1 thru M8).
4. Perform a complete and thorough inspection of the underside of the PCB.

   • Check all the solder pads for clean solder joints, no bridging between adjacent pads and that all pads did get soldered.
   • Make sure the board surface is clean and free from any debris and flux residue.

5. If not installed already, install an appropriate rated fuse in the fuse holder. Use the smallest value fuse that you have available for this portion of testing.

   • Using a smaller fuse here is for safety during initial power testing. If there are any problems with bad triacs, bridged solder pads or a bad transformer during first power application, a small fuse will blow before any permanent damage to the PCB can occur.

6. Connect an AC power cable to the [N 120V] terminal block. The 120V neutral line (wide blade on a polarized plug) goes to the N terminal and the 120V hot line goes to the 120V terminal.
7. Turn ON AC power
8. Measure DC voltage at the +5 test point (below U1).

   • It should be 5.0 (+/- .5) VDC
   • If incorrect , then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide

9. Power LED should be lit.

   • If it didn’t , then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide

10. Place a shunt (jumper) on JP3.
11. Momentarily connect a jumper (small piece of wire) between U6 IC socket pin 13 and pin 14

    • HB LED should light

12. Momentarily connect a jumper between U6 IC socket pin 10 and pin 14

    • ZC LED should light

13. Momentarily connect a jumper between U6 IC socket pin 9 and pin 14

    • SD LED should light

14. Momentarily connect a jumper between U6 IC socket pin 8 and pin 14

    • FE LED should light

15. Momentarily connect a jumper between U6 IC socket pin 7 and pin 14

    • OE LED should light

16. If any of the LEDs in steps 11 thru 15 did not light, then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide
17. Remove the shunt from JP3.
18. Turn OFF AC power
19. Install optoisolator M1 (PN# 859-MOC3023)
20. Attach some test lights to the [N Ch1] terminal block
21. If you installed a small value fuse in step 5, replace it with an appropriate value fuse in the left side fuse holder.

    • The fuse needs to be rated to handle the load of the lights that will be connected to channels 1 thru 8 but not greater than 15 amps.

22. Turn ON AC power
23. Test lights should be OFF
24. Momentarily connect a jumper (small piece of wire) between U6 IC socket pin 3 and pin 14

    • Test lights should come ON when the jumper is connected

25. If either step 23 or step 24 failed, then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide
26. Repeat steps 18 thru 25 using the information in the following table:
    

    Optoisolator	Test Lights at Terminal Block	Connect jumper between
    M2	[N Ch2]	U6 IC socket pin 13 and pin 14
    M3	[N Ch3]	U6 IC socket pin 12 and pin 14
    M4	[N Ch4]	U6 IC socket pin 11 and pin 14
    M5	[N Ch5]	U6 IC socket pin 10 and pin 14
    M6	[N Ch6]	U6 IC socket pin 9 and pin 14
    M7	[N Ch7]	U6 IC socket pin 8 and pin 14
    M8	[N Ch8]	U6 IC socket pin 7 and pin 14

    
    

27. Turn OFF AC power
28. Place a shunt on JP2
29. Install optocoupler U2 (PN# 782-H11AA1).
30. Install two RS232/RS485 Interface ICs U4 & U5 (PN# 511-ST485BN).
    
    
    

    If you have a PIC programmed with the Renard SS Diagnostic Firmware continue with step 31.

    
    

    If you only have a PIC programmed with the Renard SS Operational Firmware then go to step 47.

    
    
    
31. Install PIC microcontroller U6 (PN# 579-PIC16F688-I/P) programmed with the Renard SS Diagnostic Firmware.
32. Place a shunt (jumper) on JP3.
33. If desired, attached lights to terminal blocks [N Ch1] thru [N Ch8]. The diagnostics can be done with only the on-board LEDs.
34. Turn ON AC power
    
    

    NOTE:
    

    The following step only applies if you are using the Renard SS Diagnostic Firmware.
    

    If you are using the original Renard Diagnostic Firmware just skip this step.

    
    

35. The Renard SS Diagnostic Firmware should perform the following channel test:

    • All channels ON for approx. 2 seconds
    • All channels OFF for approx. 2 seconds
    • Channel 1 turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 2 (HB LED) turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 3 turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 4 turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 5 (ZC LED) turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 6 (SD LED) turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 7 (FE LED) turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF
    • Channel 8 (OE LED) turns ON for approx. 1 second then turns OFF

      The above routine is done three times
      

36. The Renard SS Diagnostic Firmware should now be blinking the HB LED (channel 2) and ZC LED (channel 5).
37. If either step 35 or step 36 failed, then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide
38. Turn OFF AC power
39. Connect a data cable to the computer running Vixen to either J2 or JDP1 on the Renard SS8.
40. If receiving RS232 data from the computer place a shunt on JP1
41. Turn ON AC power
42. Wait for the diagnostics routine in step 35 to complete
    

    REMINDER:
    Make sure that Vixen is configured correctly before attempting the next step.
    The settings for the Renard Dimmer Plug-In should be set as shown on
    The Renard SS8 Controller Board wiki page. The only difference would be to
    set the baud rate to 19200 for the original Renard Diagnostic Firmware.

    
    

43. Run a Vixen sequence
    

    NOTE:
    Vixen only sends out data when there is a change in event data.
    So make sure that the test sequence you are using has frequent changes in the event data..

    
    

44. SD LED will be ON whenever Vixen sends data to the Renard SS8. The FE and OE LEDs should remain OFF.

    • If incorrect , then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide

45. Turn OFF AC power
46. Remove U6
47. Install PIC microcontrollers U6 (PN# 579-PIC16F688-I/P) programmed with the Renard SS Operational Firmware.
48. Turn ON AC power
    

    REMINDER:
    Make sure that Vixen is configured correctly before attempting the next step.
    The settings for the Renard Dimmer Plug-In should be set as shown on
    The Renard SS8 Controller Board wiki page.

    
    

49. Run a Vixen sequence

    • If the outputs do not respond correctly, then go to the Renard SS8 Troubleshooting Guide

Your Renard SS8 should now be fully operational!

Configuring the jumpers on Renard SS boards

JP1 & JP2 Configuraton

The configuration of JP1 and JP2 depends on the type of communication being used:

RS-232 Communication (direct connect to PC)

• JP1 installed
• JP2 not installed

Reminder: This only applies to the first Renard SS board connected to the PC. The output of a Renard SS board to the next board is RS-485.

RS-485 Communication (output of a Renard board or output from a RS-485 adapter/converter)

• JP1 not installed
• JP2 installed (try removing if data communication issues are encountered)

JP3 Configuraton

• Installed when running the Diagnostics Firmware
• Normally not installed when running the Operational Firmware. But can be left installed if you don’t mind seeing the on-board LEDs responding with the associated channels.

Related Links

The Renard SS8 Controller Board

Assembly Instructions The Renard SS8

Troubleshooting Guide The Renard SS8

Board Availability Information

Renard Main Page

Renard SS Firmware

Renard Firmware

Part Substitutions

VIXEN

Glossary of DIYC Terms

Electronic Symbols