Serial Connector

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Wed May 02, 2007 4:46 pm

My MegaJolt arrived today (well a week ago, but parcelforce didn't tell me then robbed me for a huge "handling" fee) and I have a quick question.

I have had a practice today on a small kit thing I bought and while I can solder fine considering it's been 6 years since I last tried I am worried about the Serial connector bit as the pads are a bit small. Also looking at board I can see that only 1 pin is terminated.

So here is what I propose to do: Fit the socket and solder to two large end clips as per shown on the example board then only solder the 1 pin needed for connection and possibly 2-3 more for added extra strength. Will this be OK or do I need to all of them?

Thanks

Chris.

(I am very impressed with the high standard of the packaging by the way.)

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Wed May 02, 2007 6:57 pm

Ignore this, I stopping being a wuss and just got on with it. I also realised there are 2 connections.

It's all built now and seems to be ok from the initial tests with a 9V battery and a volt meter, but until I get a serial cable I won't know if it works proper.

Thanks for the great build guide made it very easy and undaunting, especially when the components come so well labelled.

Post by **brentp** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:56 am

We really appreciate the feedback, thank you very much. I've passed it onto the person that handles product packaging and shipping.

It seems you did a fine job on the assembly! Once you get your engine running be sure to post an entry under the "Powered by MJLJ gallery"!

Regards,

Gilesy998 · Post by **Gilesy998** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:00 am

So 'Case, now you've got the kit what are you doing for a trigger wheel? Are you going down the Sierra trigger route?

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:08 am

Thank you very much, I tool my time and was very careful. Will be a while until I have a car to fit to as I am only at the begining of the project. the $2-£1 was just too tempting!

Not sure G, contemplating the SC kit but £120 is a lot of cheese. Need to get my grubby mits on a damper pulley and see what I can do, as I don't fancy the machining option as theres no adjustment and the damper by nature will move and cause timing scatter.

Also I shall close with another question: with normal solder a dull joint indicates a poor joint. I used high silver solder because it was the same money and no matter what I did it always went dull about 0.5s after the heat was removed, is this normal? It seems ok as all the voltage tests worked perfectly.

Gilesy998 · Post by **Gilesy998** » Thu May 03, 2007 2:42 pm

themaninthesuitcase wrote:Need to get my grubby mits on a damper pulley and see what I can do, as I don't fancy the machining option as theres no adjustment and the damper by nature will move and cause timing scatter.

You can build adjustment into a home-made VRS bracket

Have a search of the turbominis forum for pics by Carl.

themaninthesuitcase wrote:Also I shall close with another question: with normal solder a dull joint indicates a poor joint. I used high silver solder because it was the same money and no matter what I did it always went dull about 0.5s after the heat was removed, is this normal? It seems ok as all the voltage tests worked perfectly.

Solder does naturally dull as it freezes. Try testing the resitance with the meter from the leg of a component in one end of a track to the leg of another component in the same track. as long as there's little resistance all is good.

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Thu May 03, 2007 3:19 pm

Gilesy998 wrote:
themaninthesuitcase wrote:Need to get my grubby mits on a damper pulley and see what I can do, as I don't fancy the machining option as theres no adjustment and the damper by nature will move and cause timing scatter.
You can build adjustment into a home-made VRS bracket Have a search of the turbominis forum for pics by Carl.

You still get timing scatter though

The wheel is on a part of the damper that is free to move, not sure by how much but probably up to a degree, meaning your defeating the point of accurate ignition!

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Thu May 03, 2007 9:25 pm

Wow, once you pop you really can't stop can you.

Anyway, I want to add to my testing loom to add in map switching functionality. Do I need an on/on switch with one pole to ground, or can I get away with an on/off switch? I ask as I have the latter and so won't need to go buy one. Also could I use the Vref feed to power the switch, or won't this work as it requires the components I haven't got?

Thanks

Chris.

Post by **brentp** » Fri May 04, 2007 2:49 am

See the installation guide for some suggestions on wiring the switch for your map based setup. there are different approaches since the vref circuit isn't populated for a map setup, as you pointed out.

themaninthesuitcase · Post by **themaninthesuitcase** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:59 pm

I have just added in the appropriate wiring for the map switching into my testing loom and it doesn't appear to be working. I have checked the wiring is right and all the connections seem sound.

Is this due to using a 9v battery not a 12v feed?

edit: once again it was my idiocy. I hadn't configured it on the controller. Once I worked out I had to tick the box and click write it worked fine.