DIY JBC Nano

[C]

An ADS1115 alone will give you a couple problems. When used single-ended with very low voltage input signals, the SNR will probably not be that great. And yes, you will have to use it single ended, because the TC in JBC cartridges is in series and one of its ends will have a low-impedance path to ground.

You do not have to use single ended mode.
Smart would be to use differential.
With differential input this gives an input that can counter effects of power on/ power off.

[hexpope]

Thanks for the feedback regarding the ADS and also the type of OPAMP you are using.  I have few "Auto zero with little, to no drift" Opamp's here which are the dual and single rails from Microchip MCP6V01 and the MCP6V02.  I think these will suffice for tests for now. I am going to order the ADS along with the new ESP32 WROVER-I as I am testing with a WROOM atm on a bread board for other features with a Nextion.  I am also wondering if the new silicone version of the WROVER has sorted out their not so great internal ADC

I am also designing the power supply based on a LM5117 for this station with a 500+VA toroid

I am currently in the process of finalizing my prototype and will post my results once it's done, probably in a new thread.

Please let me know when you have your thread up and running. It would be a great help for myself to look at.  Which method are you driving your heater/s with ? PID ?

regards

[SiliconWizard]

with a 500+VA toroid

That sounds like A LOT OF POWER. I don't think you need that. What kind of tips are you targetting?

Which method are you driving your heater/s with ? PID ?

As you have seen above, I'm driving the heater with an H-bridge controller (TLE9201SG). Initially, I wanted to drive the heater with 0V DC offset, and the H-bridge was meant for that, but as I explained earlier, it can't be done without isolation and that would be costly. So I'm using it to allow the station to accept both T210 and T245 with just one connector (original JBC connector, Hirose RPC1). You could take a look (if you haven't already) at the UniSolder project (which isn't mine) to get more information and figure out why this would be necessary.

I won't be using a conventional PID, I'm trying something else. Something based on the "take-back-half" algorithm that I have improved to get better transients. Haven't tested it on real hardware yet (I will as soon as the prototype is ready for that), but I've simulated it extensively (granted, with a much simplified heating model) and compared it to a PID. I get much better regulation and it's dead easy to tune, whereas correctly tuning a PID can take a while. We'll see if it behaves as well in real life.

[hexpope]

The reason I am using the 500+VA toroid is that I would like to have the tweezers & C210 running & C245 simultaneously.  This is why I opted for a 500+VA plus I will have room for different revisions of my project if I decide to upgrade in the future. The station will more than likely be a 3 port.

Yes, I should look at the Sparky's thread thoroughly. I have glanced through it now and then . It's completely massive so it would have to be during a coffee time when I am not tired. When I was having a quick look at it, I did notice a Russian member posting these links on Taobao in which I will probably order 3 stands and 1 C245 handle and a few tips for it, as they are very cheap. The other two stands I will modify to take the Micro Tweezers and C210 pencil which I will order from Batronix.



Check these out, I will order through superbuy agent which in turn will turn out cheaper than the 160 euros per stand from JBC

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=545728711654

and the tips

https://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=36360310685

Have you seen this on Github ?

https://github.com/timothyjager/JBC-Soldering-Controller

[jry2]

hexpope, How do you plan to limit current going through C210 and C245 tips?

Btw, I have another JBC driver prototype working with C210 and C245 tips: http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=64377#p64377

Thank you for Taobao links, interesting.

[hexpope]

Thanks for your link to your project JRY2. I must have a read over it.  I think I might have spotted it last year at some stage.

As in regarding the current limiting for the different types of pencils and tweezers, The LM317 looks interesting when configured for current regulation, or maybe a transistor current limiting method.

I am sure it can be done in software also as there will be three ports on the station in which will be only for the specified tools.  I am not much of a software coder and I am no expert in electronics either! I will probably need help in this project now and then.

[SiliconWizard]

The reason I am using the 500+VA toroid is that I would like to have the tweezers & C210 running & C245 simultaneously.  This is why I opted for a 500+VA plus I will have room for different revisions of my project if I decide to upgrade in the future. The station will more than likely be a 3 port.

OK then. Sounds like a monster.
Given the very short heating time of JBC tips, I'm not sure it adds a lot of value to be able to have 3 of them run simultaneously, unless of course you plan on having 3 people working with the same station at the same time. Granted it will save you the time of plugging/unplugging them (but in the scenario where they are not used simultaneously, you don't need that much power).
But why not.

Yes, I should look at the Sparky's thread thoroughly. I have glanced through it now and then . It's completely massive so it would have to be during a coffee time when I am not tired.

You should, there's a lot of information on the different kinds of tips and the associated hurdles. So you don't have to waste more time experimenting.

Are the tips from Taobao genuine or just fake low-quality ones? I'm a bit wary. Got my tips (genuine) for around 20€ each.

Have you seen this on Github ?

https://github.com/timothyjager/JBC-Soldering-Controller

Yes (unfortunately the schematics are in Altium format only, would have liked PDF, unless I missed them). I have seen a lot of other similar projects as well.
They are all more or less the same. They either use AC drive with a MOSFET driver optocoupler + 2 MOSFETs or DC drive with some kind of high-side switch (PMOS or integrated driver).

As for current limiting, with so much available power, this is not an option. If you don't do this, you're going to fry your tips. Especially the C210 ones which are tiny and I think are rated for 50W peak and 20W continuous.

[jry2]

As for current limiting, with so much available power, this is not an option. If you don't do this, you're going to fry your tips. Especially the C210 ones which are tiny and I think are rated for 50W peak and 20W continuous.

Exactly.

Also if you are looking for JBC microtweezers driver, look at mentioned thread http://dangerousprototypes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=57058#p57058 - there are some gotchas.

[hexpope]

@SiliconWizard

There is a PDF of a schematic in the folder \JBC-Soldering-Controller-master\Hardware called JBC-Soldering-Controller_SCH_[No Variations]

I was well aware of the C210 and the tweezers to have current limiting capabilities as I have read from other people they fried them during tests and given the toroidal power I am using. If I am using DC to run the tip/s I should be able to limit the current with the LM317 in current regulation mode ?

The tips from the Chinese are not genuine tips but there was a thread here on the forums where people have the original tips and then tried out the Chinese versions with excellent results. I don't have the thread to hand, but will link it when I am back later.


@jry2

Thanks for the link again to a certain post in the big thread.

You seem to have / had the same idea as I want to basically build.  I have built a Weller tweezer and RT pencil driver designed which the uC controls the two tips independently and regulates them. It's a very good controller. I would probably would have built from his design a bigger controller but Wellers microtweezers isn't great for microsoldering on high destiny iphone/ipad boards etc... and their smallest tip is 0.2mm and the way they designed their tweezers isn't the best for getting in around certain parts compared.  Here's a demonstration of what I am on about ...

https://youtu.be/syjEbtffkag?t=2m44s

Weller driver that I have built from

http://kair.us/projects/weller/index.html

[SiliconWizard]

@SiliconWizard

There is a PDF of a schematic in the folder \JBC-Soldering-Controller-master\Hardware called JBC-Soldering-Controller_SCH_[No Variations]

OK - missed it because the whole file name was truncated so I had assumed it to be an Altium file or something. Just took a look, and realized that I've seen this schematic on another web site actually. Didn't remember it was this same guy. So yes, as you can see, he uses an high-side power switch and an ADS1118 for TC measurement. I use an ADS1115, mainly because it's I2C and I have a few I2C ICs in my design, so that was handy. I can use a 48-pin µC (with only 2 IOs left). The 1118 has an integrated temperature sensor, which the 1115 doesn't have. But I use a separate temp sensor (Si7051).

Whether you use a front-end amplifier or not, don't forget to add the protection you've probably seen in several schematics: the series resistor with 2 diodes. Because when the heater is ON, this can see 24V. In this guy's design, the series resistor is only 470 ohm and there are no external diodes. I don't think this is proper protection. The internal pad diodes of the ADS1118 will clamp it to Vcc+Vf at a current of approx 50 mA, which may destroy them in the long run. And I'm not talking about kick-back due to the inductive characteristic of the heaters. Ouch. In most controllers I've seen, a series resistor of 5k to 10k is used followed by two diodes to ground in opposite direction.

If I am using DC to run the tip/s I should be able to limit the current with the LM317 in current regulation mode ?

Yes, or any hardware current limiting option. You could do this in software only, but as I gathered, you may not be confident enough in your software skills to do this safely (and there are always possibilities of bugs).

One thing to consider is that to get the most of those tips, you'd ideally have to implement a current limitation that's different for the short or long-term. Allowed peak power for fast heating is at least twice what is recommended for continuous power delivery.

[hexpope]

I am also using protection on various parts of my schematic in the way you are describing.  I have the ADS1115 ordered for the weekend to play with.  The uC I am using is the ESP32 for testing purposes. I don't know if it will be in the beta design when I get some PCB's from China.

Here is the thread I was talking about earlier regarding the Clone vs the Real deal...

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/good-jbc-clone/msg1379885/#msg1379885

[SiliconWizard]

OK I see. I would personally not buy this kind of clones. Even buying genuine tips (which are necessarily better than the cloned ones) is, I think, fair to JBC. The tips are fantastic and really are the core of their innovations. The controllers themselves are expensive for what they are and I'm pretty sure this is not even what they are making their money off.

Making our own controllers is not just to cut costs IMO (when you count the parts and time you spent on it, you'll realize you haven't saved any money anyway - surely the opposite). This is all for the challenge, trying to get better temp regulation, adding features that are not in the original, making them smaller, etc. At least this is the way I see it.

[Xyphro]

Hi!

Did not read the last few messages, but I got recently a lot of PMs on getting the source code of my JBCNanoSolder station.

Please get it from here:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1bPjQK-itiDwoskBm1YyCvSkDXdZCBUl1?usp=sharing

Best regards,

Kai

[hexpope]

Hi Kai,

THank you for taking the time to upload this for people.

Best regards

[Iwanushka]

hi,

does anyone know exact part number for the socket for JBC nano tools? all I know its mini Binder 5pin socket.

[hexpope]

hi,

does anyone know exact part number for the socket for JBC nano tools? all I know its mini Binder 5pin socket.

Look on the first page.

[Iwanushka]

hi,

does anyone know exact part number for the socket for JBC nano tools? all I know its mini Binder 5pin socket.

Look on the first page.

All shops find 8pin connector only by that part number

[FransW]

Any packages available for self-assembly?

Thanks, Frans