Hi to everybody,
At last I received my spare STMd and found some time work on it.
I'm experimenting on the same Quicko PCB as DavidAlfa.
1 - Changed original STM with Chinese STM32F103CBT6
2 - Flashed FW 7c4d613 for F103
3 - Removed C7, R11 and R15 from PCB. R23 is not there where you put it in the schematic, so removing C7, R12 and R15 completely isolate HANDLE_TEMP (PIN 4 of Iron connector) from the rest of the circuit.
4 - cut the correct track near U7, above the PCB VIA, as in your MOD, because I'm planning to use C245 Tips.
5 - Wired C19 to C7/R15
Now HANDLE_TEMP (pin 4) has become TIP_SENSOR_INPUT, isolated from HEATER
6 - Soldered a single pin of a 2.54mm pitch strip into pin 5 (HANDLE_SWITCH) of the PCB Iron connector where I can in future connect a "C245 Stand".
7 - Wired pins HEATER (pin 1) and TIP_SENSOR_INPUT/HANDLE_TEMP (pin 4) inside T12 IRON Connector, so that it can work just like a normal T12 Iron bypassing C245 MODs above.
Now my observations, some of them obvious and some a little less:
1 - With no Iron connected, whether T12 or C245, NO_IRON detection obviously doesn't work because there's no more pcb connection between HEATER and TIP_SENSOR_INPUT
2 - It still doesn't work with a C245 IRON connected because it doesn't have that wire in the connector with no tip inserted
3 - It works fine with modified T12 Iron but only obviously able to detect missing TIP and no missing IRON.
4 - I tryed some calibration with two different T12 TIPS and while there's no issues in the procedure itself I find some with the Thermometer sensors that are way too fragile and brake easily (non fiscally but in wrong measurements, especially abusing 450°C measurements!). You can find yourself making a calibration and not understanding why 5 minutes before you had got good measures and 5 minutes later much lower measurements.
So my suggestion is to reduce at minimum contact with sensors, just to take your actual temperature, then put your Iron in the stand while adjusting the calibration data in the station. I'll Come to a suggestion later for you DavidAlfa (just a try, I know you have already done way much to the project with your loooong work on it).
Here my calibration for T12
BL TIP
1439
1951
2723
K TIP
1447
1968
2490
5 - I then tryed with C245 IRON...
My 72W power supply in the station can't stand their current requirements and the station keep restarting. This is with Power on option set to RUN, otherwise I found no way to start the station in SLEEP mode and then exit from SLEEP with some sort o Encoder button pushing or rotating. Maybe I'm missing something here? Is there a way to manually exit from SLEEP the same as entering it whit press and CCW rotate the encoder? Pressing and rotating CW is for selecting TIPS, I see.
6 - I made a try with my PC power supply, 19V and 4,74A. That made it (but then I think I need a new PSU for my station anyway), I could make some C245 test.
6 - Tried to calibrate two identical ORIGINAL C245 TIP and, apart from Thermometer sensor as above, I could do it. Maybe in some way it was even easier.
TIP C245-944, Flat tip
1624
2199
2727
This values worked fine with the second identical C245 tip (good)
That is it for now. But as far as Tips calibration and Tips data saved I have some point to ask you and maybe to implement? (If possible, if you are like willing to do it and you think it usefull. And with many thanks).
Let's say add add some tips in the menu,
For T12 I add a K and a BL
For C245 I add -944 and maybe -xxx
Once you finish a calibration for each tip you get the calibration values
1111
2222
3333
You can see them just after the calibration.
Then why shouldn't I see these same data and shouldn't I be able to lightly modify them in the CALIBRATION, ADJUST menu for each Tip? I have a certain tip selected with it's own three calibration data, I think it would be much useful to be able to see and edit them every time I need it. Maybe to check them at the end if calibration if I have not taken note of them, or to fine adjust them from time to time without going through oll calibration process and so saving THERMOMETER sensors.
In CALIBRATION, ADJUST menu of each different TIP I always read the same generic T12 and C245 data, not much help.
Sorry for being so long and take my notes just as what they are, notes!
Once again, Thank You very much for you work. Thanks to everybody.
Here is my PCB after all MODs