CFW for KSGER/Quicko STM32 Soldering Stations

[mikes]

That must be it - I was testing further by unplugging the handle, and with "NO IRON", the ambient went well below 0. Although, it will bounce between <0 and 99.9C for a few seconds. Not an issue, just an observation.

[mikes]

OK, latest .bin (r61b02cd):

Calibration...

Deg C 
200/134
300/188
400/273

ADC:
200/1641
300/2499
400/3626

But, now getting "EXCEEDED 500C! ERROR!!" when setting to 700F. I can avoid that by starting low, and increasing the temp slowly (10F steps, waiting for it to "catch up" each time). Guessing something is watching unfiltered temps, and picking up spikes, plus a C-F conversion? Doesn't happen when set to use C and setting to 370C (~= 700F).

[DavidAlfa]

Ouch. Yes, that check is always compared with 500.
I forgot to check if the system uses F haha...

[mikes]

Wow, I wasn't expecting an answer so soon. Do you sleep? It's in the middle of the night in Spain. If I were a better programmer (and understood Github better), I'd contribute that way. Perhaps I can contribute by documenting the settings better, to help others?

[DavidAlfa]

Yes but it's Saturday,  and I have no other plans else than sleeping and eating during the whole weekend (Covid quarantine)
Fixed that, try it out 

Did you say that it also happens also in ºC mode?
The runaway check has different timeouts. If the PWM is actively applying power to the iron while the temp is over 500ºC, it will shutdown in one second.
There are also other runaways levels, with different timeouts  (+25ºC for over 20 seconds, +50 10 seconds ,+75 3 seconds, +100 1 second).
This ensures that the PID or anything else doesn't go crazy setting the PWM out of control.

I neither understand github. I only know how to commit and little more! The day that  something goes wrong I will have to call few guys here...
Yeah, I know the documentation is... well, there isn't. Since the firmware started to grow and more options added, now it really needs proper instructions.

[mastershake]

ill go over the stlink tomm and touch up all the pins and things and try again. either way i have two more coming that are supposed to be better quality we shall see

[mikes]

(Covid quarantine)

Did you say that it also happens also in ºC mode?

Works in F now, good job. (I should use C, but 50 years of habit  )

It did not happen in C mode. I will test it more tomorrow, but right now it works OK.

Thank you.

[DavidAlfa]

ill go over the stlink tomm and touch up all the pins and things and try again. either way i have two more coming that are supposed to be better quality we shall see

I guess you are using st-link utility? Does it recognize the STM32?
Does it show the memory contents? If so, I doubt it's a stlink fault.
First, try to do a full erase, and then check for blank content. I had a stm32 with defective flash and that way is how I noticed the problem.
If that works, open the bin file and flash it. If there're no errors, the issue might be other.
Is it the KSGER 3.0?

Works in F now, good job. (I should use C, but 50 years of habit  )
It did not happen in C mode. I will test it more tomorrow, but right now it works OK.
Thank you.

Nice! Are the calibration results consistent every time?
Those values seems pretty high, since the KSGER have lower amp gain than Quicko... I don't remember having such high values.
Keep an eye at it, maybe the sensor is "unripe" and reports different values, it might drift with the use.
It would be interesting to check the sensor output variation after some burning time.
I remember Jesus having calibration of 1700 @ 400ºC. My last calibration was 3100.
I'm currently without iron tips, I hope they arrive in 1-2 weeks, for now I can't test anything.

[thebao0273]

Thank you for your updating, i really appreciate your work with this firmware.
But on new update I found a problem about the screen on SW: r7b29f04, HW: KSGER30F101.
When turn on with "No Iron" the screen just display for 5 seconds and turn off (just screen off) then i plugged the iron in, the board know and heat it but the screen still off. This prolem is same to sleep mode, shake to wake but screen no wake up.
There is the video demonstration: https://youtu.be/9cyWZL-GL-4

[DavidAlfa]

Seems to be a problem with the brightness control and that specific display.
These oleds mix ssd1306, sh1106 and other compatible controllers, but can have little differences when doing specific adjustments.
Anyone else having this issue?
Yes, after 5 seconds in sleep or no iron mode, the screen dims to protect the oled, as staying with static picture for long times can cause burn-in, but shouldn't turn off completely.
After returning to normal mode or on button activity it goes to full brightness again.
First, update to the latest version on GitHub(current version r61b02cd) and report if the issue is still there.
The number doesn't represent a higher or lower version. It's the code revision used to built it. Changes completely every time.

[cosmin1]

Thank you for your updating, i really appreciate your work with this firmware.
But on new update I found a problem about the screen on SW: r7b29f04, HW: KSGER30F101.
When turn on with "No Iron" the screen just display for 5 seconds and turn off (just screen off) then i plugged the iron in, the board know and heat it but the screen still off. This prolem is same to sleep mode, shake to wake but screen no wake up.
There is the video demonstration: https://youtu.be/9cyWZL-GL-4

I recommend you erase the mcu and flash it again after that.

[nkls]

Thanks to the screen, everything worked out, I set the offset to 0. Now there is a new problem, when setting 480 degrees, the controller heats up the tip much higher, I saw the temperature more than 700 degrees. Then it shows "no iron", and returns to 480 degrees

[DavidAlfa]

Did you properly calibrated it?
These cheap tips usually fail when new, causing reading spikes, but the real temperature is not that, it's impossible to reach 700°C in 1 second unless connecting the tip to 240V
Also, if the tip was really so hot, it wouldn't cool down that fast.
See previous posts talking about that issue. It happens with all controllers, all firmwares.
Set it to ~400 for a while. It will evently stop doing that.
Ohh, we need a FAQ urgently...
For now, always reset all settings when changing the firmware, there many changes lately
Also, ensure to use the latest firmware and reset the settings before reporting issues.

[nkls]

I did not calibrate the tip. I haven't gotten to the thermocouple yet. I have been using this soldering iron tip for a year and a half, it is not new. I did a full reset. Problem still exists. I downloaded the firmware two days ago. The temperature is real because the tip turns black quickly, the tin layer burns out. It does not gain 700 degrees in a second, but in 10-15 seconds, and then also slowly cools down.

[DavidAlfa]

Yeah, but this is in active development. Changes are made almost everyday. Only yesterday there were 4 builds...
By default the real temperature will(or should) be much lower.
Until I get more calibration feedback from users.
Try other tips.  I had both issues with new tips and old tips that started to fail after some use. T12 market is wild.
It's weird that it heats so much.Test the latest fw and report.

[thebao0273]

It used to work well with older firmawre (before you adding ksger stm32f102). This is lastest version.

I recommend you erase the mcu and flash it again after that.

I have erased the mcu and flash it again with lastest version, reset all setting, the problem still there.

[DavidAlfa]

Try something. Enter the settings and adjust the brightness.
Does it dim until the minimum brightness or does it suddenly turn off at some point?
If not, then it's a recently added command for more brightness what's causing the issue.
Try the attached FW. I removed that specific command.
It must be something with that display. Other v3.0 KSGERs don't have the issue.

[thebao0273]

Try to change brightness til minimum and it still off.

Try the attached FW. I removed that specific command.

Sorry i'm new at this, how to flash with .bin file? just adding to folder or adding and removing the old file

It must be something with that display. Other v3.0 KSGERs don't have the issue.

It's weird, it worked well with the your old version.

[DavidAlfa]

I think you didn't understand. I mean that while in the settings and adjusting the brightness, does the screen dim until the minimum brightness? From 255 to 5 it's always on but less bright?
How did you do with the previous fw? Did you build yourself?
Download the st-link utility, erase the mcu, open the bin file and program it.

[thebao0273]

I think you didn't understand. I mean that while in the settings and adjusting the brightness, does the screen dim until the minimum brightness? From 255 to 5 it's always on but less bright?

I take your point. From 255 to 5 it's always on but less bright, doesn't dim at minimum brightness.

How did you do with the previous fw? Did you build yourself?
Download the st-link utility, erase the mcu, open the bin file and program it.

Thank you! Yes i built fw myself. Didn't know what to do with .bin file now i get it. Problem is solved.

[nkls]

just flashed the newest firmware, the problem remains. the ksger firmware tip is working fine.

[mikes]

Nice! Are the calibration results consistent every time?
Those values seems pretty high, since the KSGER have lower amp gain than Quicko... I don't remember having such high values.
Keep an eye at it, maybe the sensor is "unripe" and reports different values, it might drift with the use.
It would be interesting to check the sensor output variation after some burning time.
I remember Jesus having calibration of 1700 @ 400ºC. My last calibration was 3100.
I'm currently without iron tips, I hope they arrive in 1-2 weeks, for now I can't test anything.

OK, using current code (r7b29f04), I did full reset, then calibrated 3 different tips:

Code: [Select]

200/1461
300/2176
400/3013

200/1388
300/2046
400/2626

200/1390
300/2043
400/2640

[DavidAlfa]

Nice! Are the calibration results consistent every time?
Those values seems pretty high, since the KSGER have lower amp gain than Quicko... I don't remember having such high values.
Keep an eye at it, maybe the sensor is "unripe" and reports different values, it might drift with the use.
It would be interesting to check the sensor output variation after some burning time.
I remember Jesus having calibration of 1700 @ 400ºC. My last calibration was 3100.
I'm currently without iron tips, I hope they arrive in 1-2 weeks, for now I can't test anything.

OK, using current code (r7b29f04), I did full reset, then calibrated 3 different tips:

Code: [Select]

200/1461
300/2176
400/3013

200/1388
300/2046
400/2626

200/1390
300/2043
400/2640

Thanks. 200-300ºC seem close, however at 400 it's very different.
I guess what the temp is when using the 3000 calibration with the other tips.
If doesn't make a huge difference (420-430) then I might take the middle, 2800, as the default  400ºC calibration.

Thank you! Yes i built fw myself. Didn't know what to do with .bin file now i get it. Problem is solved.

So the screen dims normally now? I'll remove that command then.

[DavidAlfa]

just flashed the newest firmware, the problem remains. the ksger firmware tip is working fine.

Huh.. no idea, I can't try myself until I receive the new tips.
Did you modify any system option, like filtering modes? Leave everything default for now.
Set the PID Ki/ Kd to 0 and check if the problem still happens.

[jesusvallejo]

Cant select B profile, there is no menu for it and dflt is unusable, is there any way to change it as i cant find it anywhere in menu. Also cant open debug menu.