Author Topic: Fluke 180LR Laser level "repair"  (Read 466 times)

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Offline david77Topic starter

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Fluke 180LR Laser level "repair"
« on: August 07, 2022, 11:45:49 pm »
Hey people,

maybe someone's got a good idea.

I've got one of these Fluke laser levels but it behaves weird.

https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/building-infrastructure/laser-levels/fluke-180lr-fluke-180lg

Mine shuts off after about 20 or 30 seconds. I think I know why it does that: It's an ex demo unit from a shop, never intended to be sold. To preserve the batteries I suppose they made special demo units that shut off. Now, I'd like to use it anyway it's quite handy to have. But in this demo mode it's a pain when you're up a ladder marking stuff up and constantly need to climb down to switch te laser back on.

I thought maybe there's just a jumper or resistor inside to put it in this mode, so I've opened it to have a look. I can't find anything that looks like it was hand soldered. I've even drawn out the schematic to make sure. There's not much happening in there.

Just an unmarked micro a dual mosfet and a low power reset circuit. So I suppose they used a special version of the micro with a special firmware on it. Or maybe I'm missing something. Haven't done any measuring yet.

I suppose the micro turns on MOSFET 1 to switch on the horizontal laser beam and MOSFET 2 for the vertical beam. When both are required both MOSFETS get turned on. Then there's the fourth pin on  J2 that I assume activates the tilt mode - the laser level is not a level anymore in tilt mode. As I said have not checked if any of that is true yet.

As I see it there are two options now:

1. Find a µC with same pin out, write code for it and replace the original.
2. Complete re-design of my own.

Maybe I'm missing something obvious?

PS:
Sorry, only had that red piece of paper  8).
 

Offline david77Topic starter

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Re: Fluke 180LR Laser level "repair"
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2022, 08:55:53 pm »
I've figured out how the laser module works now and have bodged in a new micro with my own software on it. Functionality is now restored. It works basically as before apart from the pulse function, wich I do not need.

I've replaced the original micro with a ATTiny13A, had to do some minor cutting of traces and installing bodge wires but it works.

I've also redrawn the original schematics and the new schematics with the Tiny installed.

The new firmware is very simple, written in Bascom.

Maybe someone has any use for this in the future.

Edit: Fuses for the Attiny13 Low: 0xE1 High 0xFA
« Last Edit: August 16, 2022, 08:58:47 pm by david77 »
 


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