CFW for KSGER/Quicko STM32 Soldering Stations

[ygi]

Hey David, I found a bug. It's on a build from 3 days ago (the 18th) though but it may still be relevant.
. Same thing with latest version.

The wake from shake option where you select whether a shake should wake from ALL, STBY, SLP or OFF doesn't work properly.
When STBY is selected, it will also wake from SLP (so it works like ALL).
When SLP is selected, it doesn't work at all (works like OFF).
OFF is still OFF.
ALL is still ALL.


Edit: In addition, it seems the new smartactive feature generates spurious wake events. I read the manual and saw you're using the shake icon to give visual feedback but I don't think it's intended to reset the sleep timer itself. Anyway, I had to go up to 23 to get rid of ghost wake events. Is it still worth leaving it on or should I turn it off?

Cheers mate.

[Smushy Shushy]

Greetings, long time lurker, first time writer. I'm grateful for this fine piece of firmware!

I'm trying to tweak images. The splash screen for example. What is the workflow changing an image? Here's what I do:

• open Drivers/graphics/gui/screens/boot_screen.c
• copy only the encoded data
• paste it into https://javl.github.io/image2cpp
• press "Read as horizontal" button

As a result I get the attached image. I think is distorted in some way and moreover the "Generate code" button is not responding. What am I missing? I've searched here and read the manual.

[DavidAlfa]

Not explained because it's u8g2 library, that topic would be described at the u8g2 manual.

XBM is another image format, use an online converter such as:https://www.online-utility.org/image/convert/to/XBM
Edit: Updated the xbm structure, should be more straightforward now: Commit
Open the XBM as text, copy/paste the content, adjust the width/height.

Code: [Select]

xbm_t splashXBM = {
  .width=128,
  .height=64,
  .xbm = (const uint8_t[]){
   >> XBM CONTENTS <<
 },
};


ygi, as said, smartActive is pretty simple and depends entirely on sensing the temperature drop, I don't think there's another way, we have crappy sensing interface, no current detection...
As always: No miracles can be done with such basic hardware.

It already reads the filtered values, but if you're adjusting it so low that it detects every time you're soldering something, you'll get also false detections.
You only need one correct detection before the sleep timeout to keep running.
How do you keep it running but not by resetting the timeout?

Will have a look at the wake issue.
Edit: Fixed, commit, Download v1.07.3 Release.

[ygi]

Oh, got it, I totally misunderstood what smartactive's about.
Somehow I thought it's a new way to improve t° compensation while the tip's loaded so in that context it didn't make any sense to mess with wake events.
On top of that the mercury switch I put in my iron's already a lot more sensitive than the ball based one and works almost flawlessly while soldering. Sorry for the nonsensical question and thanks for fixing bugs at this time of the year.

Merry Christmas!

[DavidAlfa]

Yeah, but it's interesting if you don't use the shake sensor at all, wake with thebutton and it'll keep going as long as you use it ... in theory... 
Yeah, Merry Christmas and all that! 

[Hunghanh2009]

Hey David, I wonder is it possible to use another MCU in the same source code? For example STM32F4 instead of STM32F1? If yes, how to do? Sorry I'm a newbie.

[DavidAlfa]

Everything is possible, but work would need to be done, it's using HAL, migration should be a lot easier.
But you'll have to figure out yourself! Why not get a simple STM32F101/2/3?

[Hunghanh2009]

Because STM32F401CCU6 - Stm32F411Cu6 in my place is very cheap, the price is just a little more than stm32F101/2/3. and I found the specs of stm32f4 to be completely superior to that of stm32f1. If you have a little guidance from you, that would be really great. and I also have a black palette like yours mentioned two years ago

[DavidAlfa]

Why does it need more power?
It runs fine even on the slowest 36MHz 32F101.
Actually it can run easily 10-15x faster, if not more, it just doesn't make sense for this application.
Would you see anything if the screen changes 100 times per second?
You can actually do so by reducing the GUI time and increasing the sampling frequency in the menu settings.

That message with the 32F411 BlackPill was just for showing, I never developed this firmware for it.
The idea was to buy your ksger/quecoo station and out a new firmware in it in a simple way, in fact a lot of effort was put to make it fit in the smaller 10KB RAM devices.
So anything better, faster, larger will simply waste resources.

I value my time, why would I spend hours in something that will make no difference or benefit in the end?
This is OpenSource firmware, not free personal programmer  .
Better get the 32F103CB and use it as-is.

[Hunghanh2009]

Yes. exactly as you said. thank you very much!!

[DavidAlfa]

You have the SWD header, just use your eyes, follow the programming guide:
https://github.com/deividAlfa/stm32_soldering_iron_controller/blob/master/Readme_files/Programming.md

[icpart]

Hi Guys. I found that great thread from DavidAlfa signature. I have old T12 soldering  iron with 7 segment LED controller diy module. I think it is time to upgrade. My main soldering station is mine Ersa I-con 1 but the T12 chinese tips are much cheaper and that custom firmware is great. What models of soldering stations are you recommend for it. Quicko or KSGER? I saw that Quicko soldering stations are cheaper but i diidn't know how it is quality compared to KSGER. Also Quicko stations are so many different models. I can't understood main difference between them. I see most of them have different T12 handles but I want to buy best one for that cutsom firmware.

[DavidAlfa]

Have a look to the github pages for compatibility, most statiosn are described there.

The only requirement for the CFW is it must have a STM32, some have STC which is a totally different CPU.
Otherwise, most them are 99% the same!
KSGER is usually overpriced, so I'd go with the cheapest Quecoo/Quicko/Handskit, also they are usually more stable in their analog readings.

Better ask the seller if they're making them with genuine STM32.
Lately, lots of them are coming with clones which won't work properly with some advanced features of the CFW.

[icpart]

Happy new year 2023 David.
Thanks for the info. I maybe will try to buy some of that Quicko soldering stations. If they used clones I will make try to replace STM32 mcu with genuine one. I also examined Quicko schematics. I figured out that cheap chinese stations used not very good OPAmps with large input offset for amplifying signal from thermocouple. KGSER ver 2 have better opamp with low input voltage offset. Is that a problem for calibration and accuracy of measurement of temperature.
Years ago one Bulgarian guy "sparkybg" made similar to your project for universal soldering station controller "Unisolder" which used very complicated circuit: https://github.com/sparkybg/UniSolder-5.2

[DavidAlfa]

Offset can be calibrated in the CFW, it's called "Zero cal".

[SynthKeyWizard]

Happy New Year!

[CRS84]

Hallo, i have a KSGER 3.1 with a MM32. I replaced it with a ST32F103 (CKS32F103C8T6) from a blue pill.
It boots up but the display jumps between NTC to high, voltage to low and Temperature. Is the IC incompatible?

[DavidAlfa]

If you posted that screenshot, you already read the clone detection intructions and know the ID doesn't match!
Superfake STM32!

[CRS84]

Yes i read the manual, I had hoped that the cks32 would work as described 
It is hard to become a genuine chip direkt in Germany.

[DavidAlfa]

Where do you see it's a CKS32? To me it's a badly relabeled attempt to pretend it's a genuine part.
256K flash? Could be, 0x414 stands for stm32F10x high density device, which is extremely rare in a BluePill.
Probably not even a CKS32!

I recently bought few stm32 (Not 103) from aliexpress, they were genuine and working nicely.
I would try there. If the ID is not original, claim your money back and try again.
Remember you can get any 101 / 102 / 103!

[CRS84]

I get it here : https://www.ebay.de/itm/253369088499
Next try is reichelt.de, a good electronic shop.

[ygi]

Got mine (F103C8T6) from this AE seller https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005003169244854.html a few months back. It's got genuine chip ID. Though that's only if you can wait several weeks (plus Chinese new year holiday should soon add to the delay).

[DavidAlfa]

I wish I could find the major difference causing the ADC to fail in clones, so I could try some workaround.
From all I bought, I never got clones , except only once, back in 2020, used that one for something inside the car.
It would be great if anyone removed their clone and could send it to me using the cheapest ship method (Letter, etc).

[CRS84]

I can send you my clone, PN me the address.

[DavidAlfa]

PM sent