CFW for KSGER/Quicko STM32 Soldering Stations

[DavidAlfa]

Had some time to cleanup the code, there was quite a lot of old/useless/redundant bits remaining.
I caught few bugs related to changing temperature unit, thus strange values could appear in some temperature fields.
I was using absolute temperature conversion instead relative temperature (You don't add/remove 32 when converting relative temperature between C and F).

Also, I'm testing something, but I might revert it.
I disabled endless rolling, like numeric input widgets do, for multioption widgets (those which fields are labels, not numeric, like "SLP","STBY","RUN").
So once you reached the end, it stops there instead goign to the start. Gives a little better control when adjusting them.

Enhanced the tip name editing, now you can also move the char position using the push and rotate method.
So if you missed a letter, you can click and rotate to the left to edit it, instead requiring a lot of  clicks to exit editing mode and editing again.
Or move 3 positions forward to edit the last character.

Finally, I applied the boost mode behavior from the setpoint widget to the plot graph screen.
A single rotation step will do nothing at first, but it will actually  set a timer for enabling boost mode.
Clicking within a second will trigger boost mode.
After the first rotation step, subsequent steps will start to modify the setpoint (like it did before), disabling the boost flag,
requiring to stop adjusting the setpoint for 1 second to rearm boost again.
It's not very useful, but now you can see the boost response in real time, in the plot graph.

[Polf]

I used firmware 21-10-14 and then 19 Oct 2021. Display 2.42" glitches occur from time to time, for example, the image becomes mirrored vertically. I went back to the test firmware 21-10-12a KSGER_V2_I2C_Timing.bin that David made for me.
The display works more stable with this firmware, I will test it further.

[DavidAlfa]

Maybe I tightened too much the timings. I'm already going way over the 400KHz theorical speed, so it could be the controller itself.
Try this. It's the normal fw, keep using it for a few days and ensre there're no artifacts. If all goes ok, I'll update the timings.
The priority is making it work will any display, the functionality is over the performance.

[Polf]

I installed 1k resistors for SDA and SCK, and also increased the nominal capacities for STM32 power supply to 1 μF. Looked at what the oscilloscope shows (Oscillograms correspond to firmware Oct 19, 2021.) ... if I knew what should be ..
Installed your latest firmware on Oct 20, 2021.
And even repainted the case (it was glossy, it became matte).
So far, everything is fine. I'll see what happens next.

[DavidAlfa]

I need both at the same time, and the lower plot (That's SCL, serial clock) zoomed in to clearly see the transitions.
Did try the firmware I posted?

[Polf]

The signal is non-periodic, I cannot synchronize. Maybe I can later.
Yes, I installed your firmware Oct 20, 2021, while it works well, frames are not distorted, there is no mirror effect. I will test further.

[DavidAlfa]

Just do a single shot until you find one that looks nice

[bozo]

My green 2.42 OLED firmware * KSGER_V2_I2C_timings ++.

[Polf]

Such an image error. It is stable, disappears only after turning the power off and on.

[wickated]

wouldnt it be much easier to rewire to spi and make special LTS build for ksger2_spi ? i remember there was a try with rewiring to test i2c hardware mode.

[DavidAlfa]

Nope, no custom support from my side. The're instructions to do so.
I'm not going to spend my time with custom builds for a number of reasons.
One of them is most people will think "this is just like wiring leds". Flying wires with 18MHz signals is asking for problems.
Then I'll have to spend my time here, again explaining concepts like signal crosstalk, capacitive coupling, inductive spikes, ringing, impedance, slew rates, signal shielding.
I like supporting this firmware, but not waking up everyday and having to give support like if I was selling it.

This case is just i2c compatibility. This is a display that uses the same interface and command set, so it should work.
If it fails, it's my fault for exceeding i2c specifications.

I think the layout in these displays is not good for high frequencies, they have long traces, going to multiple places, instead of going from A to B and putting the resistors somewhere in the middle.
So the frequency must go down.
Next try.:

[Polf]

OK, thanks!

[bozo]

Over the weekend I solder this PCB board, a slightly modified OP AD8551 and a bluepill stm32 board.

[DavidAlfa]

Nice job! Try the same fw I made for Polf 

[bozo]

I will use that FW for my PCB, even on a bad test board it works well (a little text shifted to the right). Consumption 2.42 OLED green about 150mA.

[DavidAlfa]

The text shift is a different thing. Seems you didn't read the project readme - You have an option to adjust that, try it.

[M-Reimer]

After using the station a bit I have to say that it is working really well. And yes, the original tips are better. The one tip, I got so far, worked perfectly right from the start. No ugly temperature readings. The tip was heated at least once when manufacturing (minor blue coloring of the tip portion where the heater is). Hakko clearly has something that is usually missing for cheap china clone stuff: Quality control. I think at least for me this is worth the extra money.

But I'm still planning to get another handle. Don't like the thing that came with the station. I would really like to run an original Hakko iron on this station but hell are they overpriced!

What I don't like at all is the shake sensor. While doing a longer solder job I had to really shake the handpiece several times to make the station wake up. I've now disabled the filter for the sensor in the settings and I hope it is more sensitive now.

I'm unsure if I really like this whole shake sensor idea. Hakko has a switch on the iron stand. The station enters "sleep mode" immediately once the iron is placed in the stand. Has someone here ever replicated this? At least the settings allow to change the wakeup method to "stand". Where would I have to wire this in? Do you use a different digital input? Where can I find this on the board?

[DavidAlfa]

The filter is for extremely sensitive sensors, where the smallest vibration in the table would wake up the station.
It's time filtered, shaking it like crazy won't work, you have to shake the handle in a way that the sensor changes happen between 400ms or so, ex like when you clean the tip.
You'll find the correct timing easily, it only needs some practice, or you can simply disable it..
Sure, you can use it in stand mode, it's nicely explained in the project Readme, it's the same input but wired differently.
Nice to know the original tips performance... but for what they cost, I'd get C245.

[ygi]

I, for one, replaced the stock ball based sensor with a much more sensitive mercury switch. Because of the angle, it never triggers in the stand but does easily while working. TBH I also thought my sensor was busted after the filter was implemented and I didn't know about it. For me, the filter makes it extremely awkward, like I have to actively shake or tilt the handle in weird positions during work so it won't go to sleep. But I guess you can't accommodate everyone with every sensor type and every use case so I'm happy to leave it disabled.

[wickated]

looks like u just placed shakyshaky upside down.
shake sensor input should be never triggered while handle in hands. so u have sleep timer counting 5 mins or so. if u need longer work u just point tip in the ceiling and back.
stand input is very easy to do

[Polf]

Next try.: KSGER_V2_I2C_timings_2.zip

I have been testing for 2 days. Everything is fine, it works very well. There are no questions.

[DavidAlfa]

OK. Next builds will have the shake filter disabled by default and the new i2c timings.

[bozo]

FW KSGER V2 I2C timings 2 works equally well for me.

[ygi]

looks like u just placed shakyshaky upside down.
shake sensor input should be never triggered while handle in hands. so u have sleep timer counting 5 mins or so. if u need longer work u just point tip in the ceiling and back.
stand input is very easy to do

That's exactly why I replaced the SW200D with mercury. Mine works basically like stand mode, I set a 1min timer and never think about it.

[ricktendo]

I prefer the mercury switch because it's quiet... Just solder it pointing down when in stand, or in the direction of the tip.