Author Topic: Almost done with the First (Read 8031 times)

Machias · « **on:** February 09, 2009, 08:50:32 AM »

Trail Camera. Man this is fun.....except for trying to get the three wires soldered on.

bigdave · « **Reply #1 on:** February 09, 2009, 09:15:52 AM »

Looks good fred!!

Grizzly95 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 09, 2009, 10:16:46 AM »

Looks good Fred, now get it in the field. Looks like my yeti order shoud be here today gonna start my next one.

bearbait · « **Reply #3 on:** February 09, 2009, 01:05:04 PM »

You think that was fun, wait till you get some pictures......

Mine is working great, w90. Did you take the wires out through the speaker? I did.
Wish spring would get here soon.....

BobR · « **Reply #4 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:17:32 PM »

Fred, I got your cameras today. You had the white wire on the black camera soldered to the wrong spot. Took a couple of minutes to fix that. Both cameras are hacked and will be in the mail tomorrow. Baseballstud, your stuff will be in the mail finally tomorrow.

We are going to have the trailcam building workshop in Walla Walla in April. Some of you guys need to come for a refresher course in soldering. I will start out with the basics, like which end of the soldering iron plugs into the wall oulet. Some of you seem to be making this more difficult than it really is.
Bob

Machias · « **Reply #5 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:30:15 PM »

"Fred, I got your cameras today. You had the white wire on the black camera soldered to the wrong spot. Took a couple of minutes to fix that."

Didn't you say something like common sense. Your kidding me, must have been when my wife took over.

Sorry for the trouble Bob, I'll be at the front of the class at the redo class in April!!! THANKS!

BobR · « **Reply #6 on:** February 09, 2009, 05:51:43 PM »

Yeah right, blame it on the wife.
Bob

ORDoubleLung · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:44:17 PM »

Alan K · « **Reply #8 on:** February 09, 2009, 06:47:47 PM »

What is the colored stuff you put on it? I wouldn't mind throwing some of that stuff on my cameras.

Machias · « **Reply #9 on:** February 09, 2009, 07:15:56 PM »

Bondo Glass, then brown primer, then different colored craft paints from Wal-Mart and then a clear sealer.

Machias · « **Reply #10 on:** February 12, 2009, 08:56:34 PM »

Well been having some fun...errr issues. I got everything hooked up, (Thanks Bob for hacking the camera for me!!) The board turned on, did the test walk, senses motion, turns the camera on and extends the lense and does everything BUT take a photo. SO called and spoke with Bob and he told me how to trouble shoot and make sure my connections are good and they are. Everything works right down to where is attaches tot he board. So I guess I will e-mail Mark at Yeti and ask for advice.

I am good at the connections now that I have redone them several times.

It's all a learning experience.

gkowen · « **Reply #11 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:07:53 PM »

Take the camera out of the case and make sure it can take a picture. If it can, then the possible causes I know of are

Memory full
Too dark to focus and focus assist isn't on.

One thing to try is to turn on dipswitch 4. That will light the led when it senses motion. Both my w80 and my w150 will not take a photo with flash on the first sensed motion. Keep moving in front of the camera until it senses motion 2 or more times and see if it works.

BobR · « **Reply #12 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:16:34 PM »

Fred, Try what Greg said and turn on dipswitch #4.
Bob

Machias · « **Reply #13 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:17:05 PM »

Camera works perfectly on it's own and by shorting the appropriate wires all the way down to the wires that connect to the board.

Memory is empty
Focus is set to--Focus - Multi point AF

The LED lights up fine and it sense motion no problem, it does everything it's supposed to except snap a shot. I'll go try and keep moving for a bit in from of it and see if it does anything.

Thanks

Machias · « **Reply #14 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:17:33 PM »

Will do

Machias · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:25:28 PM »

Ok, turned on dip switch #4 & #6 and the Red LED came on every time I moved, probably 15 different times however no photos taken AND the camera lense did not extend?

bow4elk · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:31:07 PM »

you might need to chuck it across the room and grab a beer...

Sorry, I know the feeling...

Machias · « **Reply #17 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:32:53 PM »

Oh a couple of days ago we were waaaay past that point.

Bob has been talking me down from the ledge.

BobR · « **Reply #18 on:** February 12, 2009, 09:43:20 PM »

Wait a minute. Awhile ago, you said the lens was extending but not taking a pic. Now you say the lens is not extending?

??

Machias · « **Reply #19 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:11:49 PM »

Once I reconnected the camera, the lense extended.

So with #4 & #6 on it will light up the lED just fine and extend the camera lense...but still no photo.

Machias · « **Reply #20 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:20:43 PM »

OK I just touched the screws on top of the control board with a wire, red to black turned the camera on and black to green took a photo. So everything works from the camera all the way to the screws on the control board.

BobR · « **Reply #21 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:39:07 PM »

Fred, If you are sure the red wire is on "P" and the black wire is on "PC" and the green wire is on "S", and you are sure the dip switches are right, all you can do is talk to Mark. I would e-mail him a link to this thread and explain why you sent the link. Then he can read what has been done without you having to re-explain it.
Bob

Machias · « **Reply #22 on:** February 12, 2009, 10:51:51 PM »

Good idea, I just sent him a e-mail. Night guys, talk to you all tomorrow.

gkowen · « **Reply #23 on:** February 13, 2009, 11:44:59 AM »

Does the camera lens go back in after a couple seconds? Maybe the glass is too close and the lens can't fully extend in the case? Just thinking out loud here. Can you have the camera out of the case and still hooked up and try it? This would tell you if its the case causing a problem. You can just wave your hand over the yeticam board to trigger the motion sensor. You don't need to have the case closed.

Machias · « **Reply #24 on:** February 13, 2009, 01:57:52 PM »

It works the same in the case or out, there is no contact with the case or the glass. The lense remains out as long as it detects motion. it's doing everything right, perfectly...right up to the point when it's supposed to take a photo.

I am going to make sure all the settings are correct, I have a feeling it's one of the settings. As soon as I get home tonight. Thanks for all the thoughts and comments from everyone, I appreciate it.

gkowen · « **Reply #25 on:** February 13, 2009, 02:36:48 PM »

My guess is something is wrong with the timing inside the chip. You don't have another controller board you can try or switch the chip from? I haven't seen a schematic but someone had a bad opto-isolator. Maybe thats the problem you have. Mark will know I bet.

ORDoubleLung · « **Reply #26 on:** February 13, 2009, 06:14:23 PM »

That's exactly what was wrong with mine. I did some testing of the board and found out I had a bad opto-isolator. Mark sent me a new board. I can talk you through checking the isolator if you want.

Machias · « **Reply #27 on:** February 14, 2009, 09:06:43 AM »

Yes please, that would be awesome. Thanks

yetinme · « **Reply #28 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:58:00 PM »

Are you sure it is out of the warm-up phase? Very nice build by the way!

Mark

Machias · « **Reply #29 on:** February 16, 2009, 06:07:48 PM »

How long is the warm up phase. Thanks, I also just ordered another board for my second build.

gkowen · « **Reply #30 on:** February 16, 2009, 08:10:04 PM »

I would say the fact that the lens is extended when it should be taking pics is an indication of the warm up being over. Make sure when you turn the trailcamera on that the Sony camera is off. Here is a step by step procedure, try this.

Make sure Sony Camera is off, then turn on the trailcamera. The red led should light and stay lit for 30 seconds or so.

Just before the red led goes off, the lens should extend for a few seconds and then go back in.

Wait 15 seconds and walk around in front of the camera, the red led will turn on when it senses motion.

Stand still in front of the camera for 30 seconds or so, the red led will flash 5 or 6 times.

Wait 15 seconds, and start moving and the lens should extend and the camera should take pics. If the room is dark, and the focus assist
is on, you should see the bright red light from it. The lens should stay extended until motion isn't sensed for 30 seconds.

Stand still and wait till the lens retracts. Then move again and it should extend again and should take pics. Then it should repeat the the step above.

Machias · « **Reply #31 on:** February 16, 2009, 08:16:53 PM »

It does everything exactly as described above, except take a photo.

Ridgeratt · « **Reply #32 on:** February 16, 2009, 08:29:38 PM »

So if you jumper the Red/Black on the term strip on the board the camera turns on? Then Jumper the Black/Green it takes a photo? That proofs the wiring to the camera. This would tell me your not getting the trigger from the board.

Grizzly95 · « **Reply #33 on:** February 16, 2009, 08:35:25 PM »

Machias, if you want to check the board I have 2 in my camera tool box. I am building a second one this week and I got an extra for my cousin when he decides to build his. Let me know and we can work something if you would like to try that. If it is a defective board we can work it out with yeti to get it swapped or whatever he decides to do.

Machias · « **Reply #34 on:** February 16, 2009, 08:58:28 PM »

I sure appreciate the offer Grizz, but I ordered another board from Yeti, so I should know in a few days.

ORDoubleLung · « **Reply #35 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:41:03 PM »

Hey Machias,

Sorry it's been so long getting back to you. I'm having trouble pulling up PDF's right now on my browser so I'm going from memory and my emails with Mark.

Go to the Mouser site and search for PS 2503-2 and you'll get a list of IC's.

Click they data sheet page for the PS 2503-2A chip and open it up. That way you'll have a reference to work with. Scroll down the data sheet and you should see a picture of the chip with the pins numbered. That chip is the opto-isolator for the control board. The only difference between the PS 2503-2 and the 2A is the 2A in manufactured without lead in the chip. The eco-friendly version if you will.

The isolator is located in right behind the terminal block. If you look at top of the chip you will see a dot on one side. That dot corresponds with the dent in the picture that's on one side or the other. I think the dent is on the left side.

Orientate the board so the chip matches the picture.

Locate pins 1 & 2 on the picture and the chip. That is the LED for the power on the terminal block.

Locate pins 3 & 4 on the picture and chip. That is the LED for the shutter on the terminal block. That is what was wrong with mine.

You will need a meter with a diode/continuity checker on it. With the batteries disconnected...check between pins 1 & 2 and 3 & 4. Pins 1 & 2 should give you a reading like 1.184 or something. The ground lead on the meter should go on pin one I believe. It doesn't really matter for this but if they are backwards you'll get a different reading.

Now check pins 3 & 4. If the LED is shorted like mine was the buzzer will go off which means the LED won't light up. If this happens then the shutter won't trigger.

An opto-isolator is nothing more than a couple relays which also isolates the board from the camera in case some wires get shorted in the camera then it won't trash the board. In the case of the PS 2503-2, it has two relays per say which goes to the power and shutter triggers. The ground doesn't need one for obvious reasons. Each of the two individual circuits are separate from one another inside the IC chip. Two pins on one side corresponds with the two pins on the other side of the chip. The two side make up a Light Emitting Diode and a photo-transistor. When the board sends a signal to fire the shutter...it lights up the LED in the chip. When the LED lights up...the photo- transistor on the other side sense's the light and triggers what essentially a relay which sends the signal to the terminal block and on to the camera. By using a the opto-isolator in the board....the camera and the board circuit or not connected by wires to one another so the board won't get fried.

If it is something other than a shorted LED on the shutter circuit then I can't help you from here. Sorry. But that will at least let you know if it is the same problem that I had.

Hope this helps.

Shawn

Machias · « **Reply #36 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:43:42 PM »

Any chance you can post that in English as well?

ORDoubleLung · « **Reply #37 on:** February 16, 2009, 10:50:28 PM »

LOL I tried.

Mark is excellent on his customer service. He'll get you squared away. I know it's frustrating waiting for a board though.

Luckily I had ordered two so I swapped it out. That's when I knew for sure that it was a bad board. At least I had another.

Machias · « **Reply #38 on:** February 21, 2009, 10:28:00 AM »

Got my new board from Yeti and the camera works PERFECT!!! Yippee. I'm mailing the other board back to Mark today. Thanks Mark!!!!!!

bearbait · « **Reply #39 on:** February 21, 2009, 10:56:37 AM »

Glad to hear that.....
Now go out and then show us some pictures!!!!!

Machias · « **Reply #40 on:** March 03, 2009, 08:33:11 PM »

Well Mark at Yeticam got my control board fixed today, seems the solder jumper BC was not soldered. He was prompt in his customer service and fixing the problem once I got the board back to him. I was glad to find out it wasn't me as well.

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Author Topic: Almost done with the First (Read 8031 times)

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