Help with (jpanhalt) Capacitor Discharge Spot Welder

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
Hi

I need to program the pic12f509 for this project of (jpanhalt).

Can anybody, with jpanhalt's permission :):) supply me with the hex file for the pic?
My programmer only takes hex files and I show my ignorance with using the “asm” file supplied for the task.


Thanks.
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
Sorry that I did not see your other posts in the completed projects forum. Maybe the "New Posts" notification is not working for that area.

Why not download MPLab and create your own hex code? The program is free. That way, if you need to change something, you will be a step ahead.

John
 

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
Sorry that I did not see your other posts in the completed projects forum. Maybe the "New Posts" notification is not working for that area.

Why not download MPLab and create your own hex code? The program is free. That way, if you need to change something, you will be a step ahead.

John
Hi John

Sorry for all this messing about. I downloaded the program that you mentioned, but I came to run it with a piece of software called RealPicSimulator and the on screen warning came "Out of Code".


Maybe you cant run this hex in this program, would you have a look and try for me, to see what you obtain. If it can't run then fair enough.

As far as the project is going. All is well, done a double sided pcb so the current is shared between both the sides, as I am having problems obtaining 2oz pcb, I could always run wire on top of the pcb tracks but i decided against that, on looks.

Have you thought about using another pic so that you can monitor the power output and time, if that is possible?

If you can put the hex on the forum for me, I can at least compare the printout after conversion of the asm file.

I am still having fun making pcb's, I have not made one for about 25 years. I am using the press-n-peel and the TTF method and also the direct toner. The Press-n-peel is coming out the best at the moment.

I am not ofa with the programming of pics yet, still on the very start of the leaning curve. I started very late in life.

regards

alan
 

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
It's that darn case sensitivity. Can you turn it off? If not, change all of the DLY to Dly in the program (or change the Dly to DLY in the subroutines). In any event, here is the hex. All you need to do is change the extension, I hope.

John

View attachment 27556
Hi John

A great big thank you for that;);), it is now as I type 17:09, my wife will be hame any moment, so I will have to wait until Friday to play with the file.

I look forward to it and will let you know how I go on.;)

Alan
 

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
Is your wife THAT jealous? Remember, no guts, no glory. :D

John
Hi John

Its not that I don’t have guts. My wife has taken on, not by her own choice. To run and organise a Nuclear Medicine Department from the ground-up. So she needs a helping ear when she comes home. She is dealing with an NHS Hospital that is, for want of a better saying ""all chiefs and no Indians"":mad: She does not want to hand her notice in, not in this financial climate, well not at the moment. I have told her, sit tight and something will come along that is better or it will sort itself out. So I am being the good shoulder to cry on, it allows her to vent her spleen, without doing too much damage.

Once again thanks for the file. What do you think to the other points that I asked you about. The ones that can you monitor the power, voltage etc? Via the Pic and a LCD readout.

Thanks and speak to you soon.

Alan
 

jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
There is a digital readout of the voltage. For my needs, that is fine. Some of the commercial units use double pulses and actively control the discharge time. If I were to do more development, that is probably the direction I would go. I would also consider higher voltage and perhaps lower capacitance, but higher voltage increases risk. As it is now, I am very careful not to touch the electrodes.

John
 

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
There is a digital readout of the voltage. For my needs, that is fine. Some of the commercial units use double pulses and actively control the discharge time. If I were to do more development, that is probably the direction I would go. I would also consider higher voltage and perhaps lower capacitance, but higher voltage increases risk. As it is now, I am very careful not to touch the electrodes.

John
Hi John

Yes, I understand that there was an lcd voltage readout in your design. I think what I meant to say was, the power readout. Have you seen this guys design:----
see:-http://frikkieg.blogspot.com/

I should be and am grateful for your design? At least the unit will allow me to repair some of my power drill battery packs, which are now near there last days. This fascination with diy spot welding all started a few weeks ago. I had bought my wife for Xmas a Pleo robot and it needed a new set of "AA" NiMH 2,500mah,

see:- http://bobthepleo.com/forums/index.php?topic=482.0.

I was there with this guy while he made the packs for me. He has a small home business doing this; I gave this some thought and said to myself, I could do this for myself and friends. I might never go down this road, but what the hell I will have learnt something else in my life. Now that I am retired, I need something to occupy my hands and mind.
I am sure that any future developments by you will be shared on the forum as will any ideas that I come up with.
I had given the electrodes some thought, as to the amount of current that they carry. It might only be milliseconds; it is basically like a defibrillator pack, but without the high tension voltage.
I will try to obtain some PTFE tube to insulate the electrodes. Is there anything to stop us from using “tig” tungsten electrodes or do you use only pure copper? I know that they are brittle, but once inside the PTFE they should be OK. The pure nickel strip is available from China, its not just coated strip. This is what this guy was using, he had it tested somewhere. He had to as some of his work is for the MOD and the NHS, both are government bodies.
Regards for now.

Your .txt file worked fine with the change of extension name to .hex

Alan
 
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jpanhalt

Joined Jan 18, 2008
11,087
I was thinking of using tungsten myself. My plan was to drill a matching hole in the copper rod, then press/swage a sort section of tig electrode into that hole. I suspect a collet from a tig torch would work also. Just haven't done that yet.

John
 

Thread Starter

binbags

Joined Jul 7, 2009
12
I was thinking of using tungsten myself. My plan was to drill a matching hole in the copper rod, then press/swage a sort section of tig electrode into that hole. I suspect a collet from a tig torch would work also. Just haven't done that yet.

John
Hi John

Why not make it easier for yourself and use a small/medium pin chuck. That way you can replace when needed and lengthen when as per comfort. I use to remember they made them at one time out of brass, I have got a set of 4 steel ones, I purchased from what we call the £1 shop your equivalent I think is the 99cent/$1 shops. They are hollow and may do the job. At a pinch you could maybe make the assembly at home, I am sure that you have a workshop, I used to have one but I can get to one at my mates house about a mile away.

I have just finished the PCB, using Press-N-Peel, has come out 100%.:cool::cool:
Alan
 
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