Hello all,

I'm new into electronics, i started by building a training kit which at the end didn't work, all measures taken by me seem right, at the end the troubleshooting guide, points either to the PIC or the 8 mhz ceramic oscillator. How can I test the ceramic oscillator, on the input I have 5v, but on the output I don't have anything, can I measure the output with a multimeter?

Best regards
Ventura

 

you can measure the output best using an oscilloscope or a scopemeter (the ones that looks like a DVM w/ large graphic LCD screen).

if u can guess around what happens at the output of the oscillator, using a voltmeter the readings might be around half the 5v voltage, when the oscillator is running. or maybe the readings will always change if you use a DVM.

once you got the oscillator running, just troubleshoot the PIC.

 

Is your ceramic element really an oscillator, or is it a resonator? A resonator has to be imbedded in a feedback loop in order to make an oscillator. You can't get an output from a resonator by simply connecting it to a power supply.
Can you post a schematic of your training kit?

 

You might be right about oscillator/resonator doubt I thought I was the same thing. The scheme is here, the leds never go on, to do some debug I took the pic out and connected the negative to the led and all of then worked fine. So it think the problem is either in the resonator/oscillator, or in the pic.

You can see the scheme here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ventura.vitor/Electronics/photo#5158256773802798290

 

You might be right about oscillator/resonator doubt I thought I was the same thing. The scheme is here, the leds never go on, to do some debug I took the pic out and connected the negative to the led and all of then worked fine. So it think the problem is either in the resonator/oscillator, or in the pic.

You can see the scheme here: http://picasaweb.google.com/ventura.vitor/Electronics/photo#5158256773802798290

That is definitely a resonator.

 

So in this case how can I test the resonator in order to find out if its broken or not?

 

So in this case how can I test the resonator in order to find out if its broken or not?

Do you have access to a CMOS logic gate (74HC00, 02, or 04), and an oscilloscope or a frequency counter? Otherwise, it's tough to test.

 

I can have a osciloscope, but nothing else..

 

I can have a osciloscope, but nothing else..

If you want to test your resonator (I doubt it is bad), you will need a 74HC00, 02, or 04, and a 5 volt DC power supply.

 

See bottom of the following: http://hem.passagen.se/communication/ceramic.html

 

If you want to test your resonator (I doubt it is bad), you will need a 74HC00, 02, or 04, and a 5 volt DC power supply.

Do you think that its the PIC that is broken? If its true then that is even worst for me

 

Do you think that its the PIC that is broken? If its true then that is even worst for me

Who knows? Who did you buy this training kit from? Do they have a web site? I would like to see the web site, and maybe an online manual.

 

There's not a lot that can go wrong with a resonator. A bit of static electricity can doom a microchip, though. Go ahead and test the resonator to be sure, but be prepared for the worst. You might indeed have to shell out a few dollars (plus shipping) for another PIC.

 

Make up a probe like this. Fit a 1nF cap from one of the oscillator pins to the cathode of a small signal diode. Anode of the diode to ground. Fit a 47K from cap/diode junction to your multimeter. Neg of your meter to ground. If the oscillator is working, you will have volts.