Leo Bodnar BU0836X Board Pot wiring HELP!!

[mhayling]

Hi all.

Does anyone have experience setting up pots on this board?

I'm trying to convert my old Serial Comm Precision Flight Controls Throttle Quadrant to USB because X-Plane can't see it. I'm having to use a Comm-USB adapter with my modern computer (No Comm Port), and X-Plane won't play nice with it.

Inside the PFC TQ there are six slide-pots. All mounted on the same board. Sharing a common GND & 5v. The pots board is connected to a main board via wire with an RJ-45 type connector / wire.

Using a piece of network Cat5/RJ-45 cable I have connected the common Gnd to the first Gnd on the board. Likewise, I attached the 5v to the first 5v on the board.

Each of the six pots is connected to the first six analog signal terminals x,y,z,rx,ry,rz.

Windows 7 sees the board. Sees the 6 axis. But I can't get them to calibrate.

I seems like the signals are stepping on each other. If I move one pot the position moves down to zero but as I continue to move the pot to its actual stop a different axis starts to come up!

I disconnected 5 of the 6 pots & tried to calibrate one lone pot. The graphic position data shows movement for only about 1/2 of the throw of the pot. And its movement is quite jumpy.

I have not used the DIView configuration software because to be frank, I'm clueless as to what needs to be done and there are no instructions/manual supplied with it. Or available for download from the seller.

If anyone has an Idea what may be going on I would be grateful for your advice.

Or if you are aware of a manual for DIView that would also be very helpful .

Thanks.
Mark

[iwik]

Hi Mark,
Im not familiar with PFC throttles but what i would do first is to measure from the Centre of one pot to ground with a
multimeter and make sure you get it to vary from ov to 5v. I have heard that some Manufactuers do funny things with
the pot connetcions. You should not have to use Dview. This program alows you to extend the range of some pots when
the mechanical travel is limited. If your pot is jumpy it suggests to me that it is faulty. Do you have another one
you can wire up to the Bodnar board so you have a reference and you can verify the Bodnar board is ok?.
Let us know how it goes. Someone familiar with unit may chip in so dont give up.

Les

[jonesthesoftware]

Hi Mark
I suggest you connect a single pot to 1 set of connections on the bu0836 and test that to windows/FS first. Next make sure that the pots on the THQ are isolated from one another, best not to use common ground or 5 v. Connect 3 wires of 1 pot to 1 set of connections on the bu0836. Repeat for others
regards
geoff

[mhayling]

Hi all.

Thanks for the help guys.

I have sorted out the problem.

PFC did not use the three terminals on the pots. Gnd,Wiper,5v.

I decided to remove one of the pots from the pfc board and as soon as I did I could see that there was no trace on the board to the third terminals.

All I had to do was solder the wires to these terminals and it works like a charm!!

Thanks Again.

Mark

[iwik]

Good news Mark.
Just make sure the ends of the pots go to 0v and 5volts.ie slider goes to input of Bodnar board.
Les

[mhayling]

Good news Mark.
Just make sure the ends of the pots go to 0v and 5volts.ie slider goes to input of Bodnar board.
Les

That's how I did it.

Have you heard of anybody having a problem with the slide in connectors on this board becoming loose?

Loose to the point where the wire will not make contact.

In two days I've had a switch stop working and also a rotary pot I was using for rudder trim stopped working, both seem to have loosened up.

I'm not using big wire. Far from it. I'm using the wire from a piece of Cat5 network cable. Very thin. I soldered the end because the wire is not solid copper (strands).

On both of them a wire will not stay put inside the slot.

Any idea what the recommended wire size range is for these boards?

Thanks