| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
valkster
USA
3 Posts |
 Posted - 07/14/2007 : 18:24:44
|
Hello, thanks for having this forum. I am looking for an inexpensive programmer that can read the contents of an old DS1230Y NV SRAM chip and write that information to a new one. As you can tell, I am new to this and plan for now  to only use the reader for a specific application with this chip. Basically, we have a machine in our small family business that uses a servo motor drive unit on it. The motor's controller has one of these Dallas chips on it and the unit has been losing some settings (reverting back to factory defaults). The manufacturer helped us diagnose the problem and stated it was an easy fix with a new NV SRAM chip...however, when we tried to make arrangements for repair it gets routed through a different department at the manufacturer and a minimum $400 charge will apply (well beyond what we can justify for an old drive system repair). I have the new chip in-hand, but no way of copying the program from the old chip to the new one. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated on selecting a programmer unit and what issues I may run into. Thanks very much in advance.
|
|
| Reply #1
DL
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2007 : 06:26:09
|
Hi,
Any Willem/PCB3 type hobbyist programmer will read and write DS1230.
If this is a one time requirement, you might be better off having someone do this for you. I'm in the US and can do this for you for the cost of postage/insurance both ways and whatever you think the service is worth. BTW, this isn't guaranteed to work. When you remove the chip from the system, it will be on battery power and you could lose even more data. If you remove it to be read, you could attach a battery to prevent further data loss. Or bite the bullet and just replace the old NVRAM and redo your settings.
The batteries in those devices are rated for 10 years after first powered on. Did the new device come with a replaceable battery?
If you buy a programmer, don't buy the one that uses only USB for power and the parallel port for data (enhanced universal Willem). If you plan to use it for programming EPROMs, search this forum and http://www.willem.org for info on voltage drops, erase margin, and program margin. You need more VCC options that any unmodified programmer (except the new USB power/data versions) will provide.
HTH,
Dennis |
 |
|
| Reply #2
valkster
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2007 : 14:40:01
|
Ok, thanks for you information, Dennis. So the Willem boards will read this chip?? I had roamed their forum a little before finding this one and a few people posted having troubles (one stating that they can test the chip but not read it). Again, I am new to this so perhaps I misunderstood the statement on that forum. Oh, by the way, the replacement DS1230Y chip did not have a replaceable battery...it appears to be a sealed-in-epoxy type unit like the original. Is there a version with a replaceable battery?
Your comment about losing more data if the battery is dead on the old chip concerns and confuses me a bit. Again, I'm new to this, but I thought that part of the programming made to these chip is somewhat permanent, is that not the case? The problem we were having with the motor controller that this chip resides on is that it loses any parameter changes we had made to it (speed and acceleration changes) after we power the unit off...but it still reverts back to some factory default settings and the controller still works when we turn it back on. However, when I placed my new DS1230 chip into the controller, I got nothing at all...the motor controller was dead. When I put the old one back in the controller it works again but still loses the parameters we change. I thought (or assumed) at that point that there was some "permanent" program on that chip that I needed to copy to the new one. I know I am throwing this to you somewhat out of context but does this troubleshooting/assumption not make sense with this type of chip? Thanks for your insight. Sincerely,
Mark |
|
|
| Reply #3
ZLM
2945 Posts |
|
| Reply #4
DL
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2007 : 09:48:31
|
quote:
Originally posted by valkster
Ok, thanks for you information, Dennis. So the Willem boards will read this chip?? I had roamed their forum a little before finding this one and a few people posted having troubles (one stating that they can test the chip but not read it). Again, I am new to this so perhaps I misunderstood the statement on that forum.
You might be confusing SRAM (like 6116) with NV SRAM.
quote:
Oh, by the way, the replacement DS1230Y chip did not have a replaceable battery...it appears to be a sealed-in-epoxy type unit like the original. Is there a version with a replaceable battery?
Yes, there are versions where the battery can be replaced. DS also sold sockets that you could use to convert a standard LP SRAM into a NV device.
quote:
Your comment about losing more data if the battery is dead on the old chip concerns and confuses me a bit. Again, I'm new to this, but I thought that part of the programming made to these chip is somewhat permanent, is that not the case?
It's the battery and embedded controller that makes an SRAM nonvolatile. If the battery voltage is too low, it can't maintain the data. Whenever the circuit the NV SRAM is in isn't powered, it runs on battery power. If you remove the device to read and program another, it's running on it's internal battery. If it's sufficiently weak, you can lose more data.
quote:
The problem we were having with the motor controller that this chip resides on is that it loses any parameter changes we had made to it (speed and acceleration changes) after we power the unit off...but it still reverts back to some factory default settings and the controller still works when we turn it back on.
That would be expected if the battery voltage was too low.
quote:
However, when I placed my new DS1230 chip into the controller, I got nothing at all...the motor controller was dead. When I put the old one back in the controller it works again but still loses the parameters we change.
That's because the old device still had some data in it and the new one is blank.
quote:
I thought (or assumed) at that point that there was some "permanent" program on that chip that I needed to copy to the new one. I know I am throwing this to you somewhat out of context but does this troubleshooting/assumption not make sense with this type of chip? Thanks for your insight.
There is no "permanent" data in an NV SRAM. Without a battery, it just an SRAM that loses all data when power is removed. It appears that, even with a weak battery, the old device is still retaining some data. You need to remove it and write the data to a new device before you lose even more data. There should be a way for you to restore data because dead batteries are inevitable.
HTH,
Dennis |
Edited by - DL on 07/21/2007 09:54:48 |
|
|
| Reply #5
valkster
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2007 : 17:12:17
|
Oh, thanks so much Dennis for your insight. I hope to try copying the data to the new chip later this week when my programmer arrives. Sorry for the delay in response, I REALLY do appreciate your help on this matter. I'll cross my fingers and hope it all goes well...
Sincerely,
Mark
|
|
|
| Reply #6
DL
USA
46 Posts |
Posted - 07/25/2007 : 17:58:43
|
Hi Mark,
If you have questions with your programmer, this is the forum to get support. If you direct general questions to me and I don't respond, check out willem.org. I'm a regular there...
HTH,
Dennis |
|
|
| Reply #7
Nikhil
India
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2013 : 00:25:06
|
Hey Dennis,
We have 40 nos of DS1230Y -100+ NV-SRAM faulty. Can you suggest me how to erase memory of this device, so that it willl work normally.
All faulty DS1230Y have unwanted data stored in it and this causes improper program functioning. When I replaced all faulty IC with new one Problem got solved. But I don't know how to clear the memory of DS1230Y so that I can use these IC's again. |
Nikhil Sawant |
|
|
| Reply #8
ZLM
2945 Posts |
Posted - 09/04/2013 : 11:48:23
|
| This chip is in the GQ-4X supported device list, then you can erase the chip. |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
Help with programmer selection for DS1230Y
Forum Locked
