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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: boxfulofsanity on Wed, 16 April 2014, 21:42:09

Title: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Wed, 16 April 2014, 21:42:09: So, I just finished getting my Ergodox together over the weekend, and I have 4 keys on each hand that does not work, and 3 of the keys will stop the entire board from working again unless I unplug the USB cable and plug it back in. Each time any of those 3 keys are hit, I experience that.

I was wondering if anyone who has the diagram of the traces might know if there is a correlation between my keys that aren't working and a specific part of the setup.

I've attached a layout of the keys that aren't working. The orange ! marks the ones that stop the keyboard from working entirely, and the red X marks are keys that just don't function.

Your input is much appreciated! This is my first time building a keyboard, and my first ever >$20 keyboard, so I'm really hoping I didn't end up breaking this build!
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: steve.v on Wed, 16 April 2014, 22:30:03: Do a continuity check on the diodes of those keys using a multimeter and check the orientation of the diodes.
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: tp4tissue on Wed, 16 April 2014, 22:36:43: ^^ yea check the diodes.

and take some high res pics of your soldering.. (all areas)
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 09:02:53: Alright, so I measured the continuity on the problem keys, and found a few where I had melted the side of the diode (whoopsie!), or just had a bad connection. On everything remaining (with the updated photo here), the issue is not the diode. What is the next thing I can troubleshoot? (Also, why would the ones marked in orange make the keyboard stop working completely unless I unplug and replug it in?)

Thank you for your help!
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 19 April 2014, 10:15:29: Quote from: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 09:02:53
Alright, so I measured the continuity on the problem keys, and found a few where I had melted the side of the diode (whoopsie!), or just had a bad connection. On everything remaining (with the updated photo here), the issue is not the diode. What is the next thing I can troubleshoot? (Also, why would the ones marked in orange make the keyboard stop working completely unless I unplug and replug it in?)

Thank you for your help!

Take pictures...
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 10:51:00: TP4Tissue: Sorry, here is the link to the dropbox folder of images:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/i4xkvb2qao11nuj/9z6uDq1qhL
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 12:32:22: So I've determined that those diodes work, and that those switches work, using a multimeter.

I'm not sure where else the problem could be?

Also, the key on the lower row of the right hand side no longer makes the whole board not work. Updated diagram is included. Yellow means pressing that key makes the whole board not work. Reds just don't work.
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: Glissant on Sat, 19 April 2014, 12:57:05: Double and triple check where you soldered the usb connector. I had similar issues because I had a tiny bit of solder that had connected two of the wires together. Could be worth a look.
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 13:28:52: Thank you for the reply, Glissant. I checked the USB connection and I see that everything is fine there.

However, I decided to do a continuity test between adjacent pins on both the teensy and the microcontroller, and I found this:

There was continuity on the teensy between:
GRD BO
B7 DO

And on the microcontroller:
the last two pins in the bottom right row.

Is this they way it should be?

If not, do I have solder overflow somewhere were I cannot see it?
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 19 April 2014, 13:54:21: I just checked, the current into b0 to d0 is there.. not the other way around.. should be normal

is the default firmware and hex layout loaded?

check for flicks of solder on the teensy board near the small pins from the main controller.

Check everything connected to C6, diodes and switches.

Leave the left side disconnected for now.. cable out everything.
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 15:02:03: OH MAN, TP! You are smart.
I modified a Colemak layer and had been using that to test my keys, but apparently I had introduced a bug or SOMETHING in there, because once I switched back to QWERTY-Kineses' .hex and .eep, everything works again!!

Thank you sooooo much, TP!
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: tp4tissue on Sat, 19 April 2014, 18:52:10: Quote from: boxfulofsanity on Sat, 19 April 2014, 15:02:03
OH MAN, TP! You are smart.
I modified a Colemak layer and had been using that to test my keys, but apparently I had introduced a bug or SOMETHING in there, because once I switched back to QWERTY-Kineses' .hex and .eep, everything works again!!

Thank you sooooo much, TP!

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_ufssovpKS8Q/SS1NAPc1pzI/AAAAAAAAAO4/R6tFjcRZPPQ/s400/Onion+head+35.gif)

Egdx.. Happy Endings Guaranteed..

take note when you flash.. you gotta follow the procedure
Title: Re: Ergodox issues :(
Post by: tricheboars on Sat, 19 April 2014, 19:06:52: lol software. dammit. that sucks. panic and confusion over that is the worst. i am happy you resolved it. share your layout!