If you did not get connected to the controller with the sentry software, you either have a bad cable or dirty or dead 12 pin socket. I went through 3 USB to serial cables before I found the right one. I also tried hooking up to another Think, with the known good cable and never got connected.
I have another USB to serial coming as I have seen that before trying to hook up to machine tools via rs 232.
I’m just baffled by the control is alive with data plug in and dead with data plug out. USB converter hooked to computer with power through the USB seemed to be the key. Before I ruined the laptop I unplugged the USB converter and cart would not move. Plugged USB back in and cart moved.
New laptop and converter are on the way.
This is telling me there is an electrical or signal issue. I don’t know enough to suggest a fix. It would be good if you had another controller to test. Reach out to Robert Meyers at Forklift Electronics. He’s the primary seller of the software and is the Guru on it and controllers. He may be able to give some input.
This is the key to actually driving my think, that beat up usb to serial converter makes my Think drivable. It does not have to be plugged into the computer but it does have to be plugged into the controller. If I remove the converter from that serial cable the car will not move.
What would the data port have to do with any of this?
I do have another controller at my disposal as I have another Think sitting in the garage. The true condition of both of these were and are unknown.
Where did you get the adapter for this programmer?
Can you see how many wires you have going to your 8 pin connection plug?
It sounds like this adapter is injecting 5v and powering up the logic board of the controller when it is jacked into your laptop.
Without your data cable plugged in, check for power on P2 of your controller plug. We know P1 is working, now check P2. With key ON and all checks passed by the Cluster there should be 72v on P1 and P2. You can either poke a pin through the wire and test that or it might be p2 on the back of your Cluster.
I still think there is something upset in the Cluster.
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I make a usb programming cable that connects direct to 23p plug. Much more reliable.
That’s the thing, and I probably did not make that clear enough. I don’t need the laptop plugged in to make it drivable. I drove the Car this morning with what you see in my hand plugged in. Unplug it and no go.
Just that beat up serial converter. The converter and the laptop look about the same after the 5 foot drop.
I will buy your cable…How much?
Show me a clear picture of what you are plugging into the controller. I want to see the actual wires and what pins it is using.
But also- We should check for power on those pins. Maybe unplug the 23p out of the controller and probe directly.
The gas cans in the back round are my back-up plan. Douse the damn Think and throw a match on it.
In all seriousness, I thought the computer was introducing something too but this morning I unplugged the USB from the computer and the car still operates, if I unplug the serial converter from the data cable car will not operate. Again not plugged into the computer.
I will run home about noon and take a picture. It is the data plug cable that I got from Forklift electronics,
12 pin plug (I think) with about 4 wires
Not Important enough to make a special run home for.
That is not mine but I took it off of Forklift electronics website.
Jeff Johnson
Superior Roll & Turning
734-279-1831
I should note that everything just works with the serial converter plugged in. Reverse with beeper-That is how I actually noticed it was alive, Turf works and Drive works.
The logical answer would be your cable is jumping a pin on the controller, which causes your Think to run. I know when you plug the cable into the 12 pin socket, on the controller, pin 1 should be full battery, for it to communicate with the software. This sounds as frustrating as one of my Think’s wrench comes on for 5 seconds in 80 degree weather and 165 seconds in 60 degree weather. The car won’t move until the wrench shuts off and there is NO error code.
Do Thinks need data cable connected to run? Do they even use the data cable?
I don’t think the data cable is required this is an anomaly, I’m sure. I still haven’t changed to my other cluster I keep making baby steps (albeit weird) with this one.
It’s not even the data cable, it’s that damn serial converter that makes it move. I am going to see if it will keep moving if I pull the converter after the motor starts.
What is the connection to the enable pin from the data pins?
If I start the motor with the converter plugged in and pull it out while in motion it comes to a jerky stop.
Car runs 25 MPH seems to get there in a hurry. I can’t wait to sort this all out and actually feel comfortable driving it. Especially after a little tuning.
Change the cluster out and see what happens is probably the next move?
Change the controller out and see what happens?
Thoughts?