Benchtop Programming of a T2 controller

GEM Forum
1

I’ve installed the Sentry 4.07.00e software, added FTDI driver and see COM1 in Windows hardware device tree but the Sentry software will not show anything when I click Monitor or even “Find device”.

Using the kit I got from Dave a few years ago which had a 23pin connector with 4 wires in it. 3 of them are: 2 signal wires(p22/p23) a ground which go to a 3pin connector which then connects to an FTDI USB-5V serial converter.
The 4th wire is red and from what I’ve found, the controller should power up on anything over 18VDC.
I’m putting 30VDC but the software will not talk…

So what am I doing wrong??? The 23 pin connector Dave sent me has 4 wires…
P23-1 is P1 red and it goes to 30VDC+
B- terminal on top of controller to 30VDC-
P23-16 is black wire to FTDI gnd
P23-22(ser Rx) is orange wire to FTDI Tx
P23-23(ser Tx) is yellow wire to FTDI Rx

Nowhere have I seen any specification of the baud rate or port settings(8n1).
When I connect up a terminal app to the FTDI I can see it spitting out a few bytes of data when I connect 30VDC to the red pin1 wire but that’s all.
I’ve tried Daves FTDI and I’ve tried my own ‘ftdi’ clone USB-serial converter and while I see mine looking like it’s doing something on the rx and tx Sentry does not like any of it.

2

@LithiumGods had an issue connecting after a long spell.
Sent him new system and it works fine. He has not returned his old ones for testing.
T4 and T1

It is usually port settings or wrong access level for me.
The clones get shut down from time to time but FTDI is legit.

3

But there is no port setting info in the controller users manual. Have found very little on this…
I see access level setting but no password or what levels meanings are.

Saw your converter looked like real FTDI.

4

Port settings and user level are in sentry sw.

5

Strange that I can change the port setting in the device driver and it is not changed by the app when the port is selected.

6

Not selecting a high port number? The app is limited to a certain number.
App should auto find active port when asked.

7

Nope, setup as COM1 and I noticed it’ll only go to COM10. Search port doesn’t work either.

8

What is your sequence of power-up?

9

start the app then power the controller.
when doing the “search for comport” option I will click the menu option, remove and then replace power on the controller and click the ‘continue’ button.
I’ve also had the controller powered and loaded the app.

I’ve connected a terminal app to the FTDI port and can see bytes of data show up when I cycle power on the controller so I figured it was working.

Is there any chance the app I have is not for the T1/T2 controllers and instead is for the T3/T4 controllers?

10

are you powering controller thru main pos and neg. where the battery hooks up?

11

I believe the sentry software is all the same. There are different mdb files for the different versions of the controllers though. You only need to load the mdb file for a given controller once, I have had both T2 and T4 loaded at the same time with no issues.

Also, I think the mdb might just be for parameter names and mapping ?

12

Good catch - he does not list B+ as being hooked up. Only Pin1

13

I have tried a jumper powering both B+ and P1 and it had no effect. I will try again.

No difference. I can see tx/rx LEDs toggling on the FTDI dongle but keep getting the Communications Port error dialog. I’ve installed the VisualBasic runtime and the Access Database runtimes as is mentioned in the comm port trouble PDF on the CDROM.

The only mdb file on the CDROM is : 353T4.mdb and lots of stuff on the CDROM is about a T4 and T5 controller so that is why I was wondering if I had the right software.

not working…

14

Oh, wait. I just saw T2.
T2 does not have RS-232 communication.
You should still be able to get the port set up though.

15

Serial Aux over RS232 protocol using FTDI USB to TTL(5V) RS232 cable. So not +/-12V of standard RS232 but it is TTL level RS232 protocol. Or at least that is the capability of the USB dongle/cable you sent me.

16

So you haven’t used it previous? I wasn’t paying attention. I thought you were having trouble with one you’ve used before.
Do you have a link to our conversation? I’m kind of scatter brained and probably sent the wrong dongle.

If I knew it was one I just sent you, I would have been more responsive.

17

That is what you need for a T2.

18

Nope, never used the kit and it’s been sitting for a few years. It was originally for a T1 controller but that one recently blew up so now I have a T2 thanks to Ernie and Mike. I didn’t think there’d be much drama getting access to the existing program(downloading current setting) since I’ve programmed/flashed dozens of micro-controller over the years AND reprogrammed a Curtis controller I had in a previous cart. Couple that experience with the comparison of the T1 and T2 controllers it looked like there’d be no problems. Wrong I was.

And I tried my own TTL 5v USB converter and that didn’t work under Linux/Wine either and Windows wanted yet another driver so I skipped trying it in Windows.

19

It absolutely works ttl level. Most of the FTDI that I used were RS-232 standard.
Even using the RS-232 it will show a dl but no data.
Even though I test them all here, maybe P22 and P23 reversed or maybe T2 uses a different common.
Other than P16.
You have the instructions as far as setting access level? I will need to look it up if not.

20

Is there a difference going in through the 12p vs the 23p?