Lastest firmware download for WC8 and WC32

[CAI_Support]

@ja02333,
please send to our web site listed address, put attention to: service and repair/ CAI Networks, Inc.
Make sure include a sheet of paper describing the problem, and have your return address and contact info, so that we could contact if there is any question.

 

[CAI_Support]

We just made another temperature related improvement for hw rev 2.3.x for new firmware V3.03.25.  We make this as recommended update for all 2.3.x boards.  We tested the board in the temperature chamber all the way to 75C, attached temperature sensors.  During the testing, from room to 71C for every degree increment, we power off the board and restart the board to make sure it is not only can operate in high temperature, but also can restart and re-establish communication to all temp sensors and network in extreme temperature condition.
 

For wc8 hardware rev 2.2.2 board, please update with this firmware
http://www.cainetworks.com/support/download/wc8plc030227-update.zip

For wc8 hardware rev 2.3.x board, this is the new version:
http://www.cainetworks.com/support/download/wc8plc030325-update.zip

 
Hardware rev 2.2.2 board recommended firmware is still 3.02.27 like few days ago. Its temperature sensor handling is also improved from previous release.

 

[CAI_Support]

@ja02333,
 
Have you send the board in yet?  I just checked our mailroom, it is not there.
 
We did find two possibilities linked to your board problem. One is that our cloud storage might corrupt firmware file somehow. When download, it might receive a copy from that one. So we have reload everything again on our internet storage. If you had problem running the firmware, try to download it again and we have removed all the corrupted files from cloud storage and put a new one there.
 
Another possibility is that one of the transistor gate might have bigger leakage current than the other. To fix that problem will need to solder a 2.7k resistor on top R20 behind the 1-wire terminal, on top the original resistor labeled 104 on it.  Since IC leakage current has a range of min and max, the R20 value 104 will not be able to drain the gate leakage closer to the max  range.  Even the board having min leakage, adding a 2.7K resistor on top R20 will not harm anything, but improve high temperature operation.  Since it Is hard to measure each board gate leakage current, we will add 2.7K resistor for all our boards in our inventory from now on.
 
If you send your board in, we will check against these possibilities, and fix the issue for you.  We appreciate you bring this issue to our attention.

 

[ja02333]

I have not sent the board back.
I downloaded the file from the link from this discussion.
The copy that I downloaded had a date of 1/21/16 4:35 PM (3-3-25)
I still do not see any of the sensors.
I will send the board in for repair/ evaluation
Thanks

 

[CAI_Support]

Hi @ja02333,
 
Thanks for your reply.  To avoid confusion, we reloaded the firmware with date stamp at 1/26/2016 to make sure.
If you do send your board in, we will add a resistor to your board R20 to ensure it will not have any issue.

 

[ja02333]

Downloaded the 1/26/16 file and the temp sensors are now working.
Thanks for the help.
If this board is not subjected to a high ambient do I need the rework?
It looks like this board has a rework (Stacked) components on location R13. (cap on resistor)

 

[ja02333]

I just tried to add a senor that has never worked with this board.
When looking at the serial number for a sensor that works I see the following using a (Raspberry Pi)
28-00000540979b
When I look at the serial number using the Web Control8 I see
289b97040500 00
 
The sensors that I have that do not work have numbers that are like this one
28-031501c167ff, Web Control would see 28ff67c1015 03 What happens to the 03?
 
These senors have the 28 and 12 unique characters.
Your board sees the 28 and 10 unique characters
But the way the sensors a polled during start-up if the first characters are zeros, last in the sequence and you get the full number the sensor should respond
I think?

 

[CAI_Support]

WebControl list the sensor ID as they read in. I think Raspberry must re-arranged them in different order.
28 indicate that sensor type is DS18B20, each sensor ID is total 64bits, including the checksum byte.  After removing the checksum, actual ID is 7 byte.  Does this DS18B20 working or not now?  If you never expose to high temperature, you don't have to rework, but we do add a resistor for all our in stock boards, to prevent any possible problem at customer site.
 
rev 2.3.7 boards stacked a capacitor to filter out noise on the humidity sensor reading. That capacitor is put on by machine in 2.3.8 boards.  They are identical in function.  This added capacitor is an improvement to the rev 2.2.2 board, humidity reading does not fluctuate any more with this capacitor on.

 

[ja02333]

the sensors I have with the 00's work and I have 2 of them working.
The sensor with the 15 will work only by itself.
When I add more sensors the 00's work and any that do not have (00) in the last 2 do not work

 

[CAI_Support]

@ja02333,  if you are sending the board in, please send all the sensors having problem with it, we will then test them all out to see what could be problem.
Technically, DS18B20 when bus master asking it to respond, it should respond near the end of the 15uS after received master command.  However, in some sensors, it responded too early.
Normally, adjusting TDSO will be able to properly communicate with the sensor.  However, when there are many sensors on the same bus, adjusting TDSO may not always get all sensors covered.
 
In our testing DS18B20 we received directly from Maxim IC in last 15 years, earlier chips had response time scattered, recent 5 years made sensors are much consistent closer to 15uS.

 

[ja02333]

I adjust the timing to 15us and the sensors that would not work, now work.
I have a total of 8 sensors connected and the are all working.
Thanks for your interest in resolving the issues and giving suggestions to try.

 

[CAI_Support]

@ja02333,
 
It is good to hear they all working
Have you tried to add a little resistor on R20 yet? it can be from 1K to 5K.  We use 2.7K now. When temperature getting really warm, it will help sensor reading stability.

 

[dijit]

@CAI_Support,
I have a rev 2.2.2 board with current version 3.0.11 firmware.
I think that means I need to send my board in for update, as the website says 3.0.17d and higher has bootloader.
What is the process for this? Do I send it in with payment, do I need to get an authorization first?
 
Thanks so much for your time

 

[CAI_Support]

@dijit,
 
For board sending for update or fix, we will charge $10 per board to cover return shipping and handling.  You can include a check payable to our company.
Please send it to our address listed on our web site, attention to: repair/service  CAI Networks, Inc.
Please also include a piece of paper with your contact information and brief description for desired service, so that we could contact you for any question or issue.
 
For any board sending in for firmware update, we will load with bootloader and latest firmware, also check to see if there is any hardware rework needed and do all that for you, then ship back promptly.
 
Thanks!

 

[CAI_Support]

We have made watch dog timer larger on WC32 to handle more future functions.  We also fixed one I2C issue in some cases for WC32 in this new release.
There is no GUI change since 4.02.09, if you have your own GUI, it can be used without change.   WC32 board without WC32IO expansion board will need to add a pull up resistor on the terminal, please see the other discussion about WC32 clock.

For wc32 board only, download from this link:
http://www.cainetworks.com/support/download/wc32update040212.zip


 
For WC8, this fixed an I2C issue with one I2C sensor in certain condition
 

For wc8 hardware rev 2.2.2 board, please update with this firmware
http://www.cainetworks.com/support/download/wc8plc030228-update.zip

For wc8 hardware rev 2.3.x board, this is the new version:
http://www.cainetworks.com/support/download/wc8plc030326-update.zip

 
These releases are versions without known bug for those hw rev boards.  As always, we appreciate all your input and suggestions.  Some of those suggestions are in the work. We want to first release these firmwares without any known issue, then move on adding features.