Power Issue

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hey there fellas.

Ok, so I'm having this problem and I don't know why. I used to have this, it has been solved somehow but not it's happening again. Using Air Manager by the way. I consulted their forum but as it's kinda electronics issue, I wanted to get your opinion as well.

So let me share my whole setup first in the attachment.

And here's some detail;

  • Feeding all the boards with 12V from the power supply, but can be decreased a little though.
  • Overhead contains 2 China-Type blue Max7219 modules, and they are connected to Mega 1 as daisy-chained. Each gets 5V from the board separately.
  • Radio contains 11 Max 7219 modules, it's connected to the related board and chained as 6+5. Each does NOT get 5V from the board separately, as they don't lose power per each chained board, specially designed boards they have.
  • MCP contains 5 China-Type blue Max7219 modules, all daisy-chained and connected to the related board. Each gets 5V from the board separately.
  • Gear Panel doesn't contain any Max, just switches and few annunciators.
  • Overall, there are 2/3 way switches, LED Diodes and multi switches, nothing fancy (not even stepper or servos)

My problem is when I turn the switch on overhead to open the LED's, all 3 overhead boards go unstable and stops working. Sometimes this affects the whole system and none of the 7219 modules on any panel works. They show the last gotten value from the sim, switches & encoders, etc. work, but screens and LED Diodes freeze up. Turning the 5V led's on doesn't do any harm, but this is really stupid, once I tried separating the ground of LED and Arduino's, but this problem happened again. Some suggested to merge them and create a common ground, and I did.

Anyway, If I can't solve this, I think I'll throw everything I have out of the window including my PC.

Any suggestions are welcome!

Cheers,
Baran

2

Hello Baran,
Please read 'how to use this forum - please read' (big clue in the title), the post your code, circuit diagram and photos of what you have in this forum, not on a web site elsewhere.

If I can't solve this, I think I'll throw everything I have out of the window including my PC.

Perhaps more useful to give it to charity or someone who could make use of it.

3

Slammer88:
Feeding all the boards with 12V from the power supply, but can be decreased a little though.

Nothing you have described so far actually operates from 12 V. I see no reference to "12 V to 5 V buck regulators".

All the equipment - the Arduinos and the MAX7219 modules - operates from 5 V and requires a 5 V power supply. So you need a 5 V power supply. Where is it? If you do not have a 5 V regulated power supply - either a mains supply or a "buck regulator" from your 12 V supply, then you cannot operate your devices! :astonished:

4

If you have done what you state most parts have been damaged; I would suggest you throw everything away.
Then get book or two on elementary electronics and learn what all the voltages etc you mention are and what the components you use require and there interrelationships. As stated earlier your description is very bad, schematics etc tell a lot. This is based on what you stated. I am not assuming daisy chained is flowers, but what is?
Good Luck & Have Fun!
Gil