Questions about Arduino spot welder controller

Projects General Guidance
161

Alienbliep:
I did not pressed the button. I striked it. Like a Ninja It's definitly shorter then the 50ms

I've hooked up the ttl and started ide software.
Imported the spotweld7.1.ino
I get fault: missing streaming.h and alot of other librarys
Most of them i have found. except for the TFT_Ili9341
Isn't there a complete package available?

And i don;'t know what lines to change to get 1ms increments in all weld and pause times

Time shorter than 50ms makes less sense, but you can easy limit the current by using just one winding on the transformer.

162

That will make the current go up.
I have looked at alot of welders. They usually work in the 1-30ms range.
What parameters do i have to change?

I compiled a sketch but it says:

De schets gebruikt 24830 bytes (76%) programma-opslagruimte. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Globale variabelen gebruiken 965 bytes (47%) van het dynamisch geheugen. Resteren 1083 bytes voor lokale variabelen. Maximum is 2048 bytes.

I already found the line
const int step_ms = 50;

Naamloos.jpg
Naamloos.jpg2560×1080 215 KB

163

Alienbliep:
That will make the current go up.
I have looked at alot of welders. They usually work in the 1-30ms range.
What parameters do i have to change?

I compiled a sketch but it says:

De schets gebruikt 24830 bytes (76%) programma-opslagruimte. Maximum is 32256 bytes.
Globale variabelen gebruiken 965 bytes (47%) van het dynamisch geheugen. Resteren 1083 bytes voor lokale variabelen. Maximum is 2048 bytes.

I already found the line
const int step_ms = 50;

The min weld time is 0,5/50Hz = 10ms and then in steps of 20ms.
But you can change const int step_ms = 50 in 1ms if you want.
Look what other people use for weld times for battery welding.

164

Ok thats the only line to change?
How can it be that those Sunkko transformer spot welders go from 1 to 30ms.
This chip was a direct replacement right?

If it cant handle 1ms there is no point in changing the line to 1ms

Edited:
const int step_ms = 50 to 10
MenuItem preweldTimeItem = MenuItem("Preweld, ms", UpDownValue(50, 10, 0, 1000));
MenuItem pauseTimeItem = MenuItem("Pause, ms", UpDownValue(500, 10, 0, 1000));
MenuItem weldTimeItem = MenuItem("Weld time, ms", UpDownValue(250, 10, 0, 1000));

I tried to upload it but the screen is all white now XD

165

Hello Mr. avandalen,

First thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. I have built the spot welder and I have built a box to house the transformer. and a front panel to work more professionally with the welder.

Trying to make a slight change in the source code, I find the surprise that I can not use a tone to sound a beep when we change the times and when we do the welding point.

The reason for the modification is purely aesthetic. But I was surprised that I have no way of sounding a tone. Nor using libraries like this TimerFreeTone Library v1.5: Play tones without timers and therefore no conflicts - Audio - Arduino Forum

I have the feeling that it conflicts with a library.

Does this problem happen to someone?

Thank you very much again, I will upload some photos of the team assembled shortly.

PS: Sorry for using google translator .. :wink:

166

albert,

finished soldering my board ("previous controller build kit"). a couple of questions before i plug it into household mains:

  1. does the polarity of the wires from the wall plug to the mains terminal block matter?

  2. does the polarity of the wires from the "Spot Welder" terminal block matter to the MOT primary winding wires matter?

  3. do i/should i use the "gnd" on the upper corner of the pcb to ground the mains, or will it operate without grounding?

  4. when i soldered the components onto the board, solder from the right lead of RC4 comes into contact with solder from the bottom left pin of IC3. do you think this will/could cause a problem, or will it not affect the performance of the circuit.

  5. i have noticed that you referenced placing a load somewhere in the circuit between the "Spot Welder" terminal block and the MOT. is this just for testing, or does it serve some other purpose?

thanks in advance.

vince

167

hoospiders:
albert,

finished soldering my board ("previous controller build kit"). a couple of questions before i plug it into household mains:

  1. does the polarity of the wires from the wall plug to the mains terminal block matter?
    NO

  2. does the polarity of the wires from the "Spot Welder" terminal block matter to the MOT primary winding wires matter?
    NO

  3. do i/should i use the "gnd" on the upper corner of the pcb to ground the mains, or will it operate without grounding?

NO, this is dangerous

  1. when i soldered the components onto the board, solder from the right lead of RC4 comes into contact with solder from the bottom left pin of IC3. do you think this will/could cause a problem, or will it not affect the performance of the circuit.
    This is the same electrical connection, so no problem.

  2. i have noticed that you referenced placing a load somewhere in the circuit between the "Spot Welder" terminal block and the MOT. is this just for testing, or does it serve some other purpose?
    The MOT is directly connected to the PCB.

thanks in advance.

vince

168

Alienbliep:
Ok thats the only line to change?
How can it be that those Sunkko transformer spot welders go from 1 to 30ms.
This chip was a direct replacement right?

If it cant handle 1ms there is no point in changing the line to 1ms

Edited:
const int step_ms = 50 to 10
MenuItem preweldTimeItem = MenuItem("Preweld, ms", UpDownValue(50, 10, 0, 1000));
MenuItem pauseTimeItem = MenuItem("Pause, ms", UpDownValue(500, 10, 0, 1000));
MenuItem weldTimeItem = MenuItem("Weld time, ms", UpDownValue(250, 10, 0, 1000));

I tried to upload it but the screen is all white now XD

I have added the solution to the article

How to customize weld times

169

hi,
I used the previous controller build, and the input voltage of MOT is always 220v, and when I remove the c9 capacitor, the voltage return to 0v and the controller works normally. where can be the problem of my circuit ?
and thanks.

170

jijcomm:
hi,
I used the previous controller build, and the input voltage of MOT is always 220v, and when I remove the c9 capacitor, the voltage return to 0v and the controller works normally. where can be the problem of my circuit ?
and thanks.

C9 is just to protect the thyristors, so the spotwelder works without C9 too.

171

ok, all soldered up. special thanks to stevebowen for pointing out some fairly obvious ways in which components can be incorrectly installed (i installed both the bridge rectifier and LED backward and hence had no signs of life).

i too have the all-white tft problem. my unit seems to otherwise be in perfect working order. in my case, the tft screen is white all of the time, not just intermittently, so i need to do something in order to proceed with the project.

has anyone had any luck fixing the white screen by reflashing the microcontroller with an updated .ino? if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. thanks.

vince

172

hoospiders:
ok, all soldered up. special thanks to stevebowen for pointing out some fairly obvious ways in which components can be incorrectly installed (i installed both the bridge rectifier and LED backward and hence had no signs of life).

i too have the all-white tft problem. my unit seems to otherwise be in perfect working order. in my case, the tft screen is white all of the time, not just intermittently, so i need to do something in order to proceed with the project.

has anyone had any luck fixing the white screen by reflashing the microcontroller with an updated .ino? if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. thanks.

vince

Maybe you have not done the needed modifications well..

173

albert,

fair point. the only one that i cant be 100% sure of is the cutting of the pcb trace. everything else (wire fromJP6 pin11 to S5 pin1 and Connect IC1 pin27) i can verify.

i also noticed here

pic http://www.avdweb.nl/Article_files/Arduino/Spotwelder-controller/TFT-modification2.JPG

that it looks like the rotary switch is soldered in place. i left mine off per the instructions. do you think that would matter? if so, i can mount it.

i will make sure that the pcb trace is cut and try again. thanks.

vince

174

Better not to connect the rotary switch, but you can also put it into position 0 instead.

175

Hi,

I've just come across your controller and firstly I'd like to thank you for creating it.

I have a few of questions:

  1. There are a number of different circuit diagrams shown on different pages.
    What is the lastest version and can I please have a link to it so I know which is which?

  2. On version SMD v5 you use IC (U2) to detect zero crossing and on version 1-2017 you take it from the secondary of the small transformer T1.
    Is that correct, why have you chosen the different ways and which is the better way of doing this?

  3. You mention a parts list on one page but I can't find a link to it.
    It that still available?

  4. Is an empty PCB of the latest version available for sale?

Thanking you

176

) There are 2 different controllers, both are for sale, the SMD v5 and the old spot welding pulse timer controller building kit bare PCB.
2) The SMD v5 has no mains transformer, so we need another zero crossing circuit
3) see here
https://www.avdweb.nl/popular/spotwelder/spot-welder-controller-building-kit
4) yes

177

Hi again and thanks for your fast response Albert.

I was a little confused at first because I saw a transformer on the SMD v5 controller for sale in the shop but now think that's on the M1 power supply board for the Arduino circuit.

When looking at this I think there may be an error with the J7 & J8 labels on the

976×462 33.7 KB

Should not they be J5 & J6?

A few of extra questions:

  1. As it's not in the shop, what is the price of the bare SMD v5 board?

  2. Since the SMD v5 does have a transformer on the power supply (M1?), is that part of the zero crossing circuit? And if I buy the bare SMD v5 board can I use a separate switching 3.3v power supply (that I already have ) instead the M1 board?

  3. Do you have a link to the SMD v5 parts list (BOM)? The other one you gave me is for the Old version.

Thanking you, Robert

178

I have made a new version v7, see here:

1024×1365 190 KB

179

Thanks for publicizing this, it seems like an awesome project. I am toying with building one of these and have a few questions:

  1. The link in your version 7 post above refers to https://www.avdweb.nl/popular/universal-power-control-board/arduino-universal-ac-power-control-board which has a schematic for "UPC V3", is that the current one of is there a more recent schematic availavle?

  2. I see on your "UPC V3" you have replaced the back-to-back 12A thyristors from the original design with a 30A alternistor - I understand the new one can handle more current but I am curious to know if you encountered any problems with the back-to-back thyristor setup or it's trigering circuit for the MOT spot welder application?

  3. The "UPC V3" runs the atmega chip overclocked (or undervolted, whichever you prefer). It may work but is not gauranted to work, a concept I normally try to steer clear of. What was the reason to change from 5V to 3V3?

  4. Any reason not to use an 8MHz crystal with the 3V3 setup (which stays within atmel specs)?

  5. Do you have a full parts list available for the v3 or v7 design?

180

Hi Morten

  • UPC V3 is the most recent version.
  • The back-to-back thyristor version has worked also very well, without any problems.
  • The 3,3V is used because of the TFT display that needs 3,3V.
  • The clocking/voltage specs seem to be very conservative. There are many boards using atmega at 3,3V / 16MHz. I have never seen any problems with this on the internet.
  • I can sent that to you if you want.