I knew that we would have to devise something to take the battery's place, otherwise it would be an open circuit. That part's a no brainer and an easy fix. It was just this type of thing that I was concerned with. I figured that if was as easy as just splicing into the cord and jumping the battery holder, everybody would be doing it.
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DROs Mounted to my Mini Mill ( Pix per Request)
- Thread starter Malodave
- Start date
I knew that we would have to devise something to take the battery's place, otherwise it would be an open circuit. That part's a no brainer and an easy fix. It was just this type of thing that I was concerned with. I figured that if was as easy as just splicing into the cord and jumping the battery holder, everybody would be doing it.
Wildweasel
NES Member
I'll pull one and bring it to the shop tomorrow (I am an electronic tech) and jump with a cap that I had on my HF scales. (and run the 3v to it.) that is all that should be needed.
Let me clarify. I realize that the cap (being an AC device) needs to be in parallel to the power circuit to provide power. My concern is I don't think that I can create three miniature button battery cases out of circuit boards and brass like shown in the link that 7.62x39 referenced. I was wondering about removing the cap to just outside the DRO case, in a heat shrink power lead so the cap is very close to the device. Then maybe make up something out of epoxy to replicate the button battery with the power leads to complete the circuit inside the DRO.
Would the cap still be close enough to the device to function as it would if it was inside the battery holder? Is the distance from the cap to the DRO battery holder/well that critical?
Thanks...
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I got this wall wart from one of my employees. It came from a christmas village set. 3V output with 4 outputs. I did a search on it and all I came up with was a couple of flea-bay ads.
Lemax Village Collection AC Power Adaptor with 4-Output Jacks - White | Sterling Heights | eBay Classifieds (Kijiji) | 25120559
Lemax Dickensvale AC Adapter Power Supply AY 3D 0 5 E | eBay
Lemax Village Collection AC Power Adaptor with 4-Output Jacks - White | Sterling Heights | eBay Classifieds (Kijiji) | 25120559
Lemax Dickensvale AC Adapter Power Supply AY 3D 0 5 E | eBay
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Thanks for the links...
I'm thinking that I would be fine with a single output lead on the wall wart. As long as I have a 3V DC supply with 1.0 amp output,(even that is overkill) I should be fine. With the displays all mounted close together, I can just solder up and heat shrink a short pigtail to each device and keep the overall power wiring short. I can even incorporate the capacitors into the individual pigtail leads.
Just need to figure out how to create something to replace the battery that will provide for power lead contact.
I was just thinking. How do we know for sure that these operate on 3V? That's assuming that the batteries are wired in a parallel. What if they are wired in a series? That would mean that they run on 6V.
Wildweasel
NES Member
I forgot to bring one in but it should be easy enough to figure out, I will take a look tonight and let you know how they are configured (series vs Parallel. )
Wildweasel
NES Member
If you have a multi meter put it on ohms and ohm out between the two edge connector and then the two contacts on the pcb. if they are shorted together(to each like contact) it is 3V if on on the PCB is connected to the edge then it will be 6v. (I will do it tonight)
iGaging DRO model 35-712-P; 12" DRO:
Battery: 3V CR2032 (included) Device holds two (2) batteries
KMM, Talk to me about this link - Please...
I am not aware of the link.
![[rofl]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/013.gif "ROFL [rofl]")
How did I not see 7.62's post & photo when I posted my info above. My bad !!!
OK, after metering the iGaging display, identical to the one shown in the photo above, the answer is the two batteries are wired in parallel. So power needs to be from a 3V DC wall wart.
The two positive leads that make contact from the side of the battery are connected = 0 ohms. The negative terminals on the circuit board, that make contact from the bottom of the battery = 0 ohms, = Parallel.
CR2032 is a 3 volt Lithium button cell
Battery: 3V CR2032 (included) Device holds two (2) batteries
KMM, Talk to me about this link - Please...
I am not aware of the link.
Plenty of room to work with.
How did I not see 7.62's post & photo when I posted my info above. My bad !!!OK, after metering the iGaging display, identical to the one shown in the photo above, the answer is the two batteries are wired in parallel. So power needs to be from a 3V DC wall wart.
The two positive leads that make contact from the side of the battery are connected = 0 ohms. The negative terminals on the circuit board, that make contact from the bottom of the battery = 0 ohms, = Parallel.
CR2032 is a 3 volt Lithium button cell
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Wildweasel
NES Member
Yup there ya go. 3v I will go out and check one of mine for haha's. I just confirmed it on mine, the batteries are in parallel. I have the same model dro. I thought I had a multi voltage wall wart but damned if I can find it. if I can dig it up I will get one running on it and post pics.
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Based on the info from your Robot Room Link:
Aside: For the purposes of using this in a digital caliper, I tried a variety of capacitor values. The voltage is not going to exceed 1.7 V. Lower maximum voltages allow for higher capacity capacitors in smaller size packages. In the end, I just took what I had lying around that would fit (4.7 µF to 100 µF). A quick test indicates the imported calipers come with about 1 µF of built-in capacitance, so I’m not sure adding lower values will help much
I was planning on going to You-Do-It Electronics today and see what I can find. Something that meets these requirements: 1.) small profile, 2.)rated for 5 Volts, 3.) cap value above 4.7 µF to a max 100 µF. The higher the value would be better, but the size of the cap and what we can fit in a deciding factor.
I don't think the actual value is that critical. The cap will charge up and act like an additional battery to smooth out any fluctuations (or interference) in the power being supplied from the wall wart. The higher the cap value the longer the dampening will be effective.
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KBCraig
NES Member
Excellent SCORE !!!
Wildweasel
NES Member
1µF tantalum capacitor between + and - of the scale (put the cap into the battery compartment) is what I used with my YADRO setup before I abandoned it. worked fine no interference. some information on the scales- YADRO: Digital scales and VFDs / Noise suppression. I had this setup before the dro's we are discussing came out. I think I will be heading out to Radio shack to see if they have a 3v supply, I can't lay my hands on mine . (I hate when that happens..LOL) and I will try the 1uf caps I have.
Wildweasel
NES Member
UPDATE- I did have problems with the one I converted. the other 2 on batts worked fine. the scale jumped zero twice. it added .400 not good. If you do this keep an eye on the scales. I updated in another post all the info.
I will be bringing home an OScope to see if I can find out what happened. I am back to batts for now.
Ok I tested the 1uf cap and the $21.00 radio shack multi voltage supply. it works fine, no interference from the mill running or the table power feed.
BUT you will lose the zero you have set when you switch off the power to the dro. (with the batteries you do not loose zero) Where this is an issue for me is when I am in the middle of a setup and quit for the day I will have to re-zero when I come back. If you leave the wall wart on and turn off the dro it should keep the zero. (I just have to not put the Wall wart on my power strip with the rest of the mill power cords.)
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Nice job 7.62...
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
Did you paint or powder coat your mods? I need to do exactly what you just did.
Noticed you have not installed your air spring yet. I'm assuming that is what the hole is for.
Are you going to make a bracket for the Z axis travel stop, to replace the column top cover? I believe Malodave mentioned that with the new rack you can gain more travel by moving the "Stop" up.
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NICE.
I am just over engineering it I guess. I have been trying to keep from soldering directly to the board for the power leads. Makes for a lot of extra work to make up a mock battery out of a piece of circuit board. Maybe I should just run on battery until they die to insure they work OK then just do the soldering mod as you did.
Just got back from my You-Do-It run. I am armed with the parts now.
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I have one of these and have no idea how to use it
Wildweasel
NES Member
As long as you are careful you can unsolder the lead and the cap and go back to battery power.
That makes sense. Now that you have got me thinking. I am considering a tight wire wrap with a solid gauge wire, on the brass contact points, to make the initial contact for the xmfr power. Then solder the xfmr to the solid gauge from there. Easily reversible.
Great idea on powering the DRO's direct and not on the mill power strip to save Zero.
Thanks
By one of these- are you referring to the Mini Mill ???
If so, you may have a lot of new friends you did not even know existed, from winter's 80% lower GB.
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an RC guy that does not know how to use a mill??? Come On now...
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cmacclel
NES Member
I have the same brand on the tailstock of my CNC. It's great but way to slow to do and real work. Just like cheap digital caliper you move them and wait for them to catch up 
Good Job though! Also don't get oil or coolant on the slides as they will mess up.
Good Job though! Also don't get oil or coolant on the slides as they will mess up.Nice job 7.62...
Did you paint or powder coat your mods? I need to do exactly what you just did.
Noticed you have not installed your air spring yet. I'm assuming that is what the hole is for.
Are you going to make a bracket for the Z axis travel stop, to replace the column top cover? I believe Malodave mentioned that with the new rack you can gain more travel by moving the "Stop" up.
Painted with a leftover rattle can of semi-gloss black.
Yes, that hole is for lower mount of air spring which is not installed yet because I have not installed the head yet. I cleaned up the ways, smoothed out the gibs and installed the tables. I'm going to finish laying out the Z DRO before I re-install the head.
You could pick up maybe another 1/2" of Z travel by moving the stop up, I didn't bother. I can always move it later if I find a need for it, but I think just having the longer rack, will give me all the travel I'll ever need.
Beecher Tool
Banned
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I have a Sherline 2000 with Factory DROs.....Grizzly 2 pony R8 spindle, 3 axis power feed, 12x30 table,and a Grizzly 2 pony 14x40 gear head lathe....and then the part that kills..more cutting tools,boring bars, all flavors of mills, etc than one could ever want...the machinery isn't that bad....its death by tooling. If anyone is interested I will post more over time...
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