1 (edited by chumby008 2014-07-08 05:57:49)

Topic: chumby one power problem

* Chumby had a power outage> since then it no longer connects to the chumby server.

* It states failed to connect to chumby.com

*When it did connect> It requested I type in the passcode(black circle keys from computer) on chumby.com

When I went to the computer and Pressed the Activate Button> the server hung and connnection to the webpage was lost> So I believe its the server not the chumby causing the issue.

Re: chumby one power problem

Please try again, see if it does the same thing.

3 (edited by chumby008 2014-07-08 08:16:24)

Re: chumby one power problem

* The web page reloads after I press activate> does this every time I press activate> keeps reloading the web-page.

*I'm located in Canada.

* After powering off the chumby> when I power on it fails to find Wlan0> and fails to connect to chumby.com

It asks to connect to IP Auto or Manual> I select auto.

Is this an issue with my router?

After sitting for an hour the chumby re-connects to network> Downloads interface> then screen goes off> then I press screen and it asks me to activate the chumby via website.

The chumby was working this weekend just fine> its after the power was cut off it has not been able to connect to the new server / network.

Re: chumby one power problem

You know what - you might have a bad power supply caused by the outage.  Is this a Chumby One (the white plastic one)?

5 (edited by chumby008 2014-07-08 08:45:21)

Re: chumby one power problem

* Yes it is the chumby one White Model.

How can the Power supply go when it logs into the server? It seems to work normaly> and after an hour it connects to the network (Home network).

The webpage does not activate the account, it keeps refreshing> all my Stations and the Clock Screen with Calendar no longer are available> but I don't see it being a power supply issue Unless the web-page try's to activate the chumby and the chumby for some reason fails to connect to the internet.

The chumby powers on.

Re: chumby one power problem

The power supply issue is a complex one, and the symptoms can be quite weird.

The "wlan0" error message is the telling one - it implies that the Wifi adapter in your device is not working reliably, which might simply be rated to power.

We have confirmed that activation is working, so the issue seems isolated to your situation.

Another less likely failure would be the microSD card in the device itself failing.

One thing I would try is to do a factory reset - power up while touching the screen to get into special options and "restore factory settings".

Re: chumby one power problem

Chumby One power supplies have been known to go bad. I had to replace mine also. My Chumby One got very unstable before the power supply failed completely. Warranty repair does not really exist anymore. All the units are way past their warranty periods and the company that created them went out of business. I am not sure who you could send it to for testing or repair as everyone is basically a volunteer except Duane.

First thing to do is try a factory restore like Duane suggested. I personally would try another power supply if that does not work.  Depending on your technical ability the next step would probably be replace the microSD card with a fresh image. I definitely would NOT throw it out. If you cannot get it working with support from others on this forum, please consider sending/donating it to Blue Octy for parts. Chumbys are not being made anymore so even "dead" units have some value, if only for parts.

Tar, feathers, congress. Some assembly required.

Re: chumby one power problem

Unfortunately, we're currently sold out of C1 power supplies.

I am currently working with one of Chumby's old suppliers to find a source for new compatible supplies.

Re: chumby one power problem

heh, I wondered how long the C1 PSU stock would hold out.  I can't have been the only person who preemptively bought 2 of them the moment the store opened.

I believe that there's one of Radio Shack's switchable PSUs that will work with the c1, but the plug is a very tight fit.  Might be worth scanning ebay for PSUs.

Re: chumby one power problem

you likely have a faulty 5v power supply.

see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgbhG7JyT50

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: chumby one power problem

You need both connected - one is the positive, the other is ground.  The positive goes to the center of the barrel, the ground on the outside.

Re: chumby one power problem

well you should be measuring the voltage from one wire to the other.

Your voltmeter should have two probes, a red one that goes into V+ and the black one into GND

Put the red one on one wire, the black one on the other coming from the supply.  If the voltage shows negative, then switch them.  You should see around 5V, though it may be higher since the supply is not under load when measuring like this.

At that point, the wire with the red probe should be connected to the wire that goes to the *center* of the barrel, and the wire ion the black probe should go to the wire that goes to the *outside* of the barrel.

Re: chumby one power problem

no, you should be able to test which wire connects to the outside of the barrel by measuring the resistance.

Find which wire has zero resistance to the outside of the barrel- that's the ground wire and would go to the wire with the black probe.

Re: chumby one power problem

Yes that sound right. I would cut the wire a good distance from the plug in pin connector, measure the impendance on one wire then the other...the wire with higher impedance is connected to the barrel, the lower impendance is the positive.

Re: chumby one power problem

It's 0.9mm I.D. x 3.2mm O.D. (center positive), 9mm long.

Re: chumby one power problem

form member demarks51 also identified in another thread that digikey pn CP-017-ND is the proper size plug

you could just get one of those and solder it onto your new power supply, after you figure out which is the + and which is the - wire.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

Re: chumby one power problem

chumby008 wrote:

* Would I be able to fix it myself? Or would I need to test all the circuits with a scope to do that etc.

It seems, judging from your other posts in this thread and the advice you have been given, that you may be able to solder the plug off your old power supply onto your new power supply.
This is an easier task than repairing the old power supply, which requires experience in soldering components onto PCBs. If you can solder onto PCBs, then replacing the dodgy capacitor in the old power supply can generally be done successfully without having to test the whole circuit - C1 power supplies typically fail because a certain capacitor fails, and when it fails, it fails visibly so you can see it's no good. Replace the capacitor, seal up the box and then it will almost certainly work. If it doesn't, that's when it's time for testing.
If, on the other hand, you have little or no experience in soldering onto circuit boards, then you may have difficulty removing and replacing the capacitor without damaging the board. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try - if it works out OK, then good; if it doesn't, then cut the plug off and solder it onto a new power supply.

Re: chumby one power problem

diamaunt wrote:

it takes me about 20 minutes to actually repair one, from cracking the case open, desoldering the bad capacitor, soldering in a good one and fusing the case back together.

How are you fusing the case back together? I've held mine together with electrical tape, which is OK but not as good as I'd like it to be.

Re: chumby one power problem

steelpaw wrote:

How are you fusing the case back together? I've held mine together with electrical tape, which is OK but not as good as I'd like it to be.

I've got this stuff called 'Plas-T-Pair', here's one source

one bottle is plastic powder, the other is a solvent that works on some plastics.  (including the plastic the chumby type a power supply case is made from)  a couple drops along the seam, press together, and the edges melt back together.

Cleaning up any loose bits and bytes.

20 (edited by chumby008 2014-07-21 14:16:10)

Re: chumby one power problem

* Ok Guys, I went and changed the power converter etc.

*It Now Works!!! Chumby Has re-connected and has been officially activated.

*I also have it plugged into an Battery Backup up> I've already pulled the power> and it didn't switch off> it should keep my clocks powered in case of power failure, and any voltage fluctutations that can damage the unit as well.

Thanks for all the Help!

*I'll be looking at what my options are for App services etc.