Drawdio not working
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- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
If you connect jumpers to the battery and touch them directly to the speaker pads, does the speaker make any noise?
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
No, the speaker doesn't respond.
I attached alligator jumpers to the battery compartment prods, and then made contact with, first, both pads of the speaker (as best I could under the soldering!), and then, second, with the circuit board connector holes for the speaker wire. No response at all from the speaker.
Other speakers I have lying around *do* respond as one would predict when applying the current this way.
I attached alligator jumpers to the battery compartment prods, and then made contact with, first, both pads of the speaker (as best I could under the soldering!), and then, second, with the circuit board connector holes for the speaker wire. No response at all from the speaker.
Other speakers I have lying around *do* respond as one would predict when applying the current this way.
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- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
P.S. I already tried connecting a second speaker to the board via the circuit board wire holes (using alligator jumpers) -- those should work even if another speaker is soldered to the pads, right?
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
If the speaker on the PCB is shorted, you won't get enough current through another speaker to make any sound. OTOH, if there's an open circuit, all the current will go through the other speaker and you'll get plenty of sound.
If you have a multimeter, check the resistance between the SPK+ and SPK- pads.
If you have a multimeter, check the resistance between the SPK+ and SPK- pads.
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
I do have a multimeter, but am not skilled in using it, and the instructions are cryptic.
When I touch the red lead to the positive speaker jack, and the black to negative, the multimeter shows a variety of numbers (constantly changing) in its different resistance settings.
I have no idea whatsoever what that means!
When I touch the red lead to the positive speaker jack, and the black to negative, the multimeter shows a variety of numbers (constantly changing) in its different resistance settings.
I have no idea whatsoever what that means!
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Have been spending my evening reading a tutorial on multimeters!
The resistance between the speaker jacks appears to be around 11M.
The resistance between the speaker jacks appears to be around 11M.
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Oops -- you said pads.
Between the pads, the resistance is about 6M.
Between the pads, the resistance is about 6M.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Bingo!
6M is *way* too high for a speaker. The resistance through the coil should be down around 8-10 ohms.. it's basically just a long piece of wire with some attitude. Try connecting one of your other speakers to the pads and see if that gives you any noise.
6M is *way* too high for a speaker. The resistance through the coil should be down around 8-10 ohms.. it's basically just a long piece of wire with some attitude. Try connecting one of your other speakers to the pads and see if that gives you any noise.
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Just tried it. Took some finagling to get the alligator clip in contact with the pads (they have the original speaker soldered onto them!) But pretty sure I made contact.
No sound.
No sound.
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Well shoot..
Just to verify, you're using the two pads closest to the edges of the PCB, yes?
Assuming you are, does your multimeter have a 'frequency counter' setting? If so, let's see if the chip is doing anything.
Short the input wires together (which should produce the highest pitch sound) then touch the meter's black lead to the chip's GND pin and the red lead to the OUTPUT pin:
If the chip is doing what it should, the frequency counter will give you a number (probably between 10,000 and 20,000).
Just to verify, you're using the two pads closest to the edges of the PCB, yes?
Assuming you are, does your multimeter have a 'frequency counter' setting? If so, let's see if the chip is doing anything.
Short the input wires together (which should produce the highest pitch sound) then touch the meter's black lead to the chip's GND pin and the red lead to the OUTPUT pin:
If the chip is doing what it should, the frequency counter will give you a number (probably between 10,000 and 20,000).
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
I tried using both (1) the pads you indicate (the ones to which the speaker would be *wired*), and (2) (as a separate experiment) the very same pads to which the speaker is soldered (per the "elegant" solution in the soldering instructions).
Neither generates sound from an independent speaker. (I've controlled for all [?] other variables; e.g., the independent speaker makes sound when tweeked with the power supply running directly from the battery compartment to the speaker leads).
The supplied speaker does not respond even to direct application of current to its leads.
My multimeter does not have a frequency reader, unfortunately.
Neither generates sound from an independent speaker. (I've controlled for all [?] other variables; e.g., the independent speaker makes sound when tweeked with the power supply running directly from the battery compartment to the speaker leads).
The supplied speaker does not respond even to direct application of current to its leads.
My multimeter does not have a frequency reader, unfortunately.
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
Not sure if I'll be able to borrow an appropriate multimeter for the frequency test, but if I can --
I realized I don't understand the instruction about shorting the input wires. Which wires are those? Where do I find them?
I realized I don't understand the instruction about shorting the input wires. Which wires are those? Where do I find them?
- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67446
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
I think at this point it will be easier to get you a new Drawdio. Something is wrong with the one you have, I'm running out of tests that don't take an oscilloscope, and you've made genuine efforts to get this one working. That's good enough in our book.
Send a note to [email protected] with a link to this thread and they'll get you a replacement.
Send a note to [email protected] with a link to this thread and they'll get you a replacement.
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- Posts: 21
- Joined: Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:03 pm
Re: Drawdio not working
OK, thanks!
I appreciate your time and effort on this one.
I appreciate your time and effort on this one.
- clawry
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Fri May 22, 2015 10:16 am
Re: Drawdio not working
We are having the same issue. This is our second attempt, checked every connection/solder/placement, and get no sound when we get to the point of attaching the battery. We tried both speaker attachments. There is mention in the troubleshooting comments about a switch--can you please tell me what that means?
Very frustrated.
Very frustrated.
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.