Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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skutty
 
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Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by skutty »

I have two Ultimate GPS breakouts connected to the Uno in the prescribed fashion. I used an external antenna and was using arduino IDE and a test program form Adafruit. One Ultimate died in 24 hours and the other died in 2 hours. Neither would power up after the failure. I realize the Ultimate GPS is reliable and would like to know a possible cure or or failure mode.
Thanks
Shyam Kutty

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Can you post a photo of your setup showing how you have everything connected.

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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The Ultimate GPS connected to the Arduino Uno. Neither GPS output any data, as per serial monitor screen. Tried this with 'Blank' program with the Rx and Tx in the corresponding pins on the Uno. This is wired for the 'Echo' test program. Neither unit is responding. Tried this with external antenna as well. Vi n is 5v, gnd is gnd and serial is connected as shown. Both units did work until the suddenly stopped.
Thanks,
Shyam Kutty
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The Ultimate GPS connected to the Arduino Uno. Neither GPS output any data.
The Ultimate GPS connected to the Arduino Uno. Neither GPS output any data.
Ultimate GPS Arduino Wired.jpg (654.48 KiB) Viewed 245 times

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Are you basing not working on lack of communications? Is the FIX LED doing anything?

The 'blank' example doesn't do anything. Not really sure why that example is even there:
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_GP ... /blank.pde

This is the 'echo' example you are trying to run?
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_GP ... o/echo.pde

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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Hello, the FIX LED shows no activity and then there is no data from either Ultimate GPS device. The Blank program allows me to use pin 1 ans 2 on the Uno to view the serial port at 9600 baud and watch incoming messages, of which there is none. Yes this is the 'Echo' program I am using and it has no messages on the serial monitor either, at 115200. Both units were communicating and working then just stopped and sent no messages of showed any activity on the LED.

Thanks for any help you can provide.
Shyam Kutty

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Oh yah, the blank is for the bypass setup. Thanks, forgot about that.

Do you have a multimeter?

What happened from when they went from working to not working?

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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I do have a multimeter, please let me know the points to check. From working to not working, the LED stopped blinking and did not come on at all and the messages stopped. What do I need to check.
Thanks,
Shyam Kutty

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

Use the multimeter to check the voltages on the VIN and 3.3V pins of the GPS breakout. Let's see if there's something wrong with the voltage regulator.

Keep in mind the LED will change blink rates once the GPS gets a fix. It will change from about once per second to every 15 seconds or so.

Were the GPS units simply sitting there and suddenly stopped working? Or did you attach anything new? Or change wiring? Or some other change?

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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Ok, big surprise today. one of the two units is working again. The second unit is still dead and the multi-meter reads 0.00 on the 3.3 volts . The working unit reads 3.28 v on the meter. So one unit up and other unit down.

Thanks,

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

The second unit is still dead and the multi-meter reads 0.00 on the 3.3 volts
This would indicate a possible issue with the voltage regulator. But it may also be a connection issue. Can you post a better photo showing the solder job on the GPS header pins.
gps_solder.jpg
gps_solder.jpg (36.62 KiB) Viewed 164 times

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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I tried everything, but my cell camera does not have the depth of field to get a clear picture of items that close. I will re-flow the solder on the non working unit and check the regulator.

Thanks

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

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OK, re-flowed the solder on both units. The one is back up and working, the other one is still dead with no voltage on the 3.3 line. Please let me know my next move.

Thanks,
Shyam Kutty

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Re: Ultimate GPS Breakout power failure

Post by adafruit_support_carter »

OK, let's focus on just the one now. Set it up on a bread board and post a photo showing how you are wiring it up. And if possible, try again to get a photo that shows the soldering on the header pins better. That would really help as this seems like it is some form of connection issue.

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