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Naze32 flight controller Repair

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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So I accidentally shorted 5v and Gnd instead of the Boot jumper pads and blew a diode. (in my defense i thought it was an alternative way to jump it...)
The board still connects to usb and reads as working on the device manager but wont light up or connect to clean flight flash firmware. so it seems salvageable. (i did order a new one but a backup would be nice)

I had a firmware update fail and in a panic to get it working i didn't look at the manufacturers manual for how to put the device in boot mode instead i slapped on a jumper to the pins in the area that had boot next to it and... magic smoke. after the infamous sniff test and magnifying glass i located the offending component, a diode with 63 as the marking. another similar board online has S21 as the marking on that diode. i found the data sheet but cant find the part.
I cannot find anything on the diode marked 63 at this time
I found a data sheet for the S21 http://www.s-manuals.com/pdf/datasheet/s/d/sd106ws_tip.pdf
If i could get a full schematic for it this would be easy.
All i know is the diode is 1.62mm long by 1.16mm wide. so a close match may work if i can find one.

Any help would be much appreciated.

second image is my actual board and the obviously bad diode. (Taken with my phone and a crappy plastic magnifying glass)
all other components look great. it just seems this diode is preventing the board from fully powering up.

naze32 rev6 10DOF.jpeg IMG_20180820_222148.jpg
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
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As you have already found the hard way, these are far too complex to go "playing" with.
I would bin it as it obviously would be unreliable at best.
 

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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@Bluejets I guess you dont understand a good opportunity to practice on a potentially scrap board. worst i can do is waist a few bucks on some cheap components and learn to not rip up a board in the process. but thanks for the reply.
Even if its unstable after at least i tried.
I've done SMD component replacement in a high school class we had to remove parts on an old working car radio and replace them with new parts and test it. it worked fine. I've done a few other SMD repairs here and there since.

Thanks dave9 that looks like a good substitute. much appreciated. all the ones i found were either too big or too small in size. it was driving me mad. lol very much appreciated.
 

kellys_eye

Jun 25, 2010
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I'm puzzled as to how the diode can blow if the supply line is shorted???? Reversed... yes, that's a very likely outcome but 'shorted'? Shorting the power line would only cause the PSU to have issues.

Either way if removing the diode (if it is a parallel-protect device) and/or shorting it out (if it is a series-protect device) doesn't restore board operation (with the correct voltage AND polarity applied :p) then the original fault has gone much further 'into it' than you think and probably rendered the board useless.
 

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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It was getting power from my pc at the time which seems fine.
Device manager and cleanflight detect it but cleanflight cant manage to connect to it.
its suppose to light up when powered on.
i wish i could find a schematic to back trace it myself but all i can find is the pin connection diagrams. :/

Thanks for the suggestion i shorted out the diode traces with a small flat screwdriver and the Blue power light comes on. its seems to be still alive which is good news especially after just ordering some replacement diodes.
Hopefully its still fully operational and no damage to the cpu or other integrated chips has happened.
its difficult to hold the screwdriver there and check to see if cleanflight connects without shorting things out more. maybe if i had 2 heads. lol
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
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@Bluejets I guess you dont understand a good opportunity to practice on a potentially scrap board.

Actually, I do but in this instance you mentioned using it as a back-up unit so I assumed from that, that you intend putting it back into service so-to-speak.
This is the part I find as a bad move as you could destroy the craft, or worse, hurt someone.

worst i can do is waist a few bucks on some cheap components and learn to not rip up a board in the process.

Don't agree there I'm afraid.
 

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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I can always test all the sensors before even plugging the ESCs and motors in.
If everything looks okay then i can carefully proceed from there. id most likely be testing and flying it alone. I live in the country with plenty of room. I'm not worried about getting hurt.

The craft was hand built after through research. it cost a whopping $135 ish for all the parts.
I dont have FPV on it yet. The most expensive item was the motor/esc kit for $48.
if i break it I'll just rebuild it better. its not like a $500- $2000 commercial product.
Thanks for your concern though.
 

Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
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As the saying goes, if you know so much, how come you blew the crap out of it in the first place?
Point being, these units are very complex devices. A surge from a short like described can do irrepairable damage to sensitive on-chip devices not to mention cause the programming to become corrupted. None of the systems contained could be successfully "tested" with a multimeter and a test finger.
 
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DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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Even the most knowledgeable people can make simple mistakes. Humans are not infallible even people with master degrees in any field can make a simple error and ruin something. Even things they took years to develop can be ruined in seconds by one simple mistake or something they overlooked years ago.
our memory is far from perfect.

It is far less complex compared to other electronics I've worked on. its just super tiny...
The programming was already corrupted due to a firmware flashing error that wasn't even my fault. computers screw up too. i just made it a little worse. (i had everything selected and connected properly)

I ordered a new F3 control board that's suppose to have a better cpu and perform a lot better. I still want to challenge my self to get this one working. I may or may not use it but at least i can learn something from it other than how not to short it out and blow diodes.

I really thought this forum was about helping people repair electronics not discouraging them from doing so....
 

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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Thanks again dave9 those diodes worked perfectly. The board has been fixed and re-flashed.
It seems to be fully operational. I have not hooked it up to any motors yet. I got lucky it being just a $0.23 diode so far.

The replacement board i ordered died after a bad crash. i suspect the processor locked up i cant even get it into boot mode and no light, but the computer detects it. so im waiting on parts to fix that one.. those chips are $6 each. which is better than $25 for a new board. this hobby is turned out to be more of a break and fix than just flying fun. no regrets.
:p
 
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Bluejets

Oct 5, 2014
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I really thought this forum was about helping people repair electronics not discouraging them from doing so....

Certainly and in many instances the former is the only concern.
However, many feel they are responsible to inform some whom for whatever reason, seem oblivious to the dangers that are present.
If you take offence at advice such as this, so be it but it will not deter me from doing the exact same in the future should I see the need arise.
As for yourself one can only hope you learn not to fiddle to the extent of blowing the crap out of working equipment.
 

DarkLinkX5

Aug 21, 2018
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Well you are in the right to inform people of possible danger, so its hard to me upset about that.
but that's all you were doing. honestly it was getting a little irritating. You dont know the skills and training other people have and making sure they do things safely regardless is great, but completely discouraging them isn't and in some cases can make them take certain precautions that make things worse. I had that happen before.. so i take peoples concern with a grain of salt. but also try not to rush things.

If i noticed it acting weird/unstable or in some unsafe manner i can just stop immediately and try replacing the processor.
People brick and fix these all the time and im considering taking note of all the components and values for future reference. That way if something goes wrong i can check them to make sure they are within tolerance. i know a bad resistor that's out of tolerance can effect things down the line.
I had a resistor array on a 3d printer pcb somehow go bad when a thermistor shorted and it read a constant 96C and almost started a fire because it kept trying to heat up. They have software safety for that now so that shouldn't happen again. and my thermistors were replaced with ones that cant break and short out the same way. (being crushed by the set screw)
so i do take preventive caution with things so it doesn't happen again. I will certainly consult the manual or internet for something im not 100% on in the future instead of rushing it.

sorry for the long post but you were somewhat helpful too so thanks.
 
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