realcomeau
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The DS3231 comes in two sizes. The NCS314 2.2 board is designed to accommodate either. The top 4 pads on the top (left) are used for either size.
In other words, the chip goes in the top left regardless of the size.
What power supply are you using? You need a power supply that us capable of 1A. I have purchased a few power supplies that claim to be 1A, but when powering the clock, the voltage drops to 6V and I get the exact symptoms you are experiencing.
This is a kit that you built? Please check the voltages at the test points and report the results.
The boards are equipped with DS3231 Real Timer Clock (RTC) chips, which are temperature compensated and pretty much the most accurate stand-alone chips you can get. They are accurate to within 2 minutes a year. Having the GPS is cool, but certainly not necessary. Also, if you go with the Arduino Uno, you can always upgrade it to a Mega in the future.
The Mega enables more functionality on the clock. For instance, if you want to use the IR (infrared) sensor with the remote control, you can only do this with the Mega. The Uno also does not support the GPS for automatic time sync. Otherwise, the basic clock functions will be the same with both Arduino options.
Something is bridged somewhere. Can you take high resolution photos and post them, emphasis on the U1 and U2.
The 2.0 firmware is also intended for the 2.2 board. Does the clock play the pink panther melody?
When I soldered the U1 chip, I accidentally bridged two pins (underneath the chip, and was not easily visible) and it caused all digits to illuminate. Once fixed, the clock functioned normally. Perhaps have a look again with ample light and magnification.
If all digits are illuminated at the same time, you must confirm that your Arduino has the firmware installed. If you connect an unflashed arduino, all digits will illuminate at the same time/
The other possible reason is the you have accidentally bridged pins with solder, possibly on the U1 or U2 chips. Examine the solder connections VERY carefully and make sure nothing is bridged. You might need magnification because if you used too much solder, the bridging could be on the inside portion of the pins.
Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)