Questions Regarding Quill DRO / Interface / Auto-summed Z Axis

[opsoff1]

Yuriy
Thanks for the info!
My mount is a glass reinforced 3D printed unit - the DRO head will be connected to the quill so that it is isolated as you suggest. I verified the frame is connected to the (+) side with a multimeter - checked for continuity between the frame and the (+) contact on the battery.
New development...
Here's the shocker - contrary to what the documentation said - it doesn't use an SR44 1.5v battery. It is a 2032 3v battery.
I read your info on the Shahe vertical scales and this unit "appears" to be similar. Based on this revelation, it looks like I will NOT need a level shifter - but now I am completely confused as to the pin arrangement and connection scheme.
No idea on the clock / data / power / Gnd connections - looking at your pin out guide it appears that the Shahe units are changed drastically between models. I do not know if this in fact a Shahe system. I guess the question is how do i identify the PIN outs on the data port?
(I can use mini USB breakout board to micro USB breakout board to rearrange the connections to the Touch DRO controller)


.

As for why....lol, well I had the quill DRO set on the shelf. Not even sure when I bought it. I also have a penchant for doing things the hard way. (It's also fun - I think) The unit seems to be extremely well made. It has a stainless scale & housing and aluminum front panel. It uses a mini USB data port. If I recall it wasn't cheap. It came in a nice fitted wooden box as well.

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

ETA: Doing more poking around on the web, this looks virtually identical to the iGaging Vertical Quill DRO (Model #35-068)

As for why....lol, well I had the quill DRO set on the shelf. Not even sure when I bought it. I also have a penchant for doing things the hard way. (It's also fun - I think) The unit seems to be extremely well made. It has a stainless scale & housing and aluminum front panel. It uses a mini USB data port. If I recall it wasn't cheap. It came in a nice fitted wooden box as well. Pic attached

Scott

 

[ycroosh]

Yuriy
Thanks for the info!
My mount is a glass reinforced 3D printed unit - the DRO head will be connected to the quill so that it is isolated as you suggest. I verified the frame is connected to the (+) side with a multimeter - checked for continuity between the frame and the (+) contact on the battery.
New development...
Here's the shocker - contrary to what the documentation said - it doesn't use an SR44 1.5v battery. It is a 2032 3v battery.
I read your info on the Shahe vertical scales and this unit "appears" to be similar. Based on this revelation, it looks like I will NOT need a level shifter - but now I am completely confused as to the pin arrangement and connection scheme.
No idea on the clock / data / power / Gnd connections - looking at your pin out guide it appears that the Shahe units are changed drastically between models. I do not know if this in fact a Shahe system. I guess the question is how do i identify the PIN outs on the data port?
(I can use mini USB breakout board to micro USB breakout board to rearrange the connections to the Touch DRO controller)


.View attachment 505303

As for why....lol, well I had the quill DRO set on the shelf. Not even sure when I bought it. I also have a penchant for doing things the hard way. (It's also fun - I think) The unit seems to be extremely well made. It has a stainless scale & housing and aluminum front panel. It uses a mini USB data port. If I recall it wasn't cheap. It came in a nice fitted wooden box as well.
View attachment 505306

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

ETA: Doing more poking around on the web, this looks virtually identical to the iGaging Vertical Quill DRO (Model #35-068)
View attachment 505318

As for why....lol, well I had the quill DRO set on the shelf. Not even sure when I bought it. I also have a penchant for doing things the hard way. (It's also fun - I think) The unit seems to be extremely well made. It has a stainless scale & housing and aluminum front panel. It uses a mini USB data port. If I recall it wasn't cheap. It came in a nice fitted wooden box as well. Pic attached

Scott

Scott,
So the kicker is that this iGaging scale comes in two different flavors. I know of two examples that used the same "guts" as the iGaging absolute scales. Ordered one from Grizzly two weeks ago, and mine uses 24-bit BIN6 protocol, same as the cheap Chinese calipers. Go figure...

Regards
Yuriy

 

[opsoff1]

So - is this a direct hook up with no level shifter requirement?

 

[ycroosh]

SO - is this a direct hook up with no level shifter requirement?

No, TouchDRO natively supports 5V scales. This is definitely NOT a 5V scale.
This adapter https://store.touchdro.com/products/converter-for-igaging-absolute-scales might work, but I have not tested this scale (yet), and I don't know when I will get to it. If it is compatible, you will need a special 5-conductor micro-USB cable, since the "ID" line is used to request the data. Basically, you have two options:
1. Take the "well traveled" path, and use a compatible/tested scale with the appropriate adapter.
2. Figure out what you have and how to you use it. You will need an oscilloscope for this.

Regards
Yuriy

 

[opsoff1]

I am running the Touch DRO adapter for iGaging scales -

 

[ycroosh]

I am running the Touch DRO adapter for iGaging scales -

Ah, sorry, forgot... In that case, you will need to find a 5-conductor cable and try it. Before connecting the power, plug in the scale with the battery plugged in and see if you get 3.3V on the Vcc pin. If you do, remove the battery, or it will blow up when you power up the adapter.

 

[opsoff1]

IF I get 3.3v on the Vcc pin - can I then run it direct to the T-DRO controller (w/battery removed) ??

 

[ycroosh]

IF I get 3.3v on the Vcc pin - can I then run it direct to the T-DRO controller (w/battery removed) ??

I don't know. I don't know what this scale outputs, what sort of input impedance it requires, etc.
The only thing I can tell you is that if you get 3.3V on Vcc and leave the battery in, it will blow up in a few minutes from over-charge.

Sorry, I'm not super helpful, but Chinese capacitive scales are a complete crap shoot. It might work perfectly fine if you are lucky, produce garbage data, or simply burn out. I have a drawer full of various capacitive scales, and even the same model varies from batch-to-batch (Shahe "remote DRO display" being the best example, where in the same batch some scales work perfectly fine with 3v input, and others are not even detected).

Regards
Yuriy