7-Segment displays quit working suddenly

[ssgross]

An update:
I updated firmware to 3.7.1, still not working.
my 4 displays are chained together. I pulled each one, wired and tested it by itselft, and still nothing.
the displays do cycle through showing firmware version and address before blanking, so this confirms that the power supply is good, just not receiving data

I am working on programming an arduino to read I2C to check if the bcs is sending data.

Can someone with working displays confirm the contents of their ucsysio.dat, specifically line 149 which appears from the documentation to turn the I2C controller on or off? there are no other instances of the displays in any of the other config files in the wiki, so looks like line 149 is it.

[JonW]

I think the docs on the ucsysio.dat are either wrong or incomplete. There is no mention of which temp probe goes to which display in the mapping, so obviously that part is incomplete.

After doing the update to 3.7.1, did you test them by manually configuring them before restoring your original config files? I only ask that since you're concerned with the data at position 149 possibly being incorrect. I would test that way just to see, but at this point it looks like maybe the I2C driver is toast.

[ssgross]

looking at the source for settings.html, it looks like the content for the probes to the displays is pushed from there, and not in the config files. I guessed that the line 149 was just for the i2c bus. perhaps a developer can weigh in. I sent an email about something else a long time ago and never heard back.

i guess it's either on the bcs, the displays, or both. The only event between them working and not working was a power outage, in the night during a storm, and the power flickered on and off 3 or 4 times before coming back on for good.
Perhaps there was a surge from the 12v power supply that bricked the i2c on the displays? if there was a surge on the bcs, there would most likely be much more loss than just exp0,exp1.

I dunno anything about the internal circuits. perhaps someone else can weigh in on that possibility.

i will still test the i2c with an arduino, and post my arduino code for anyone else who needs to troubleshoot the i2c on these.

[JonW]

If you get the arduino going, you should also be able to test the display side by sending data to the displays.

[oakbarn]

I have an issue as well. I have 2 BCS 462's and on one the 7 segment worked fine. One the second it is hit or miss. I sent back the "good" bcs because it was not putting out a 5 v on the 5v or the outs so I cannot test it yet.

[oakbarn]

I got my "5 vdc issue" BCS 462back (actually a new one as that one had a bad 5 vdc regulator). Anyway, I hooked up my 7 Segment Display and it worked fine on a close connection. All of a sudden, blinking light on the back. I checked the wiring, switch the wire harness. It will not work. I tried different addresses. Different ways to the 12 volts. Different grounds. All to no avail. My other BCS has the same issue. I am looking for some used LCDs with HDMI ports and will get Chomecast dongles to display Temps on the LCDs!

[JonW]

Do your 7 segment displays still work if you stay with the short wiring or is that non-functional now also?

[ssgross]

none of them work either way. I haven't had a chance to get the arduino up and running to test all of it. Hoping I get the chance this weekend.

I recall a year ago when i first built the system that just one of the displays pooped out. All the others worked, and were still in warranty, so I sent the one back to OSCSYS and they sent me a replacement.

If this issue is on the bcs side, I suppose I will open it up to make sure everything is tight. the outer wire terminals are supossedly removable in the documentation.

I am a math professor and the semester just started, ending by beer-focused summer. Troubleshooting will be slow. Thanks for following up JonW

[oakbarn]

I have tried 5 inches and about a foot but nothing works. I even broke out a brand new 7 segment display that has never been used. I have tried about every combination possible. I was going to hook up the I2C extenders but it quit before I could even test them.

[oakbarn]

I tried 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. I had them all turned on and then one at a time. I powered with molex and via the I2C. I plugged the ground directly to the BCS, The 12 v (-), connected all the grounds together. I have no hair left! I replaced the harness 3 times. Got a new one and tried that. Made sure my connections were correct. Reversed the SDA and SDL just to try. Nothing but nothing worked.