Is my 08M Dead

[k75]

Is there any way to tell if my 08M is dead. I was stuffing around programing all was fine made a fiew circuits. My last project I think I plugged my 4 NIMH pack around the wrong way. So I went to program the code and nothing the programer says there is nothing there. But the current program in the 08M still works. I thought it might be the programmer so I made another one replaced the batteries but no luck.

Any Ideas

 

[westaust55]

If the previously downloaded program is still capable of running then in the first instance I would suggest the PICAXE 08M is still working.

Others have reported putting a PICAXE into the socket 180 degrees rotated and it still works. So they are fairly tolerant of some "abuse".

What board do you have the 08M plugged into?
Could be a component on the board that has failed.

Have you checked that the Programming editor on your PC is still looking at the right comm port. While I have a 40X1, I have had the selected comm port change without my intervention on a couple of occassions. Had to manually select the right PC comm port again before a program would download.

 

[k75]

I have a standard programming circuit, only 2 resistors 10k and 22k.
I Have done the com test and all is ok.

 

[marcos.placona]

You seem to have some experience in building the download circuit, but still, I think there's something wrong there.

If the picaxe is working, it's working. I don't think that just the serial in/out pins would get damaged, but all the other pins would be ok. That doesn't make any sense at all.

I'd try to build the circuit again, or even test it with another picaxe (being this one the best solution).

If none of that works, try to take a picture of your circuit and post it here (you can send it to my email if you want), and we'll try to help ya.

 

[Dippy]

Odd. Obviously you have tried all of the above oherwise you wouldn't be posting (??).
Obviously you have triple-checked your connections and the lead is plugged in etc.

If using a breadboard, make sure that power is at the correct pins.
Have you tried the LED method to see if anything is happening? Better with a scope if you have one, measuring directly onto the ic pins. (I have seen in the past where ics have been stuffed into socket carelessly and bent the little legs up so they didn't make contact.)

Ultimately do you have another 08M to try?
After one or two accidents i've had with PICs nothing surprises me about partial functionality. My own dumb fault I should hasten to add. Many PICs I've used have withstood a brief reverese polarity (oops) but I'm not a betting man.

I would always suggest that if you are buying one then buy two or three. I know it's easy for me to spend other people's money (and I enjoy it), but now you can't get on with your project due to a little slip-up.

 

[marcos.placona]

Considering that picaxes are so dirty cheat, you ain't wasting that much money from others. I think it's actually a very good advice to have some spares.

When I prototype something on the breadboard and later decide it's worth to solder into a strip board, I always keep the old prototype till I get the one at the strip board finished, and that wouldn't be possible if I didn't have spares.

It's also good 'cause I'm never happy, and always keep adding more things to it.

 

[hippy]

I have a standard programming circuit, only 2 resistors 10k and 22k.
I Have done the com test and all is ok.

I'm a bit confused now - Does that mean your 08M is working now ? If so but it doesn't work in another circuit then perhaps you've damaged part of the circuit it was attached to.

If you mean the com test works but the 08M still cannot be programmed then I think it's a fair bet to say that you've damaged the PICAXE beyond repair. The damage may not stop it running a previous program but can be enough to stop it working entirely as it should.

Conversely, it can be possible to download into a damaged PICAXE but not have it run the downloaded program properly.

 

[moxhamj]

No, no, it isn't dead. It is just resting...

Did your program have Serin anywhere in it, or long Pause or Sleep commands. If so, you won't be able to reprogram it unless you do a 'hard reset'. Set it up so you can turn the power on and off to the picaxe, turn the power off, start the download and then just after it starts downloading, turn the power on.

I find about 20% of my downloads need a hard reset, mainly because I use a lot of delays in the code. When a picaxe first powers up it checks to see if there is a new program being downloaded. But it doesn't check while it is running a long Pause or if it is stuck in a Serin.

 

[westaust55]

If you have a reset switch, then instead of turning off the power, just hold the reset switch down (on) until the Program Editor starts to download (when the pop-up window with progress bar appears).

 

[manuka]

Chances are your 08M is still OK! I've been involved with 1000s of PICAXE projects since 2002 & in spite of all manner of abuse have yet to loose a near bullet proof 08M. I recall some being too hot to touch, that still ran OK when cool & correctly inserted.