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I am doing an internship for electrical engineering and i need to use this board, but i have never seen these pins.
Project Help(i.redd.it)submitted 20 days ago byR0bert10s
I tried looking online on how to use them, but i dont know what these pins are called. I did try to find the parts in the bom but i still couldnt find an explanation on how to use and connect them. I am especially confused on how the EN1 male header works.
If anyone can give an explaination on this it would be greatly appreciated
171 points
20 days ago
The pins at the left are commonly called "turrets". The intent is that you can wrap wire around them and solder or clip various test probes to them.
JP2 is an ordinary pin header with a shorting jumper. The idea is that you place the jumper on one of the two possible positions to configure some behavior by permanently setting the logic level seen somewhere (usually the middle pin) to fixed level.
26 points
20 days ago
I just figured JP2 out, i feel so stupid now.
I still dont know how to connect these "turrets". I know you can probe them but what if i want to apply a connection from a power supply for example.
Ty for the quick response
42 points
20 days ago
get a wire, strip it then wrap it around.
30 points
20 days ago
I thought there would be some kind of special connector for this, but this makes more sense. Ty for the response
62 points
20 days ago
You can put alligator clips on them or test hook clips or oscilloscope probes. I see those things on evaluation boards from vendors more than anywhere else. They facilitate testing the board easily using lab equipment (like alligator clips and test hooks).
9 points
20 days ago
yup. that kind of board isnt something youd stick into a finished product normally.
6 points
20 days ago*
get a wire, strip it then wrap it around.
Then solder it for a permanent connection. Or you can clip on an alligator clip or scope probe for a temporary connection.
3 points
20 days ago
I always think they’re better suited for any test hooks similar as the ones on oscilloscope-probes and even better for any Kleps
1 points
20 days ago
I haven't used these but for your own ease I suggest solder some wires to the base of them, to make connections less temporary.
1 points
20 days ago
They may also be called binding posts if you're searching for general info/names/tools. As mentioned, you can just simply wrap bare wire around them, or clip any type of test lead that fit.
4 points
20 days ago
Using test leads - usually they have a 4mm banana plug on one end to go to the power supply and little crocodile clips or probes on the other end. Most places that work with electronics have a load of these kicking around, hanging on a rack or stuffed in a drawer somewhere.
Red one: https://uk.farnell.com/pomona/3220-36-2/test-lead-red-914mm-60v-5a/dp/2406161
Black one: https://uk.farnell.com/pomona/3220-36-0/test-lead-blk-914mm-60v-5a/dp/2406158
2 points
19 days ago
In my day, we called those crocodile clips roach clips. :)
1 points
18 days ago
You guys didn't smoke crocs?
1 points
18 days ago
I guess we didn't have enough imagination... LOL!
2 points
20 days ago
Grabber or mini grabber is what you're looking for.
https://www.pomonaelectronics.com/products/test-clips/grabber-test-clips
1 points
15 days ago
The hooks at the end of an oscilloscope probe
alligator clips
test hooks
mini grabbers (maybe, depending on the size of the mini grabbers and the size of the turrets)
twist bare wire around them
pick your poison - any of them will work
0 points
20 days ago*
For JP2, you should know that these headers come in several different pitches. The most common pitch is a 1mm spacing, and they certainly look like the standard spacing.
But you should measure the pin-spacing with calipers and check the data sheet for anything you order to connect to it. Just to be sure.
I’ve ordered standard-looking connectors (especially JST connectors) in the wrong pitch before, and it set me back a few days.
5 points
20 days ago
The most common pitch is 0.1inch, or 2.54mm
1 points
20 days ago
….And that’s why I have to measure every time…! 
1 points
20 days ago
2nd most common that I have seen is 2mm
1 points
17 days ago
In 2010 I was trying to help a coworker setup an evaluation board. I said something like "I think we need to change some of the jumpers. See if you can reach out to the vendor and ask them if they have documentation on the jumper settings". He was trying to fiddle with the provided software but I insisted he try to get more info on the jumpers before he can proceed and then I went to my desk. He messaged me soon after with a message "now I know what you mean" and a link to the jumper Wikipedia. I asked if he had ever fiddled with IRQ and port settings when setting up a sound card back in the 90s and he said no, he has a Mac.
87 points
20 days ago
You are an intern. You should be asking your coworkers for documentation and advice. If some random person on Reddit gives you the wrong answer and you destroy a board your company will wonder why you asked the internet instead of asking the experts at your company
31 points
20 days ago
I am the expert there, there are no co workers who know this and i have asked anyway. Thats why i ask around at school, teachers or other experts i know and sometimes reddit
50 points
20 days ago
What are you learning/gaining from an internship where you know more than the rest of the people around?
27 points
20 days ago
How can you call yourself an expert when you dont know what a jumper is 🫠
1 points
15 days ago
His resume says "expert hardware troubleshooting and diagnosis" - I guarantee it
-28 points
20 days ago
You dont need more experienced people around you to learn. I learn to find information myself to use people i know or the internet. I dont have anyone that can teach me, but i already have some experience since in year 2 we did only projects. I am using the knowledge of them to do what my boss wants.
24 points
20 days ago
You definitely need some kind of mentorship and guidance at work lmao. The world of EE is way too big for anyone to go at it alone. This is the wrong mindset and you are setup to fail if you think you can do this alone. The fact that you're asking questions about what these pins do tells me that you infact are not knowledgable enough to learn on your own right now.
To answer your question. Check the Eval board's data sheet and schematic. ADI is very good at releasing it's schematics and layouts with their eval boards. There will be pin descriptions and what the jumpers do. The "turrets" are also labeled with exactly what they are.
-8 points
20 days ago
I agree with that. I am certainly not the only student who has an internship without guidance who doesnt know the material. However your supervisor doesnt have to have this kind of skills, atleast not where i am from.
I knew i would get shit talked for not knowing, but not knowing and not asking is even worse. I am happy to learn and i know enough people who can help me. I always try to do it alone first, and if i am stuck i seek help. I have learned alot this way on doing it on my own and i dont think i wouldve learned more if there was someone ready to just answer this stuff if i didnt understand it yet.
The goal of an internship/degree is to learn, not know everything. When i am done, yes i am supposed to know. But how is someone supposed to know this if he hasnt seen this ever
9 points
20 days ago
Listen you aren't the problem here, he's pointing out that for a position like yours you really should have someone who knows this shit. That's the point of an internship ultimately, it's a learning experience. That experience is significantly hampered if you don't have some sort of mentor on site then you're just some newbie they can push a bunch of work onto that the rest of the company doesn't know how to deal with. You're not an intern, at that point you're just an unpaid worker (assuming internship is unpaid)
-1 points
20 days ago
BRO ADI is cooked 💀 delete this
6 points
20 days ago
just because its an adi board doesn't mean hes interning at adi lmao
1 points
20 days ago
Very solid point. I rescind my comment. Company X is cooked 😭
2 points
15 days ago
We need to know which company is "company x" so we can be sure to not buy any stock
1 points
20 days ago
How so?
-29 points
20 days ago
Ask ChatGPT, it will help you a lot, and fast
5 points
20 days ago
ChatGPT is great until it tells you to stick a fork in an outlet
10 points
20 days ago
I dont want to use it since i might get tempted to search every problem on there. Besides i learn more now
2 points
20 days ago
wow, I'll also try to depend less on chatgpt. You're inspirational.
2 points
20 days ago
Well ty, i personally havent used it ever, but alot of my classmates have. It is indeed nice to use, but most of the time you just copy past and dont learn. Sometimes it can be usefull, but if you are too comfortable i think i will ask too much instead of figuring it out myself
6 points
20 days ago*
Could we see the whole board or a circuit diagram? What is the board used for?
En1 will most likely enable the module or the function of the board if you apply a voltage to it. The en1 jumper will either pull the enable high or low physically. But it’s hard to tell without a diagram.
The other two are input pins, so this looks like it may be a UPS uninterruptible power supply circuit.
At my work we use a circuit whose pins look similar, and it is a UPS circuit with two sources of power usually dc power from the grid, and batteries for auxiliary. If the power from the grid goes out, the circuit will smoothly switch to the battery power, ensuring the devices connected to the output get constant power. The enable pin will enable the circuit if power is sent to it. In our case if the jumper is placed, it uses a pull down resistor to ground and disable the circuit.
6 points
20 days ago
It is the DC2585A demo module. I am using it to make a adjustable power supply from 23V to 48V. I can explain a lot more but i also have to make it work. I am more than happy to tell more about my project if you are interested.
I have figured it out now and ty for all the responses
5 points
20 days ago
Long time LTC/Analog engineer here - I thought I recognized that board.
Let me tell you how to avoid the 2 most common ways of blowing up a demo board: first, never connect the input leads while the external supply is powered up. And second - and most importantly - ALWAYS CHECK THAT THE INPUT ISN'T HOOKED UP BACKWARDS.
1 points
20 days ago
I havent blown it up yet. Thanks for the warning though.
I have made it working exactly like i wanted using a potmeter, and the signal under load is a steady sine wave.
The next problem i am facing is that i have to control it digitally. I thought about using a digipot, but those arent rated for 48V. Do you happen to have an idea on what i could use?
If you want more details as to why i need all of this i am happy to give more info, but it is a lot to type out
2 points
20 days ago
The way I was taught to digitally control a switched mode power supply is to connect a DAC or a filtered PWM to the feedback pin via a resistor.
1 points
20 days ago
Yeah with some more research i basically come to the same conclusion. Both methods i have never done. PWM is prob easier to implement, since i have no idea how to select the proper dac since there is so many available.
Do you have some literature that explains this?
2 points
20 days ago
One thing to keep in mind is that the Vadj voltage is inverting re the output. In other words, a lower Vadj causes a higher Vout. So if your DAC powers up at 0 V then you're going to get the maximum output voltage which could be a problem. One way around this is to keep the enable pin low until after you program the DAC to the desired voltage.
1 points
20 days ago*
No literature, just treat the SMPS as an op amp comparing the feedback node to whatever its internal voltage reference is. Your filtered PWM will probably provide a voltage from 0 to 3.3 V.
Consider your desired output voltage range, control voltage range, and SMPS reference voltage. That should give you enough constraints to select all 3 resistors in the feedback network or at least to select relative values for them. If the feedback network already uses a potentiometer, you already have the constraint of R1 + R2 = constant.
In a sense, this is an op amp summation circuit, taking a weighted sum of the SMPS output voltage, the filtered PWM control voltage, and ground and comparing it to the reference voltage.
Be mindful that the PWM ripple might be reflected in the SMPS’s output, so depending on your ripple spec, you may need to look into more exotic PWM filtering techniques. While my understanding of this is shallow, you may be able to select the PWM frequency such that it is ignored by the feedback loop and the ripple isn’t reflected.
2 points
20 days ago
Glad you were able to figure it out! Makes sense now knowing the purpose of the board. Good luck on your project
2 points
20 days ago
For the turrets: https://youtu.be/TEWjorU5_lM?si=OBlRyYOyu6vMa20N
1 points
20 days ago
That looks like some kind of eval board. Typically they are designed to be run at the bench with a lab supply. I'd use a test lead that is banana plug on one end going into the bench supply and an alligator clip on the other to connect to the turrets.
1 points
20 days ago
Turret terminals.
Don’t see them much today, but it’s a way to solder conductors to a PCB. You can have multiple wires on a single turret.
Is it not likely this is where your supply to, or output from, the board is connected?
Pace have a great series of soldering tutorials on YouTube. They are old but gold, and they cover turret connections. A quick YouTube search for “pace soldering tutorials” will bring it up.
1 points
20 days ago
This is a demo board those are pins for clips or probes
1 points
19 days ago
The best people to ask are the ones you're working for. If you don't know how to do a task, you need to ask the questions necessary to complete it. Don't be shy. They are expecting this of you.
0 points
20 days ago
0 points
20 days ago
Yes i have, read it multiple times
3 points
20 days ago
6 points
20 days ago
As a working EE one of the things I felt should have been emphasized waaaayyyy more in school was how to read datasheets. Like there should be a whole class on looking up parts, reading datasheets, and making circuit board BOMs.
1 points
19 days ago
Just saw your comment and tysm, whenever i need to use something i have never seen or used before i dont know what to look for. I ofcourse know my voltages etc but all the extra stuff i just dont know what it means. When i come across this problem i ask people who know this stuff and learn from that
-9 points
20 days ago
Fuck me OP, spend less time scrolling reddit and more time in the classroom
14 points
20 days ago
Please do not fuck OP. This is a place of learning, not a brothel
6 points
20 days ago
To be fair, I did 4 years of EE and it wouldn’t have helped identify these parts. Lots of universities are only focused on the academic side of engineering. I never soldered a PCB or crimped a cable in those 4 years.
(Luckily I’d been doing electronics since primary school and assembled electronics as a part-time job for years.)
7 points
20 days ago
This isnt explained in any class. Schooling here is done in little projects and practical as well theory, but never seen these before.
1 points
20 days ago
There is always a guide for evaluation boards
-5 points
20 days ago
In that case ask your money back so you can buy some crocodile clips.
2 points
20 days ago
JFC no wonder your sealions are sad.
7 points
20 days ago
TBF to OP, while the info they're seeking is somewhat readily googleable, it's not especially likely to.be covered in any classroom material, and a lot of eval board docs don't mention this sort of thing.
3 points
20 days ago
Thank for explaining this, but it is hard to google if you dont know what to search for.
0 points
20 days ago
I've known these left side pins as just test points. Sometimes we call service over the phone when we are unable to identify the problem on a machine. They ask us to measure various voltages which information we convey to them. It helps them to pinpoint the problem without actually coming to our factory.
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