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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 17, 2024 11:02:00 GMT -5
I now have a Farm 24 plus, and unfortunately the power supply is dead. I have a background in electronics, and I can see that the LED drivers are just controlled by a PWM signal, and that the motors are controlled by simple servos, so I'm fairly confident that the brains can be re-energized and repaired, but before I start hacking away at it, I figured I would ask if anyone has done this before or has any information that might help. I figure I shouldn't have to re-invent the wheel if someone out there already has an axle...
Thank you!
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Post by LoveSalads on Oct 17, 2024 12:56:46 GMT -5
I now have a Farm 24 plus, and unfortunately the power supply is dead. I have a background in electronics, and I can see that the LED drivers are just controlled by a PWM signal, and that the motors are controlled by simple servos, so I'm fairly confident that the brains can be re-energized and repaired, but before I start hacking away at it, I figured I would ask if anyone has done this before or has any information that might help. I figure I shouldn't have to re-invent the wheel if someone out there already has an axle... Thank you! My Farm has never died but I have had Bounty's go belly up. Both were caused by a short in the power supply for the lights. Bought an external power supply and or light that fixed the issue but, the fuse on the main board was blown because of the short. If I remember that fuse size was 2.5 amps and was a solder in type fuse not plug n play. I am not sure what p/s shorted out on you or if it is all 1 on the Farm. Each light on the Farm runs at 48vdc. That power supply is easy to source on Amazon but would be external so you would have to bypass the internal 1. Welcome to AGA . I hope your fix is semi painless. Good luck and update us here when you get the time. |
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Post by tompepper7 on Oct 17, 2024 23:23:53 GMT -5
I have to admit that if the power supply is actually dead it would seem there's nothing to be done. Perhaps explain "dead" vs "re-energized".
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 18, 2024 11:00:52 GMT -5
Allow me to elaborate:  In all seriousness, I have discovered that the AC-DC power supply on that board is simply a 12V DC power supply, with a 12VAC power supply as well. From what I can tell, the 12VAC only powers the water pumps, which are controlled (Like everything else) by an EEPROM on the power supply board. This EEPROM puts out PWM signals to modulate the brightness of the lights as well as the two motor controller chips. In my opinion, it was a seriously bad idea to put AC circuitry on a board this close to TTL logic, even if they do include those cutouts for isolation. I have determined that there is a serial communications protocol between the EEPROM and the control panel, with most of the programming being in the control panel. I'm working on decoding the signals now, but it's a bit slow going since I have a job and other things I have to do... Overall, though, from an electronics point of view, it shouldn't be a major hassle to design a new power supply/control board which either utilizes the existing control panel and software, or utilizes a different software running on that panel, maybe interfacing with an Arduino or something like that. |
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Post by LoveSalads on Oct 19, 2024 9:03:06 GMT -5
Crispy looking critter. What fried ? Indeed strange that 12vac was the choice for the pump voltage. As far as the programming goes it's simple but has the best stand alone functionality out there. Why I own many Aerogardens. Once you have an external app involved then I guess the sky is the limit. If you do wind up doing your own app there is now a huge niche open waiting for the new Aerogarden 2 company. Kidding aside good luck on the repair/custom fix.
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Post by tompepper7 on Oct 19, 2024 22:25:48 GMT -5
...still not following. Your OP states "the power supply is dead", but "the brains can be re-energized and repaired".
Your newer post talks about the properties of an electronic board and does not re-affirm the actual power supply is dead.
Is the actual power input not functioning or is there an issue with the electronic board your are talking about?
Please do hold your breath as everyone here responds about how they have redesigned the electronic boards on their Aerogardens to compensate for possibly still functioning or perhaps dead power supplies (if you follow my misunderstanding). 
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veng1
AGA Sprout
My logo is from a spectroradiometer I designed to measure a Sprout.
Posts: 51
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Post by veng1 on Oct 20, 2024 18:10:04 GMT -5
I don't have a Farm, so this is slightly off topic.
I do have several Harvest models that a plagued by random changes to the start times. I tore down the worst offender and could not identify the microprocessor. Many micros that continue to run a clock have a capacitor that holds up power to just the clock during a power failure. Without knowing the processor type, it isn't obvious where those pins are located, so I tried a brute force approach of adding a 4F SuperCap. That hasn't solved the problem so my present thinking is that the filtering on the "power" board is sub par or the capacitive touch switches are noise susceptible. A poorly designed touch switch without the source code for the uP is probably unfix-able.
Next, I think I'll short the lights and pump to be always on and put the external power supplies on an existing mechanical timer that controls an AeroGarden LED panel.
A quick glance led me to believe the motor and lights are simple MOSFET circuits and a short from drain to source should work.
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 21, 2024 10:28:58 GMT -5
There are four main circuit boards in the system. Two power supplies for the LEDs, one power supply/EEPROM controller for the LED power supplies (And pumps and height motors, etc.), and the control panel. The control panel has its own logic and communications, and if you supply it with 12VDC it will function as if it is connected and controlling everything. There is a serial protocol where it talks to the EEPROM on the main controller board, which then turns the various bits on and off.
This EEPROM (Which is on the main power supply board) is what provides PWM signals to the LED controllers as well as the motor controllers that control the height motors for the LEDs, as well as signals to turn the pumps on and off. It also receives the water level sensor input and transmits that back to the control panel via the same serial communications line.
The scorched part above is one of the transformers on the AC input line that steps the voltage down to then power the EEPROM. I believe that the EEPROM got fried by over-voltage, as I can apply a PWM signal to the LED power supplies and get the LEDs to modulate brightness easily, as well as run the pumps off of a standalone 12VAC signal. The nice part is that there is zero "Logic" in the EEPROM on the power board, it's just taking the instructions from the control panel and then turning stuff on and off. So, I should be able to intercept the serial communications part of it and decode what is being send when, and then devise an Arduino or something similar to interpret these and provide the appropriate PWM signals to the height motor controls etc. to allow the original software/control panel to function properly.
The main power supply board is physically the same board as this EEPROM, which is not a great design, as since it melted down, it took the EEPROM with it, causing the entire unit not to function properly.
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 21, 2024 10:29:33 GMT -5
...still not following. Your OP states "the power supply is dead", but "the brains can be re-energized and repaired".
Your newer post talks about the properties of an electronic board and does not re-affirm the actual power supply is dead.
Is the actual power input not functioning or is there an issue with the electronic board your are talking about?
Please do hold your breath as everyone here responds about how they have redesigned the electronic boards on their Aerogardens to compensate for possibly still functioning or perhaps dead power supplies (if you follow my misunderstanding).
There are four main circuit boards in the system. Two power supplies for the LEDs, one power supply/EEPROM controller for the LED power supplies (And pumps and height motors, etc.), and the control panel. The control panel has its own logic and communications, and if you supply it with 12VDC it will function as if it is connected and controlling everything. There is a serial protocol where it talks to the EEPROM on the main controller board, which then turns the various bits on and off. This EEPROM (Which is on the main power supply board) is what provides PWM signals to the LED controllers as well as the motor controllers that control the height motors for the LEDs, as well as signals to turn the pumps on and off. It also receives the water level sensor input and transmits that back to the control panel via the same serial communications line. The scorched part above is one of the transformers on the AC input line that steps the voltage down to then power the EEPROM. I believe that the EEPROM got fried by over-voltage, as I can apply a PWM signal to the LED power supplies and get the LEDs to modulate brightness easily, as well as run the pumps off of a standalone 12VAC signal. The nice part is that there is zero "Logic" in the EEPROM on the power board, it's just taking the instructions from the control panel and then turning stuff on and off. So, I should be able to intercept the serial communications part of it and decode what is being send when, and then devise an Arduino or something similar to interpret these and provide the appropriate PWM signals to the height motor controls etc. to allow the original software/control panel to function properly. The main power supply board is physically the same board as this EEPROM, which is not a great design, as since it melted down, it took the EEPROM with it, causing the entire unit not to function properly. |
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 21, 2024 16:48:09 GMT -5
Quick update- I discovered that the control panel talks to the EEPROM via I2C communications. I have an I2C debugger which I will put on it tomorrow to see if I can intercept the signals.
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Post by tompepper7 on Oct 21, 2024 22:14:15 GMT -5
If I follow, what I would call the "power supply", the box that plugs into the wall and then into the Aerogarden is fine and supplying power not being "fried" or "burnt out". Perhaps even tested on a second Aerogarden to confirm. Then, since the above component (which you call?), is functioning fine, the actual issue is being traced to burnt out components on a circuit board which control the power, as well as other functions. Besides identifying various components of the circuit board which could be at issue can you identify what caused the circuit board components to burn out? What was faulty?
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 21, 2024 23:00:33 GMT -5
If I follow, what I would call the "power supply", the box that plugs into the wall and then into the Aerogarden is fine and supplying power not being "fried" or "burnt out". Perhaps even tested on a second Aerogarden to confirm. Then, since the above component (which you call?), is functioning fine, the actual issue is being traced to burnt out components on a circuit board which control the power, as well as other functions. Besides identifying various components of the circuit board which could be at issue can you identify what caused the circuit board components to burn out? What was faulty?
It’s not a power supply that plugs into the wall, the typical “Wall wart” kind of unit. This uses a 110V plug directly to the inputs of this board, which then link that wall power to the LED driver boards as well as steps it down. The board, I’m assuming, was faulty, which caused the issue to begin with. I’m assuming it was a faulty transformer (Now removed) that caused the initial short that killed the power supply side of this board. |
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veng1
AGA Sprout
My logo is from a spectroradiometer I designed to measure a Sprout.
Posts: 51
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Post by veng1 on Oct 22, 2024 9:36:15 GMT -5
Without seeing the top of the board, that "transformer", from the size of it, appears to be a common-mode choke. As a temporary test, it could be bypassed. Leaving it bypassed contravenes the FCC certifications.
It looks like it is directly connected to a diode bridge rectifier labeled DB1. Based on the melted solder, I'd guess that failed unless you removed it. If nothing else has failed, that could be replaced with one of a higher voltage and amperage as they are dirt cheap.
If the bridge failed shorted across the AC inputs, that would short the common mode choke. Replacing both might get everything running again.
If the bridge failed to pass AC to the later circuitry, probably many more parts have failed.
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Post by kraftphysics on Oct 25, 2024 16:27:18 GMT -5
Without seeing the top of the board, that "transformer", from the size of it, appears to be a common-mode choke. As a temporary test, it could be bypassed. Leaving it bypassed contravenes the FCC certifications.
It looks like it is directly connected to a diode bridge rectifier labeled DB1. Based on the melted solder, I'd guess that failed unless you removed it. If nothing else has failed, that could be replaced with one of a higher voltage and amperage as they are dirt cheap.
If the bridge failed shorted across the AC inputs, that would short the common mode choke. Replacing both might get everything running again.
If the bridge failed to pass AC to the later circuitry, probably many more parts have failed.
Unfortunately, it looks like whatever took out the AC side killed the EEPROM. I'm getting a direct short to ground on several of the data pins, which according to the datasheet should not be. So it looks like the only way to revive this is to either decode the comms between the control panel and the EEPROM and then replicate that in a raspberry pi or something, or ditch the Aerogarden interface altogether and write something fresh. Or, if someone has a broken one out there somewhere, I could replace the EEPROM and copy the programming off of a working one to deposit it on a blank one... |
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Post by LoveSalads on Oct 25, 2024 16:37:21 GMT -5
kraftphysics Ebay, craigslist, facebook marketplace. You can do your own thing but that would be time consuming for sure. If you want to grow something in it now, lights are 48vdc, pump 12vac. But then there is tearing it all down again when you are ready to try a fix or adaptation. As far as I can tell it's sourced in China like everything else so getting an eeprom or a board is unlikely from there.
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Post by shagreobe on Oct 26, 2024 20:30:17 GMT -5
I have a cooked pcb on a Harvest 360, way smaller than your Farm (1 tiny board, everything runs on a 12vdc wall wart). What I'm going to try is an attiny85 (or attiny414, have both handy). I just have to test the code for a few days/weeks, whatever, no rush, we have a couple of other AG's running anyway. I was thinking an arduino nano , but attinys are so much cheaper, and do the same thing.
I have some experience with electronics and electricity (mostly electricity) if you need to bounce ideas or whatever off of my thick skull following this...
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