Building a Node Assassin v1.1.4

Node Assassin :: Building a Node Assassin v1.1.4

Overview

Building your own Node Assassin is relatively simple, but it will require a little patience and precision as there are a lot of joints that will need to be soldered. Some things to keep in mind:

• Before soldering each joint, be sure that you've accountant for all wires that are to go into that joint. Trying to solder in an additional wire after the joint is already made is tricky and increases the change of damaging components and wires already soldered into the joint.
• Think about what order you want to solder in joints. Generally speaking, it is easier to start in the center of the board and then work outward. Add large components, like the extended length 2.54mm pitch pins, only when you need to so that they won't be in your way.
• Clean your solder tip after each joint.
• Use the minimal amount of solder needed to get a complete joint and apply the heat for the shortest time possible.
• Use a Helping Hand and a good light.
• Use a fan to suck the solder fumes away from you while working.
• Have a good pair of small needle nose pliers, edge cutters and wire strippers available. If you don't have a wire stripper small enough for wire-wrap wire, practice using your edge cutters to strip the wire.
• BE PATIENT! If this is your first project, you will make mistakes. That's ok, it's the best way to learn! Be sure to have some spare parts around in case you break something. Common parts to break when you are a beginner are resistors, LEDs (specially melting them), diodes and similar fine components. Getting frustrated will just cause you to ruin your project. Believe me, I speak from experience!

Parts List

The Node Assassin itself is built to piggy-back on an Arduino and a network shield. If you already have these, you only need the parts for the Node Assassin itself. If not, then you will need to full kit. Any company that sells Arduino's will most likely carry all the other parts you will need. If you are having trouble sourcing the parts, we sell Node Assassin kits.

This is a complete parts list needed to build the 4-port Node Assassin described in the files in this directory. Many parts can be substituted if you are unable to find the exact part mentioned. If you replace a part, please ensure that it is electrically and mechanically compatible.

1x  Easy-Labs PADS4 (or equiv)
1x  74HC32  (High Current Quad OR gate)
1x  74HC540 (High Current Hex Inverter)
1x  74HC541 (High Current Hex Buffer)
3x  LTV-846 (Quad Optical Isolators)
8x  10mA (or lower) Green LEDs
4x  10mA (or lower) Red LEDs
4x  10mA (or lower) Yellow or Orange LEDs
20x 330 ohm 0.25w resistors
3x  0.1uF Polarized Capacitors
8x  5V+ Zener Diodes
40x 2.54mm Pitch Standard Hight Inline Connectors (4x4, 12x2)
20x 2.54mm Pitch Extra Length Inline Connectors (3x6, 1x2)
1x  Micro Momentary Contact Switch
4x  4-Position female 2.54mm pitch connectors
12x 2-Position female 2.54mm pitch connectors

Wire lengths are suggested. In many cases you can use less, but the lengths recommended below provide healthy overhead. Colours are likewise adjustable. The colours mentioned are chosen to match with the diagrams provided.

Board Wiring:

6'  Black wire-wrap wire
6'  Red wire-wrap wire
6'  Green wire-wrap wire
6'  Orange wire-wrap wire
6'  Yellow wire-wrap wire

Node Cables:

20' Black 24awg Stranded Cable
20' Red 24awg Stranded Cable
20' Yellow 24awg Stranded Cable
20' Green 24awg Stranded Cable

When creating the node cables, you may want to get a longer length of black wire as you will use extra to "fan out" from the node-end of the cable when connecting the two extra connectors.

Here is a block diagram of the wires you will need to make for each node:

[Node Assassin Side]                                            [Node Side]

                                        - ====||--------------\
 _____________                          + ====||------------\ |  _____________
|             |1                                            | | |             |
|======     + |--[Red - Power Button]-----~[4']~------------+-|-| +     ======|
|======     + |--[Yellow - Reset Button]--~[4']~----\   /-+-+-+-| -     ======|
|======     + |--[Green - Power Feed]-----~[4']~--\ |   | | |   |_____________|
|======     - |--[Black - Ground]---------~[4']~--|-|---/ | |    Power Button
|_____________|4                                  | |     | |    
                                        - ====||--|-|-----|-+     
                                        + ====||--|-+     | |    _____________
                                                  | |     | |   |             |
                                                  | \-----|-|---| +     ======|
                                                  |       | \---| -     ======|
                                                  |       |     |_____________|
                                                  |       |      Reset Button
                                                  |       |       
                                        - ====||--|-------+       
                                        + ====||--+       |      _____________
                                                  |       |     |             |
                                                  \-------|-----| +     ======|
                                                          \-----| -     ======|
                                                                |_____________|
                                                                 Power LED

If your node's power LED header is a 3-Position connector, simply swap the connector sleeve from your chassis with the Power LED 2-position sleeve from the Node Assassin.

If you do not care about connecting the node's chassis' front panel connectors, you can forgo adding the somewhat tricky male pass-through pins.

Build Diagrams

If you want to download all the images, XCF and ce3 files plus the BSchv3 program as one compressed file, click here:

• na_build_v1.1.4.tar.gz

The following table is best viewed on a wide screen display at high resolution.

Individual Build Images

If you want to download all the images, XCF and ce3 files plus the BSchv3 program as one compressed file, click here:

• na_build_v1.1.4.tar.gz

The following table is best viewed on a wide screen display at high resolution.

Build Images

If you want to download all the images, XCF and ce3 files plus the BSchv3 program as one compressed file, click here:

• na_build_v1.1.4.tar.gz

I found it very useful to use an image viewer, like the free GeeQie, that could switch images via the mouse wheel. This allows you to rapidly compare different layers with the image of the board staying static on your screen.

Notice

The following table is very wide and is best viewed on a wide screen display at high resolution. If you don't have a high-resolution monitor, you should be able to see each column in your screen at a time so long as your monitor's resolution is greater than 1,152 pixels wide (ie: 1280x800 or better). Simple use your browser's horizontal scroll bar to center on your screen the column you wish to follow.

Individual Build Images

If you want to download all the images, XCF and ce3 files plus the BSchv3 program as one compressed file, click here:

• na_build_v1.1.4.tar.gz

The following table is best viewed on a wide screen display at high resolution.

Individual Build Images
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Parts Location	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Parts Location
#01 - Component placement locations and orientation.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Node - Isolated Grounds	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Node - Isolated Grounds
#02 - Node-ground circuit layout. MUST remain isolated from Node Assassin ground!
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Node - Power Feeds	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Node - Power Feeds
#03 - Node feed from each node's power LED positive terminal.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Node - Reset Switch	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Node - Reset Switch
#04 - Node reset switch circuit connecting to each node's reset positive terminal.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Power Switch	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Power Switch
#05 - Node power switch circuit connecting to each node's power positive terminal.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Node Assassin grounds	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Node Assassin grounds
#06 - Node Assassin / Arduino ground circuit. MUST remain isolated from each node's ground!
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Node Assassin power feeds	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Node Assassin power feeds
#07 - Node Assassin / Arduino +5Vcc circuit.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - LTV-846 (b) to 74HC541	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - LTV-846 (b) to 74HC541
#08 - Connections from the LTV-846's (b) collectors to 74HC541 inputs.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - LTV-846 (b) to Node Assassin grounds	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View -
#09 - Connections from the LTV-846's (b) collectors to the Node Assassin grounds via 330ohm pull-down resistors.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - LTV-846 (b) to Input pins	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - LTV-846 (b) to Input pins
#10 - Connections from the LTV-846's (b) collectors to the Node Assassin's Input Pins.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - LTV-846 (b) to 74HC540	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - LTV-846 (b) to 74HC540
#11 - Connections from the LTV-846's (b) collectors to the 74HC540's Inputs.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Output pins to LTV-846 (a) and (c)	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Output pins to LTV-846 (a) and (c)
#12 - Connections from the Node Assassin's Output pins to the LTV-846's (a) and (c) optical-side inputs.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - Output pins to 74HC32	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - Output pins to 74HC32
#13 - Node Assassin's Output pins to 74HC32 Quad OR Inputs.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - 74HC32 Outputs to 74HC540 Inputs	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - 74HC32 Outputs to 74HC540 Inputs
#14 - Connections from the 74HC32 Outputs to the 74HC540 Inputs.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - 74HC32 Outputs to LED - Fence - Fenced	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - 74HC32 Outputs to LED - Fence - Fenced
#15 - Connections from the 74HC32 outputs to the "Fence - Fenced" LED's anodes.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - 74HC540 Outputs to LED - Fenced - OK	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - 74HC540 Outputs to LED - Fenced - OK
#16 - Connections from the 74HC540 outputs to the "Fence - OK" LED's anodes.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - 74HC540 Outputs to LED - Feed - Off	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - 74HC540 Outputs to LED - Feed - Off
#17 - Connections from the 74HC540 outputs to the "Feed - Off" LED's anodes.
Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Top View - 74HC541 Outputs to LED - Feed - On	Node Assassin v1.1.4 - Bottom View - 74HC541 Outputs to LED - Feed - On
#18 - Connections from the 74HC541 outputs to the "Feed - On" LED's anodes.

 

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Naming credits go to Christopher Olah!
In memory of Kettle, Tonia, Josh, Leah and Harvey. In special memory of Hannah, Jack and Riley.