DAD Users Group: Hardware and Installation Questions

kkanuck

LUV my T1N
I soldered my 2 broken wires and the DAD is working great.
Thanks for everyone's help.
Can you post a picture if you have one of the soldering repair by chance? The solder was broken in the black box or in the adapter on end of cable that plugs into the OBDII port?

Thanks,
 

katmat

New member
Can you post a picture if you have one of the soldering repair by chance? The solder was broken in the black box or in the adapter on end of cable that plugs into the OBDII port?

Thanks,
Can't post a picture of the repair as I have sealed up the end.
The broken wires were on the plug end were you insert it into the vehicle OB2 port.
 

pgwisn

New member
Received a DAD yesterday from a former T1N owner. Took time this past evening to backup the contents of an older HP laptop, did a total reinstall of XP, just reinstalled drivers, and now downloading .NET 3.5 and then hope to see that smiling face of Sprinter V5.0...

I'll read this thread, and will be back if i have any questions.
_______________
Pat
2006 Dodge Sprinter 2500
246,800+ miles
DElaware
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
DAD users... I'm having an issue connecting my DAD.. I successfully connected the DAD and was able to run a live test (pressure control test I believe). I stopped the test, and then restarted the test again, and then had a sudden lapse in consciousness and unplugged the DAD in the middle of the test to take it for a drive. Now the DAD will not connect back up. I'm getting a:

'The diagnostic cable reports:-> Wrong Communication!
Verify the cable connection at PC and vehicle side, repeat the diagnosis if necessary!


I've unplugged at vehicle and plugged back in, unplugged at PC and plugged back in, turned off the computer, turned off the vehicle. Of course this happens right before I have a sprinter buddy coming over to troubleshoot some issues!!!!!!!!
 

calbiker

Well-known member
I've noticed a number of people reported this error. I also got it. I believe DAD is DEAD. I got the Chinese clone Xentry for under $500 (inc laptop). Very impressive.

I had taken DAD apart and believe the fault is within the epoxy covered components. In other words, it's trash.
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
Thanks for the perspective Calbiker. It's been extremely helpful when it worked properly. When you say 'this error', do you mean the noted error I reported after running a live test? Are you saying by pulling the ODB connector out before exiting from the test causes a short of some kind and turns it into trash?
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
Here's what a DAD looks like inside.... there are quite a number of (relatively replaceable) "driver" chips between the potted section and the cable to the Sprinter.
Likewise the cable to the PC first passes through a MAXrs232 chip before the signals hit the potty.

DADguts00.jpg

Yes, it's not the world's greatest gadget, but it should be repairable (if you can find someone willing to do it). One problem with yanking the cord in an uncoordinated fashion is that signalling voltages might end up getting used as power or ground paths (to their distinct detriment).
But even if you unplug it at a "quiet" time, that USB socket is always powered up (a ScanGauge can be asked to show data without needing a key, just tap the SG's "home" button).

--dick
p.s. i'd start by seeing if the 5v regulator (that thing with the fins on the left side of the photo) is putting out power.
 
Last edited:

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
Thanks Dick! So basically by unplugging it during a live test with processes running through the chips may have killed them? Sorry to put it so simply, but I'm no EE.
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
can i check power to the fins by putting a multimeter to the fin and then the black wire that goes to the PC? Does the OBD connector need to be plugged in? This is so Frustrating!
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
can i check power to the fins by putting a multimeter to the fin and then the black wire that goes to the PC?
Highly UNlikey... the quick test would be to look up one of the 14-pin or 16-pin black chips to find out which pins were +5v and ground. Then test across that chip.

Frequently the fins of a heat sink are *not* connected to any of the voltage pins.

added: you would NOT use the black lead (in my photo)... it's the WHITE lead (that connects to PC pin 5) that's the ground on that socket. (but since it's a female plug, pin (hole) 5 is a good place to just park a probe tip)

Does the OBD connector need to be plugged in? This is so Frustrating!
Yes, because it's the Sprinter that provides power to the DAD ... the PC is only a signal connection.

(so you don't have to connect the PC end of the cable for voltage testing)

The DAD's covers are just "snap-locked" on... careful probing with a thin screwdriver blade can assist in releasing the snaps. The tips of the latches are visible thru (and hold on to) the cooling vents.

good luck
--dick
p.s. if you're not used to chips (integrated circuits, or ICs), "pin 1" for all of them is to the upper right in the photo.
p.p.s. to avoid doing more damage, you might want to seek out an electronics hobbyist (robots, arduino tiny computers, radio controlled boats or aircraft) or computer/car electronics repair shop (one that actually does the repairs)
p.p.p.s. DADs are temperature-sensitive... mine refuses to connect to my Sprinter if it has "cold soaked" to below 50 F
(i'll try to spring some time free tomorrow to open my DAD and get the chip numbers (and thus which pins have power))
From the photo i can see that the chips at the upper right-most are HCF4011BP ...
which tells me that its power is ground on pin 7 and +5v power is on pin 14 (see diagrams)
The same pinout holds for the MC14066BCP located to the right of the finned heat sink (squint to verify).

BothPinout.png

DADchips.jpg

But i would follow your idea of using pin 5 on the PC socket to provide the "ground" test point... thus freeing you from having to hold two test probes at once... :thumbup:
 
Last edited:

calbiker

Well-known member
I was looking at the communication between DAD and the Sprinter when it failed. Not sure how it happened. I don't have a good impression of DAD. I don't think it's a professional design. I would call the outfit that made it a garage operation. A good design would be more robust; like in your case removing DAD while under operation shouldn't cause a catastrophic failure.

I did some troubleshooting, but it's difficult without having a good unit side-by-side to compare measurements. DAD interfaces with the OBD connector via a network of multiplexers. There are 3 CD4066 IC's (quad bilateral switch) that are the heart of the multiplexer. The multiplexers are controlled by the two CA3046 IC's (NPN transistor array) which are located next row over from the CD4066. The transistors are controlled by something under the black epoxy potting. In other words, each transistor is controlled by a separate signal coming from the epoxy area, and each transistor controls a distinct bilateral switch.

What I notice in my failed DAD is that all the multiplexers are active ON. That means all OBD K-lines are shorted together. If the multiplexer was working correctly, just one of the 3 IC's * 4 switches/IC = 12 switches would be ON at a time, not all of them. Since the signals to turn the multiplexers ON are coming from the potted area, I've given up any hope of fixing it. I might be wrong in my understanding of the circuit and if someone else wants to take a look at it, please do so. I've moved on to the Chinese clone and find it orders of magnitude better than DAD.
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
Thanks calbiker. This is actually good information and after popping it open and having a good look at the board with a magnifying glass and not seeing any visual evidence of shorts I've also determined this thing is now trash. Perhaps someone else on the forum who knows how to work on this stuff would like to buy it off me for like $100.?.?.?

I'm going to look into a xentry.
 

vanski

If it’s winter, I’m probably skiing..
Thanks again CB! That was going to be my next question. Do you know what the manufacturer/distributor is saying in the fourth picture down? Specifically the "Big Problem.. The RS485 chip is here". Also, can you encode injectors with this system for a t1n? I'd like to have that functionality.
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
I'm very sure the Xentry system can code injectors (i think it's in use in the video here)

The RS485 chip is used instead of the Max232 chip used by the DAD ... it's the chip handling the (DAD/Xentry) communication with the PC.

--dick
p.d. the video is chasing down a "cranks, won't start" problem, and it includes changing and recoding injectors on an Xentry system)
 
Last edited:

v486not

New member
Hi all
I'm not sure I should be posting this but here goes.
I have 2 Sprinter vans here in the UK. When they are working they are fine but when they fail to start I give up the will to live. One van an 06 has been laid up for 15 months now while I rely on it's older 'W' reg sister.
I need to get the 06 running. I have changed HP pump, filters, injectors, wiring and had the system codes cleared and only the glow plug fault remains.

I have a mechanic friend who I pay to look at the data with his computer but he is a one man band and is up to his eyes in work. I could get him to mend it but he knows I can do most things on the van and I don't think we want to fall out over a hefty bill. His last look at it did not show any faults so I'm on my own again.
Everyone knows Sprinters need diagnostics so I tried a cheap reader but 'no codes', well 'no codes' with the expensive garage kit.
I found DAD on the forum and a link to a copy of the software. Not sure whether I should have downloaded it but I did.
I have on old XP laptop with a pen driven touch screen and 9 pin serial port so I have the computer. What I don't have is the multiplexer to connect it to the van.
If I have been naughty then forgive me and leave me to my problems but if someone can tell me where I can buy the interface cable it would be much appreciated.
I see this thread is over 8 years old and my vans are even older so if no one is bothered about my use of this software on an old van then please help me.

Cheers

Paul
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
The DAD was a European version of the old "CarSoft" diagnostic tool... version 2.something (the last hardware CarSoft i was aware of was v7 in 2007).
Dr Andy Bittenbinder arranged a "grey-market" import of a bunch of them (i believe some fleet owner dumped them).

Don't confuse "CarSoft" with the current-day "iCarsoft" you'll also see mentioned here in the forum.

As far as i know (i tried, :whistle:) the DAD PC software cannot successfully operate a v7 Carsoft multiplexor (even though they look the same inside).

If you've got the software running, your PC is probably still happy in Windows XP. As far as i know, the DAD won't operate under simple Win
10. (it's possible to convince Win 10 Pro to run a "virtual" instance of Win XP ... but that's getting weird).

So I'd start by casting around in the UK and/or Europe for old CarSoft units.

The DADs we received have the "OBD" mostly-rectangular 16-pin connector, although an adapter can be wired up that will connect to the older MB 14-pin circular connector.

--dick
 

Top Bottom