TipTop uZeus Flying Bus - Both Headers Necessary?

digix · Post by **digix** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:34 pm

I'm using my uZeus with the FBB ribbon cables that connect to the PSU with a double set of headers by default:

I'd prefer to swap out the cables with the 4ms bus stick but see that it has a cable with a single power header:

Any thoughts on if it's ok to just connect the bus stick to one set of the header pins on the PSU? Alternatively I could just connect it to the FBB ribbon cable but would prefer to go direct. Can't see what technical reason there is to have the two headers connected as it comes from TipTop.

Thanks!

andybizarre · Post by **andybizarre** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:29 pm

I'm using a 4ms flying bus cable on the third header without any problems. Just keep an eye on the overall power consumption.

shoottofill · Post by **shoottofill** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 4:48 pm

along the same lines, the uzues comes with 10 headers, i bought 10 Connection Flying Bus Cable that i'm going to switch out with one of the included power cables so i have a few more ports. It's actually only for a 60hp rack but it's where i'm putting all my 2hp and pico modules so i'm starting to run out of connectors.

TLDR: am I going to start a fire doing this?

(assuming i stay under the maxes under the power supply)

digix · Post by **digix** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:55 pm

Thanks andybizarre

That's what's confusing - the uZeus comes with qty(2) of the FBB each with double headers - but then the third row connection is a single set of headers. So even if you connect a third FBB it uses one of the two header connectors on the cable.

I'm reading references to "using two lines of the ribbon cable" but can't seem to validate if it's ok to pull out the double header cables and just use one instead.

TLDR: I bought two 4ms bus sticks and want to use them exclusively with the uZeus and ditch the floppy cables.

ianbortolotti · Post by **ianbortolotti** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:26 pm

I put a 10 connection Synthroteck Flyng Bus Cable on the third header of my uZeus and all the modules connected to it work fine.

I haven't removed the other two cables to see if there is indeed anything connected to the second header. Did you?

digix · Post by **digix** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:38 pm

Yep the OEM tip top FBB cables have two headers connecting across two sets of pins on the PSU. The third row is the only one that has a single row of pins. I'm assuming I can just connect my single bus stick cable to a single set of pis on rows 1 or 2 - but hate not knowing the exact reason why there's two sets of headers there in the first place!

ianbortolotti · Post by **ianbortolotti** » Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:17 pm

I know what you mean, it's especially strange considering the third row works just fine with only one header.

The manual states that you can daisy chain FFBs and leave the second header of the new cable hanging loose.

I just can't figure what is going on with these two headers. From my understanding the headers (males and females) are just connected in series to the ribbon cable, so the two headers must be the same exact electrical nodes, like stackable patch cables.

You could connect your bus board to the third row instead of rows 1 or 2. But I'm not sure if it's ok to leave nothing connected to them...

digix · Post by **digix** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:20 am

Update - Gur from TipTop just let me know that it's ok to connect to just one of the power headers. Later this week I'll be reconfiguring my system to use the new bus sticks and will update the thread with my results.

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:15 am

I'm late to to the party but FWIW I've chopped off the extra plug on the TipTop FBCs so I could add another cable for a single module and/or short flying buss cable and I encountered no problems.

tuj · Post by **tuj** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:19 am

I only use 1 header on a few of mine. No problems.

snakejaw · Post by **snakejaw** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:09 am

I've cut one of the connectors on the FBB and all was fine. I wonder why TipTop uses two connectors in the first place.

I was wondering whether you could connect a bus board to a uZeus, but hadn't taken the time to investigate. Glad to find this post. I have two uZeus psus and a Metasonix RKP. I'm going to do this and get rid of the tangled FBBs.

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:40 am

snakejaw wrote:I was wondering whether you could connect a bus board to a uZeus, but hadn't taken the time to investigate. Glad to find this post. I have two uZeus psus and a Metasonix RKP. I'm going to do this and get rid of the tangled FBBs.

They used to at least make a version of the uZeus that had spade/blade connectors on board for connecting to a buss board. Not sure if they still do?

You might take a close look at your uZeus PCBs and see if there is a spot on them where you could add the connectors or solder directly to the PCB?

Post by **Paranormal Patroler** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:30 pm

Wait, so if I cut the extra plug on the FBB cables, that means I can use the header to plug modules? That frees up two spots!

JohnLRice · Post by **JohnLRice** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 12:48 pm

Paranormal Patroler wrote:Wait, so if I cut the extra plug on the FBB cables, that means I can use the header to plug modules? That frees up two spots!

@realwiggler · Post by **@realwiggler** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:03 pm

This is great, I was just rearranging things with my uZeus to make it all try to fit especially with these 2 and 3hp modules. Think this is my new afternoon project

JohnLRice wrote:
Paranormal Patroler wrote:Wait, so if I cut the extra plug on the FBB cables, that means I can use the header to plug modules? That frees up two spots!

snakejaw · Post by **snakejaw** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 2:45 pm

JohnLRice wrote:
snakejaw wrote:I was wondering whether you could connect a bus board to a uZeus, but hadn't taken the time to investigate. Glad to find this post. I have two uZeus psus and a Metasonix RKP. I'm going to do this and get rid of the tangled FBBs.
They used to at least make a version of the uZeus that had spade/blade connectors on board for connecting to a buss board. Not sure if they still do? You might take a close look at your uZeus PCBs and see if there is a spot on them where you could add the connectors or solder directly to the PCB?

Interesting. I'll check when I get home tonight.

Post by **Paranormal Patroler** » Tue Feb 27, 2018 3:19 pm

@realwiggler wrote:This is great, I was just rearranging things with my uZeus to make it all try to fit especially with these 2 and 3hp modules. Think this is my new afternoon project

JohnLRice wrote:
Paranormal Patroler wrote:Wait, so if I cut the extra plug on the FBB cables, that means I can use the header to plug modules? That frees up two spots!

I have the same issue. I'm thinking a single power cable for all the 2hp modules is due.

digix · Post by **digix** » Wed Feb 28, 2018 6:47 pm

Hi Everyone -

Just to report back - I've replaced my spaghetti of FBB + Extensions with just two of the 4ms bus sticks with shrouded headers. After confirming with TipTop that the single header power connection is fine, I put it together and it's oh so much cleaner! I also bumped my power adapter to the TipTop boost brick which unlocks the full 2,000mA of the uZeus.

I highly recommend the bus sticks or something similar as a rigid passive extension alternative to the FBB cables.

Cheers!

MUFF WIGGLER

MUFF WIGGLER

TipTop uZeus Flying Bus - Both Headers Necessary?

TipTop uZeus Flying Bus - Both Headers Necessary?