New Clusterboard Setup

[wargfn]

So I am trying to get a new clusterboard up and running and want to use an ATX power supply as the main power source.  So I got a EVGA 450 W3 power supply. Got the board installed into a ThermalTake Core V1 case. Power Supply is hooked up and no juice. Flicking the power supply to the on position give me nothing. Not even a hint that the fan on the PSU spun.

I am assuming that my issue now is that I need a J2 Power switch and short that to an ON position; however, I thought I would ask if anyone else is using a regular ATX Power supply  instead of a Pico one. I want to also use the Molex connections to power some fans in the case and some other converted electronics projects.

PSU Spec Sheet

My second question is, what J2 Custom Options have you guys been using to power on the ATX Power Supply as a Switch?

[poVoq]

Did you try installing the ceramic resistor that comes with the clusterboard?

It wasn't needed for me, but I use a pico PSU. I also just shorted the power switch connector with a small piece of thick copper wire wedged in between the two pins. Works great

[wargfn]

Did you try installing the ceramic resistor that comes with the clusterboard?

It wasn't needed for me, but I use a pico PSU. I also just shorted the power switch connector with a small piece of thick copper wire wedged in between the two pins. Works great

Not sure I need the ceramic Resistor, because that is to create a dummy load. Right now, it looks like the I need the power switch connected to actually have an the Power supply think it is on.  On this particular power supply, it isnt as easy to just "snip the green power wire and connect it to a black ground" as a power on switch, because, well all of the cables are actually black. And since I can't seem time find the actual pin out to short "The Green lead", I have ordered a JST PH 2 Pin connector and will hardwire a latching switch to it. And then connect that to the clusterboard at point "O" labeled -> ATX PS_ON 2-pin JST connector on the clusterboard diagram.

Couple of days and all of the parts will be here. All of my searching locally and in my parts bin didnt turn up one 2 Pin JST connector I could re-purpose. I also ordered an ATX Jumper Cable to make sure I get the pin outs correct to test if the Ceramic Resistor is needed. In the end I feel like adding the Power Switch to connection "o" is going to be cleaner and still let me use all of the Molex plugs for powering other things inside the case.

[poVoq]

Not sure I understand what you are trying to do, but yes contrary to x86 boards where you just need to shortly trigger the power switch connection, the clusterboard seems to require a permanent connection of the two pins in the powerswitch connector. That is what I was referring to above with the piece of copper wire wedged between the pins.

I find this very strange to be honest, but that is the only way my Clusterboard v.2.2 works.

[wargfn]

It has been a while since I posted about trying to get the clusterboard up and running. I spent most of that time waiting for parts. So I would rate where I am at overall build at about a 35% currently. So just going to hit the highlights:

ATX Power Supply (EVGA 750W) - This power supply does not need the capacitor included with the clusterboard to power on; however, all of the cables are black coming off the power supply, so you cant just "jump the green wire' to trick it into coming on. The clusterboard connector is a 2-PIN JST PH connector. I was able to order the correct cable from Amazon with some to spare. So I sacrificed a couple to try various supposedly non-momentary switches, all of which failed to work. So currently, stripped back the wires and just twisted them together to get the board powering up. Not going to be my final solution, but I need to spend some time talking to someone that doesnt sell momentary switches as 'latching switches'. Currently ordered some slider style and rocker style light up switches, which are taking forever to arrive.

6 Nodes of Fun - Sopine64 Networking Mess - First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone whom has posted in the forum. I spent the better part of two hours going, why does this work on the dev board and not on the clsuterboard. Simple answer is that Clusterboard needs the 'networking fix' while the dev board DOES NOT WORK with the 'networking fix'. Luckily I have a BUNCH of working Debian builds all over my house, so editing the file was as easy as installing device-tree-compiler and then following the edit for the ethernet, forward and reverse. EVEN after the networking fix, imaging the "fixed image', and applying that image to ever SD Card, I still ended up with two boards that just WOULD not boot. So I used a process of Boot Sopine module on the Devboard, unedit the network fix, reboot, does it work?, re-edit the network fix, does it boot off net, move Sopine Module to the clusterboard. Boot Clusterboard with additional module, does it work yet?, repeat.

Which puts me where I am today: Clusterboard powers up, 6 modules (all of the ones I currently have) boot up, and are network accessible.
Currently working on:
Ansible Scripting for everything (already running jsut getting hosts files and vars setup for automation)
Rancher K3S installation pending.

[poVoq]

Cool. Do you have a working eMMC with yours?

I noticed that sometimes on a cold reboot modules fail to start, but rather rarely. Not sure if that was your issue.

I have my setup pretty much at the same level but with 7 modules. But also installed some nice aluminum coolers on the A64 chips and added a big fan. Definitely helps keeping the temperatures down at 1.1ghz.

Anyone know how/if it is possible to push the clock a bit higher even? I think the A64 is used in a slightly bigger than 1.2ghz in some setups, no? But on Armbian it doesn't do higher than 1.1ghz with the standard settings.