I did nothing stupid.. when I set it to print it was fine for the first 10mins... Then suddenly SO MUCH smoke came out from one of my Pololu and a second later a flame could be seen, it was as high as 3cm (as far as I could remember)... I was so freaked out and I quickly switched off the PSU power then the fire died soon after that. Attached photos show the aftermath of the fire, 2 resistors turned charcoal so as a portion at the back of the driver board. Recently I bought this driver from a seller on eMaker shop, and I'm sure it was a genuine Pololu. However, I was a little suspicious when the seller included a small patch of double sided tape for the heatsink.. I wondered whether the tape was suitable for heatsink or not, whether it would actually dissipate heat or would behave like a blanked to trap heat.. Anyway, I used it as I though it should be OK since it came with the pack. Although I am not 100% whether it was caused by the tape, but other drivers on my RAMPS which I didn't use any heatsink and they had been working perfectly for months... Now, I'm scared to power it up again.. is there anything I must check before connecting it??? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129668#msg-129668 Sat, 10 Oct 2026 04:35:49 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129869#msg-129869 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129869#msg-129869
If it's rosin flux, use isopropyl and a toothbrush, and let dry well.

Heat sink compound can be conductive. (and so can organic flux, for that matter) and should never be touching the leads of a chip like that. Clean that stuff off the same way as flux.

You only need a teeny tiny bit of heat-sink compound, and if it's the heat sink tape that is leaving that residue around the chip you should probably find something else (or use smaller tape maybe?)

If it hasn't been said/obvious you need to remove/replace the burned pololu driver before starting things up again. It's 100% toast.]]> Andrew Diehl General Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:17:53 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129753#msg-129753 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129753#msg-129753 dissidence General Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:02:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129752#msg-129752 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129752#msg-129752
I didn't clean any flux off the driver chips. What, where and how do I do this?

I am still wiring stuff so have not powered anything up - yet.

Thanks,

Bob



Andrew Diehl Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sooo, looks like somebody never cleaned the flux
> off the driver chips?]]> Bob hewson General Sun, 22 Apr 2012 17:00:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129689#msg-129689 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129689#msg-129689
ill go hide in shame]]> dissidence General Sat, 21 Apr 2012 19:02:48 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129672#msg-129672 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129672#msg-129672 ahbtsang General Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:51:36 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129671#msg-129671 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129671#msg-129671 Andrew Diehl General Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:47:54 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129668#msg-129668 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?1,129668,129668#msg-129668
Attached photos show the aftermath of the fire, 2 resistors turned charcoal so as a portion at the back of the driver board.

Recently I bought this driver from a seller on eMaker shop, and I'm sure it was a genuine Pololu. However, I was a little suspicious when the seller included a small patch of double sided tape for the heatsink.. I wondered whether the tape was suitable for heatsink or not, whether it would actually dissipate heat or would behave like a blanked to trap heat.. Anyway, I used it as I though it should be OK since it came with the pack.

Although I am not 100% whether it was caused by the tape, but other drivers on my RAMPS which I didn't use any heatsink and they had been working perfectly for months...

Now, I'm scared to power it up again.. is there anything I must check before connecting it???]]> ahbtsang General Sat, 21 Apr 2012 15:26:58 -0400