3D Printer shutting down laptop Hi, I am building my first 3D Printer and am having issues with my electronics. So I received a replacement RAMPS and Mega today and installed them into the printer. Unfortunately I encountered the same problems as before. Firstly with USB only: The LCD turned on and displayed the info screen as normal. I could connect the printer to pronterface also. Secondly with USB and wall power: System turned on however my laptop was shutdown hard. (USB over current?) Thirdly with only wall power: The LCD display no longer displayed the info screen but instead displayed all pixels switched on. All fans appeared to be working also. When attempting to reconnect the USB the laptop shutdown instantly again. I have checked all my wiring and the input voltages are 12.3V on both lines going into the RAMPS 1.4 Thank you for any help or ideas! Im happy to answer any further questions about this issue also. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574859#msg-574859 Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:04:25 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,575197#msg-575197 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,575197#msg-575197
Quote
Jonsmith9847
Question is, why is my LCD display not working when power from the PSU is supplied even when the USB is disconnected?

When power from only USB is applied the display works and all the information readouts work. Is this due to the PSU'S 0V/GND being 0.8Vs off?

It's because you are using the cheapest available electronics (i.e. Arduino/RAMPS clone), and it is well known that the 5V regulator on the Arduino isn't capable of providing any significant current on the 5V rail to anything else. The LCD backlight current is causing the regulator to overheat. This is a very common problem with Arduino/RAMPS. Somebody really ought to list this as a known issue on the RAMPS wiki page.

Your options include:

- Provide external 5V power. Easy if you are using an ATX power supply, otherwise you will need a 5V regulator board, which you can buy on eBay.
- Replace the Arduino by a Taurino, which has a beefier voltage regulator.
- Disconnect the LCD backlight anode from the 5V rail and drive it instead through a resistor from the 12V rail.
- Ditch the ancient Arduino/RAMPS combination and get a modern all-in-one 3D printer controller board that is properly designed for the job. For example Duet or Smoothieboard or one of their clones.]]> dc42 Reprappers Sun, 25 Oct 2015 15:11:35 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,575175#msg-575175 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,575175#msg-575175

When power from only USB is applied the display works and all the information readouts work. Is this due to the PSU'S 0V/GND being 0.8Vs off?]]> Jonsmith9847 Reprappers Sun, 25 Oct 2015 14:26:13 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574940#msg-574940 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574940#msg-574940
To avoid the problem caused by the USB ground loop completely, don't use USB to control your printer; use Ethernet, Wifi or Bluetooth instead.]]> dc42 Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 19:24:24 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574935#msg-574935 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574935#msg-574935
Furthermore when the printer is powered by mains the LCD stops working and just shows all pixels illuminated and all the fans slowly increase in speed. Any Ideas?]]> Jonsmith9847 Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 18:52:24 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574926#msg-574926 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574926#msg-574926 Putzer Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 18:16:33 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574907#msg-574907 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574907#msg-574907
You can short out the potential difference by connecting the GND/housing of laptop and PS ...]]> VDX Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 17:12:39 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574900#msg-574900 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574900#msg-574900
I just had a check and the power supply had a 0.8V difference between its 0V rail and that of my laptop. You where spot on!
However as always answering one question only leads to more questions,

Do you think that this issue had the "potential" (ignore the pun if you wish) to damage my RAMPS 1.4 and Mega2650 ?

And further more, is it possible to normalize the Potential difference between the two or should I request a new power supply from my supplier?

Thank you!]]> Jonsmith9847 Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 16:40:28 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574889#msg-574889 Re: 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574889#msg-574889
Best search another PS with correct grounding ...]]> VDX Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 15:33:32 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574859#msg-574859 3D Printer shutting down laptop https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?4,574859,574859#msg-574859
I am building my first 3D Printer and am having issues with my electronics. So I received a replacement RAMPS and Mega today and installed them into the printer. Unfortunately I encountered the same problems as before.

Firstly with USB only:
The LCD turned on and displayed the info screen as normal. I could connect the printer to pronterface also.

Secondly with USB and wall power:
System turned on however my laptop was shutdown hard. (USB over current?)

Thirdly with only wall power:
The LCD display no longer displayed the info screen but instead displayed all pixels switched on. All fans appeared to be working also. When attempting to reconnect the USB the laptop shutdown instantly again.

I have checked all my wiring and the input voltages are 12.3V on both lines going into the RAMPS 1.4

Thank you for any help or ideas! Im happy to answer any further questions about this issue also.]]> Jonsmith9847 Reprappers Sat, 24 Oct 2015 13:35:39 -0400