Today I post about the Hictop 3DP11 and 3DP12 Controllers. They have many different board numbers I have the MPX.3 and Base v1.3. I have flashed them with Marlin 1.1.5 back in august 2017 and have had no major problems. Yesterday however I found that the Motherboard on Blu had locked up in mid print and I could not get it to release, have printed the files on the SD card many times without incident. However this time the controller froze in mid print. And today Red is doing the same with a different Flash card. I have reloaded the firmware system defaults and re-leveled the bed saving the data and it seems to take care of the problem for now. Spoke too soon locked again. Thou still want to know why the 3D Printer startup Data is getting corrupted, I am using the same Cura program 15.04.6 for over a year now. I have printed with other slicers in the past though have not on this set of models. The last time I had printing issues reformatted fat 16 completely formatted 2GB SD card. Have had issues from windows wanting to repair the SD card. And I believe that the windows repair of the SD card is what is causing some of the issues of corrupting the SD card data. Would like to know what the forum thinks, and if anyone else is having similar problems with your controllers. https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801059#msg-801059 Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:18:47 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,808299#msg-808299 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,808299#msg-808299 Replacement has been shipped and will arrive here when is can pass thru U.S. Customs.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Thu, 01 Feb 2018 19:59:17 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,802929#msg-802929 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,802929#msg-802929
Have done further testing, and the controller Connected to a Raspberry Pi Octoprint USB Still reboots, and disconnects the Pi's Com Connection.

Re-flashed Marlin 1.1.5 Still reboots in mid print, Setup the Backup controller for installation with Marlin 1.1.5. Will Install and see if problem goes away.

Next day!!

Installed backup controller. Printed first full print no problems, further test required.

Printer four fidgets 1 3/4 hours each not problems. so I am assuming from this that the controller has problems.
I still believe that it is the 5v LM2596S Buck regulator circuit is intermittently failing.
Now to setup a fake 3D Printer and run simulated prints until a failure occurs.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Fri, 29 Dec 2017 20:08:32 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,802120#msg-802120 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,802120#msg-802120 And believe I have found potential cause. Mounting of an inductive fan too close to the Buck regulator circuit.

Quote
"As in any switching regulator, the layout of the printed
circuit board is very important. Rapidly switching currents
associated with wiring inductance, stray capacitance and
parasitic inductance of the printed circuit board traces can
generate voltage transients which can generate
electromagnetic interference's (EMI) and affect the desired
operation."

Solutions
Move the Inductive fan causing parasitic inductance and the influence of electromagnetic interference's (EMI) in the circuit.

Or.

Replace out of tolerance capacitors in the LM2596S-5.0 P+ Buck regulator. (this circuit work for over a year thank it could be an out of tolerance Capacitors)(Defective).
As repairing this circuit could cause more of a delima, Special Capacitors are required (high ressistive), use of an external USB power supply may be the Best option.

Will continue testing the circuit.
First test is to reverse the fan thereby moving the inductive coil 15mm further from the buck regulators inductance coil.
Second test will be to connect a external 5V USB Supply, However adding a external power source my not eliminate the Buck Regulator electromagnetic interference's (EMI).

Or.

Replace the Buck regulator Circuit with a TO220 3 amp 5volt Regulator chip circuit .]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Sat, 23 Dec 2017 10:02:16 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801845#msg-801845 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801845#msg-801845
Today I have connected a meter up to the LM2596S-5.0 P+ regulator to see if if shuts down under load.
will Have a look at the 3.3v Regulator later.

Did not shut down under load. and cannot find a 3.3v source.
What is causing the Controller to reboot in mid Print. Remember I have printed this STL many times without a problem.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Thu, 21 Dec 2017 09:15:23 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801787#msg-801787 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801787#msg-801787 I'd go for CS10 cards and format them in FAT16, no matter if I loose some GB then.
You could also try to run the 5V line from a USB-charger while printing and see, if that helps.]]> o_lampe Prusa i3 and variants Thu, 21 Dec 2017 01:49:28 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801774#msg-801774 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801774#msg-801774
Just starting the 2nd print had not even finished the Outline boarder when It sounded like "Thong" and Just stopped display Froze in place no menu control worked.
Powered Off would not boot, tried 3 times no boot, On the fourth reboot it booted ok.

Now I have an ideal I think it may be the internal 5V regulator. will need to remove the Case top so I can have Access to make measurements after the Next Freeze.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Wed, 20 Dec 2017 22:04:14 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801710#msg-801710 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801710#msg-801710 Is there a log or some G-M Code I can call to see if a error occurred on the last print?

As I studied the failure it appears to stop it thinks the print is finished, though only 30minutes into a 2 hour print.. Tried the Initialize Defaults still fails.

Inserted card into windows stated it needed to fix the card reformatted with Fat32.

OK still adding data The fat 32 did work.

Now this time I was close to the Printer, Went to see why it stopped. Every time I would the turn / click click encoder it would reset, did this a few times then finally left it alone.
It reset itself a few times then booted correctly and again worked. will hook it up to a scope and see if the regulator is supplying a clean voltage.

Then Will try to re-flash the firmware.

Anyone have any other suggestions.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Wed, 20 Dec 2017 13:02:31 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801540#msg-801540 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801540#msg-801540 Today will switch cables I Only wrapped the LCD cable If I switch cables the SD cable will be wrapped.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Tue, 19 Dec 2017 10:13:28 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801292#msg-801292 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801292#msg-801292 (CS4) SDHC 4GB but believe that the reason this fails is because 16bit controllers can only use 2gb SD Cards max.
Have just changed over to micro SD 2GB default speed cards.

Just purchased (CS4) SDHC Micro cards for use in Rasberri Pi

Have not decided which I want to use
AstroPrint
Ocotprint]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Sun, 17 Dec 2017 20:54:45 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801276#msg-801276 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801276#msg-801276 Roger123D Prusa i3 and variants Sun, 17 Dec 2017 17:44:36 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801059#msg-801059 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?406,801059,801059#msg-801059 They have many different board numbers I have the MPX.3 and Base v1.3.
I have flashed them with Marlin 1.1.5 back in august 2017 and have had no major problems. Yesterday however I found that the Motherboard on Blu had locked up in mid print and I could not get it to release, have printed the files on the SD card many times without incident. However this time the controller froze in mid print. And today Red is doing the same with a different Flash card. I have reloaded the firmware system defaults and re-leveled the bed saving the data and it seems to take care of the problem for now.

Spoke too soon locked again.

Thou still want to know why the 3D Printer startup Data is getting corrupted, I am using the same Cura program 15.04.6 for over a year now. I have printed with other slicers in the past though have not on this set of models.

The last time I had printing issues reformatted fat 16 completely formatted 2GB SD card.
Have had issues from windows wanting to repair the SD card. And I believe that the windows repair of the SD card is what is causing some of the issues of corrupting the SD card data. Would like to know what the forum thinks, and if anyone else is having similar problems with your controllers.]]> Roberts_Clif Prusa i3 and variants Sat, 16 Dec 2017 12:51:15 -0500