Sanguinololu 1.3A, Sprinter (latest from git) no extruder

I've built a Prusa Mendel with Wade geared extruder, using Sanguinololu 1.3A electronics.
Mechanically machine is done, electronically as well. Uploaded latest Sprinter firmware.
X, Y and Z work fine, can control them from pronterface & replicatorg just fine.

Extruder motor doesn't run; just 'stalls' , even when extruder is at proper temperature (185C)
I've put the extruder on the Y axis port, then the motor runs fine
I've swapped polulu driver to Y axis, Y-axis works so driver is fine too
Since the motor does get power I'm assuming I've run into a firmware/software issue.... can anybody point me in the right direction?

Below are my Configuration.h settings

#ifndef CONFIGURATION_H
#define CONFIGURATION_H
#define MOTHERBOARD 62
#define THERMISTORHEATER 1
#define THERMISTORBED 1
float axis_steps_per_unit[] = {80,80,3200/1.25,700};
const bool X_ENDSTOP_INVERT = true;
const bool Y_ENDSTOP_INVERT = true;
const bool Z_ENDSTOP_INVERT = true;
#define BAUDRATE 115200
#include "thermistortables.h"
#define X_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Y_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Z_ENABLE_ON 0
#define E_ENABLE_ON 0
const bool DISABLE_X = false;
const bool DISABLE_Y = false;
const bool DISABLE_Z = false;
const bool DISABLE_E = false;
const bool INVERT_X_DIR = true;
const bool INVERT_Y_DIR = true;
const bool INVERT_Z_DIR = true;
const bool INVERT_E_DIR = false;
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1
const int X_MAX_LENGTH = 215;
const int Y_MAX_LENGTH = 206;
const int Z_MAX_LENGTH = 100;
float max_feedrate[] = {200000, 200000, 240, 500000};
float homing_feedrate[] = {1500,1500,150};
bool axis_relative_modes[] = {false, false, false, false};
#define RAMP_ACCELERATION
#ifdef RAMP_ACCELERATION
float max_start_speed_units_per_second[] = {25.0,25.0,0.2,10.0};
#endif
char uuid[] = "00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000";
#ifdef PIDTEMP
#define LED_PWM_FOR_BRIGHTNESS(brightness) ((64*brightness-1384)/(300-brightness))
#endif
#define HEATER_CURRENT 255
#define HEATER_CHECK_INTERVAL 500
#define BED_CHECK_INTERVAL 5000
#define DISABLE_CHECK_DURING_ACC
#ifndef DISABLE_CHECK_DURING_ACC
#endif
#define DISABLE_CHECK_DURING_TRAVEL 1000
#define MINTEMP 5
#define MAXTEMP 275
#define HEATER_USES_THERMISTOR
#define BED_USES_THERMISTOR
#ifdef DEBUG
#endif
#endif

Try to turn the potentiometer on the pololu, it worked for me!
Syskrack

Thanks for the tip. However I've already tried adjusting the pot on the stepstick driver. Using the driver + stepper from the extruder on the Y-axis port gives a working stepper, so I know stepstick settings are correct as well.
Thanks anyway
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Jan-Albert

Please give more details about the way you're testing, IE post the 100 first lines of gcode you're trying to print... Unless you're only trying manual commands ? Then tell us what software compose your toolchain (slicer, host software).

Have you tested the extruder without filament loaded ?

I've tried to manually test it, in latest version of pronterface.py with the 'Extrude' button (set to extrude 5mm at 300 mm/min) and in ReplicatorG 0029_r2 (machinetype KlimentKip) again in the manual control panel. With both applications all other functions (including extruder temperature control) work fine.

Haven't tried printing yet, I don't trust the machine yet to automatically print when I haven't fully tested all it's subcomponents yet.

Can you make the extruder motor turn at that speed (300 mm/m) when it's not loaded with filament ?

If yes, then there may be something blocking the filament (too big to fit in the hot end, ...), see if you can manually extrude by pushing filament into the heated hotend
Note you can try heating up to 210°C even with PLA - You do have PLA filament, right ?

If no, try different speeds (lower of upper) without the filament, see if that makes it any better.

No even without filament, as soon as I have the stepper on the E port of the Sanguinololu it won't work. Motor appears to get power but 'stalls' and won't turn. I will try radically different speeds tonights, 30 and 3000 for starters. I just realised it could also be the Sanguinololu base board, no other way to test the E-port on it right now

Setting extruder to 185C without stepper plugged in, I can manually turn the gears and it extrudes just fine. It's indeed PLA.
If I put the extruder motor on say the Y-axis, with heater to 185C, if I jog the motor it also extrudes fine. So it's not the filament, stepper motor, stepstick or the mechanical side of the extruder.

Right now it's either firmware or the base sanguinololu board... or did I leave out any other options?

Seeing as you have a pretty usual setup with default values, I'm afraid the firmware is probably ok and that it might be the board.

Do you have a multimeter ? You could check what amount of current is delivered to the motor, and compare with other axis.

300 mm/m is very fast. That would be pulling in 5mm of filament a second. If it was 3mm filament and a 0.5 nozzle it would extrude at 180mm/s. Even with 1.75mm filament it would be 61mm/s. That would be more reasonable with PLA, but better to start slower and work up.

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[www.hydraraptor.blogspot.com]

Thanks everybody for all the help!

I measured all the voltages on the stepstick output side and all was well too... so for closer inspection I removed the board from the machine and only then (thanks to the high density of the Sanguinololu almost impossible to see) did I notice pin 2 wasn't properly seated in it's socket but folded double.

I bought the board completely built and it came with a label which stated it had an E-check so I so far never doubted my board. However now, looking at the schematics, it's obvious : pin 2 is E-step , so the motor only was powered up but not receiving any step signals to move. That'll teach me to ever buy a hand-built board from somebody else again...

So now the extruder is working too and I can start my calibration process! Thanks again for all the tips and help, really appreciated.

ps nophead my extruder has a 0.35 nozzle and I'm using 3mm PLA, so it's even faster than you calculated. I'll start testing for real with just 30 mm/m to be safe and slowly move up.
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Jan-Albert