Duet board wont connect to panelDUE and endstops

Hi all,

I've been working on a salvaged custom aluminium printer and have refitted it with a DUET board, using the DC42 fork and a base system of a Huxley duo. I'm on the latest version of software as well.

The first problem I have is that my panel DUE is in a perpetual state of "connecting". Although the screen is on and is responsive, it is not able to control my printer at all. I was under the impression that the panelDUE would simply work with a Duet and the latest firmware. If not- what do I need to do (where should I look!!) / what code do I need to include to get it working? I've been trying to figure this out but from my interpretation, all the guides are about flashing the PanelDUE itself and not about how to get it to connect to the printer.

The second thing I'm stuck with is that I encounter a strange error on pronterface (mac) that reads "[ERROR] Can't write to printer (disconnected?) (SerialException): write failed: [Errno 6] Device not configured". This occurs when my endstop's are activated. The endstops I'm using are these. As far as I can tell I have them wired up correctly. I've tried reversing the connectors but then they simply do nothing (the endstop switch on the DUET board lights up contrinuously still and switches off when the switch is depressed, but apart from that, nothing).

I'm assuming that I have overlooked descirbing via code that I'm using mechanical endstops, but I don't know where to look. I've tried looking through the commissioning guidelines for the DUET board but have gotten a bit confused as it doesn't mention the panel nor mechanical endstops.

I appreciate any help people can provide and apologise for my lack of knowledge- still getting my head around this all!

Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are having problems.

1. Please explain what you mean by "latest version of software". If you mean the (now defunct) RepRapPro 1.09 release, that doesn't support PanelDue. Try my 1.09m or 1.09r version, available via [github.com] (follow the link to the version you want, then click Raw to download). Chrishamm's fork and Dan Newman's fork also support PanelDue. You may need to add a M574 command to your config.g file, see [reprap.org]. For the cable connections between PanelDue and the Duet, see [miscsolutions.wordpress.com]. Also read the note about 5V power issues if you are using the external 5V regulator board with the Duet.

2. It sounds to me that you have connected the endstops incorrectly and you are shorting the 3.3V rail to ground when they are triggered. Fortunately, the Duet can tolerate such a short (unlike RAMPS). The 3 pins on each Duet endstop connector are labelled STP, 3V3 and GND on the back of the Duet. Connect them as follows:

GND to GND on your endstop
3V3 to 5V on your endstop (those endstops should work OK on 3.3V although the LED may be less bright than intended)
STP to SIGNAL on your endstop

The endstop LEDs on the Duet should be lit when the endstop is connected but not triggered, and off when it is triggered.

HTH David

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

I am on the 1.09 version- glad that I wasn't just being exceptionally silly!. Thank you David- I will have a play around tomorrow and see how I get on

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2016 04:36PM by 1andchin.

Quote
dc42
Hi, I'm sorry to hear you are having problems.

1. Please explain what you mean by "latest version of software". If you mean the (now defunct) RepRapPro 1.09 release, that doesn't support PanelDue. Try my 1.09m or 1.09r version, available via [github.com] (follow the link to the version you want, then click Raw to download). Chrishamm's fork and Dan Newman's fork also support PanelDue. You may need to add a M574 command to your config.g file, see [reprap.org]. For the cable connections between PanelDue and the Duet, see [miscsolutions.wordpress.com]. Also read the note about 5V power issues if you are using the external 5V regulator board with the Duet.

2. It sounds to me that you have connected the endstops incorrectly and you are shorting the 3.3V rail to ground when they are triggered. Fortunately, the Duet can tolerate such a short (unlike RAMPS). The 3 pins on each Duet endstop connector are labelled STP, 3V3 and GND on the back of the Duet. Connect them as follows:

GND to GND on your endstop
3V3 to 5V on your endstop (those endstops should work OK on 3.3V although the LED may be less bright than intended)
STP to SIGNAL on your endstop

The endstop LEDs on the Duet should be lit when the endstop is connected but not triggered, and off when it is triggered.

HTH David

Okay, so after much tinkering today, I've managed to completely solve the PanelDUE issue- works like a charm. I even updated to the new DUE firmware

However, when it comes to the endstops, I'm still stumped. So here's what I tried:

- Following your suggestion I looked at the wiring. As it turns out I had wired it so that it was going: 4 pins for stepper then +5V, GND, Step (red, black, blue). I then changed this so it was stepper pins, then +5v (in lieu of 3V3), Step, GND. This didn't work- when unpressed, the stopper lights were off. When pressed, the corresponding stopper LED did not light up, but the bedheat LED, and E0/ E1 LED's (by the blue/red/green leds are) lit up. Immediately after releasing the stopper, the stopper LED briefly flickered on.

- So, I reversed the connector (steper pins, GND, Step, +5) and unsurprisingly this did nothing but make the Duet rather annoyed (no green LED!).

- At this point, I thought why not try removing the step connector completely. Upon wiring it up as +5V, N/A, GND. In the unpressed state, none of the endstop LED's are on. Upon being pressed, ONLY the endstop LED lights up. However, when trying to initiate a home command, the axis do not stop upon the switch being activated.

I'm stumped what to try next. I'm considering if it would be worth simply purchasing 3 new endstops that will be guaranteed to work with the set up (not the end of the world, these were cheap).

In case it helps, I've attached my config.g file. I'm using the config file for a Huxley duo as a starting point (minus any heaters as I'm hoping to print pastes!). I've also included generally what's on my SD card (minus the standard base gcodes test prints so it is small enough to upload) incase there's something iffy going on.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2016 12:49PM by 1andchin.

The STP pin is next to the stepper motor pins. So the order should be stepper motor pins, SIGNAL, +5V, GND.

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Quote
dc42
The STP pin is next to the stepper motor pins. So the order should be stepper motor pins, SIGNAL, +5V, GND.

Okay- I've just tried that, however it doesn't seem to help the situation. The stopper LED's on the board only illuminate when the microswitches are closed. Unfortunately as well when they are triggered the stepper motors continue going. Any other ideas (is it likely to be a code based problem?).

If I can't solve this, then I'll simply buy some new endstoppers- problem is I want to be sure they will work with the system!

Thanks for any other suggestions you may have

Use the M119 command and the Duet endstop LEDs to test the endstop switches. For normally closed switches, when they are connected but not triggered the LEDs should be lit.

---

Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Quote
dc42
Use the M119 command and the Duet endstop LEDs to test the endstop switches. For normally closed switches, when they are connected but not triggered the LEDs should be lit.

I attempted again to get the microswitch endstops to work, but they just wouldn't. Whenever I connected them as suggested, the LED's on the duet and on the endstop did not illuminate and did nothing when triggered during a homing command. I even tried separating the switch from the attached PCB to see if it worked as a raw component. Alas nothing.

So I purchased 3 new opto switches (these ones) hoping that given that the reprap pro printers use opto switches that they would work.

After wiring them all up, the LED's behaved as expected, but triggering the opto didn't stop the stepper.

Luckily after reaching the point where I was about to throw in the towel and ask for more help, I decided to review my config file one last time, line by line. It turns out that I was being a bit of a twit and hadn't altered the M574 code!

So, whilst I get these all wired up and mounted, thank you for your help and guidance... I'm sure I'll need to call upon your expert guidance again in the future

Do you mind if I ask, do the opto endstops work okay on 3.3v? I have 3 of these to go in my new printer I'm building and I am expecting a duet wifi over the next couple of days. I had read that they perform poorly on 3.3v, so I was thinking about supplying them 5v and regulating the signal output to 3.3v for the duet. If this is unnecessary it will certainly save time/parts and complexity.

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Simon Khoury

Co-founder of [www.precisionpiezo.co.uk] Accurate, repeatable, versatile Z-Probes
Published:Inventions