RAMBo Help Please!

I figured this would be the best place for a RAMBo question. This is also my first post, so hello everyone! My name is Matt and I am from Pennsylvania. My talent lies in fabrication, so as far as software and wiring is concerned, Im new. Im building a RepStrap based on the Wolfstrap design, and have decided to go with the RAMBo board for the project. For the hotend, Im using a Budaschnozzle .5 mm. I have a handle on the layout of the board and where everything gets plugged in, but still have a few questions. Here are my questions:

1. Do I need a separate controller for the extruder, or is that built in?

2. Can I use an Xbox 360 cord to power the printer? If I can, which wires go in which holes for the plugin?

3. When wiring the hot end, the red wires connected to the heating element, are wired to the Heat 0 output on the board? Which means the orange wires, connected to the thermistor are wired to the T0 output in the Thermistor section?

4. Im using mechanical endstops, and they have 3 prongs on them, numbered 1, 2 and 3. On my board, its labeled +, - and S. How exactly do I wire it?

5. Im using NEMA 17 stepper motors with 4 wires (Red, Black, Blue and Green.) I have determined the pairs are Black/Green and Red/Blue. Which order do I wire them to the board?

I know these are all beginner questions, but I cannot seem to find answers anywhere else on the internet that I am able to understand. This is why I turn to you, oh wise reprappers for your help in guiding me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/09/2013 05:39AM by Lumberjacked.

1. RAMBo (RepRap Arduino-compatible Mother Board)
2. An Xbox 360 power supply might work. It has both 5vdc and 12vdc but it depends on how much power it delivers on the 12vdc side. With no heated bed it will work fine, if you are using a standard 12v circuit board heated bed then it may not be enough.
3. See RAMBo connections on the wiki.You need two wires for the heater resistor/cartridge/nichrome wire and two wires for a thermistor. Optionally two more wires for a fan.
4. Use a multimeter and measure what pins are closed/open when the switch is closed/open. You want a normally closed (NC) switch so when the button is NOT pressed there should be a connection between the terminals 1 - 2, 1 - 3, or 2 - 3 and when pressed this connection/short should disappear!
5. Stepper wiring

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

So if I understand correctly, I dont need one with the RAMBo board.

Im not using a heated bed, so it should work. Do you have any idea of which wires to connect to which pin on the input block?
[www.flickr.com]
[www.flickr.com]

I understand the layout of the board, Im just trying to figure out what to wire where. The red wires are for the heating element, so just wire them to the Heat 0 block? If thats the case, the other set of the wires on the thermistor are wired to the T0 block in the same order?
[www.flickr.com]
[www.flickr.com]

My connection is 1-2, so just wire those to the board? Which wire goes where, or doesnt it matter?

Thank you for showing me that page, that cleared up my questions.

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Lumberjacked
So if I understand correctly, I dont need one with the RAMBo board.

CORRECT!

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Lumberjacked
Im not using a heated bed, so it should work. Do you have any idea of which wires to connect to which pin on the input block?

Three independent power rails for flexible input power configurations

Heated Bed, 15A 12-24V (version earlier than 1.1 limted to 14A 16V due to fuse rating, see rambo_development for hacks)
Extruders and fans, 5A 12-24V (fuse can be exchanged for up to 10A capacity) 10V-26V input voltage
Motors and logic, 5A 12-24V (fuse can be exchanged for up to 10A capacity) 10V-26V input voltage

You need to connect 12 vdc +/- to "Extruders and fans (Mosfets)" as well as "Motors and Logic".

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Lumberjacked
My connection is 1-2, so just wire those to the board? Which wire goes where, or doesnt it matter?

YES, if 1 - 2 is a closed (short = ~0 ohm) when the button is not pressed and opened (NC = ~100 megaohm) when the button is pressed.

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

You're awesome! Thank you so much. Just for my clarification, two of the yellow 12V are wired to the +/- mosfet and motors and logic. The third yellow I can just cap? Where do the red/blue wires go, and what should I ground it to? I apologize for all of the questions, I just want to get this right!

The red/blue wires should be connected to each other.

See the How to turn an X-Box 360 PSU into a 12v lab PSU Instructable.

You don't ground it to anything.

The yellow wires are your 12 vdc (+), the black wires are your Ground (-).

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

Thank you so much for your help! You have made everything 1000x easier!