Microstepping is wrong, no voltage on z-axis ms2, RAMPS 1.4.

So, while calibrating my machine I noticed that my z-axis seemed to be moving more than it should. I checked my stepper driver ms1,2 and 3 voltages and 1 and 3 are reading 5 volts while 2 is reading zero. I've tried other steppers and they have the same issue so it must be something with my RAMPS 1.4 board. I've also tried resoldering the ms2 jumper connections and the ms2 pin for the stepper driver hoping that would fix things, unfortunately it didn't. Where else should I be looking? Are there any other ways to diagnose the issue or to work around the issue? Worst case seems like I could just move the z-axis motors onto E1 instead but it would be nice to have it running on the z stepper if possible.

Thanks,
Kevin.

If you have the ramps board oriented so that the power supply connectors are in the lower left corner, with power disconnected, check for continuity between the first and second top pins of the jumper pin headers under the z-axis driver. There should be continuity between the pins as this is the +5 supply. If they don't, try resoldering the middle pin again.

Now check for continuity between the middle bottom header pin and the 3rd pin from the bottom left on the driver header connector (MS2). If there isn't continuity, then you have broken trace or a bad solder joint at one of the pins. Double check and resolder if necessary. If the trace is broken, you can run a jumper wire on the bottom of the ramps board between the two pins.

Worst case, you could bridge the pins on the actual driver although that's a semi-permanent workaround you'd have to remember if you ever reused the driver.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/09/2014 11:22AM by cdru.

Thanks, I'll give the continuity tests a try after work today. Much appreciated.

Continuity tests showed that the +5V supply pin wasn't getting power. Looks like I damaged the eyelet on that pin somehow as it fell out when I tried to re-solder. Ended up just bridging the pin with one beside it, all good now.

Thanks
Kevin.