24V with Ramps 1.4 questions

@legarasta:

Short answer: Set the voltage to 0.75V

If you wish to take out the guesswork and calculate the current yourself, download and read the datasheet of the driver IC:
DRV8825 pdf
On page 12 you can see how the chopping current is calculated:

Ichop = V(xref) / ( 5 x Risense )

Ichop = 0.75 / ( 5 x 0.1 ) = 1.5A (so Vref x 2 is correct in this case)

Take a peek at your step stick or motor driver board (looking glass/microscope wherever needed) and find the Rsense resistors and read/measure the value (connected to pins 6 and 9). Now you can be certain what it should be set at. Sometimes the Rsense may be different to that of the schematics.

The driver has a voltage regulator running at 3.3V, which means it doesn't matter what voltage you're using, the reference voltage doesn't scale with the motor input voltage.

So somehow your potmeter was changed, maybe you bumped it during the refit of the new PSU? It should be 0.75V.

---

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

Hello all,

I've just wired up my RAMPS 1.4, removed the diode and replaced the fuses with 'normal' ones. I have no stepper motors hooked up yet, the drivers are in place. There is no hot-end or any sensors attached. The MEGA is of course and the LCD with memory card reader is. BTW, I have two off board larger drivers, attached via extension boards. I configured and uploaded the latest Marlin to the MEGA this afternoon.

If I understand correctly removing the diode means the MEGA does not get any power from the RAMPS anymore, so I hooked up a converter from the 24V to 5V and soldered it to the 5V pin of the MEGA. I powered up the lot without the fuses (so the MEGA didn't get any power) and the converter blew. This is only a 1 dollar item and it didn't look all that sturdy to begin with, so I soldered up an LM7805 regulator and replaced the converter with it. I restarted the lot, this time with the fuses in place. The LCD lit up but only gave little blocks. I touched the LM7805 which was way too hot to touch after only a few seconds and decided to unplug the power... The MEGA is OK, hooked up to the PC via USB (without the RAMPS attached), it works fine. When I test the LM7805 regulator without load it is fine, but I bet the voltage was lower when under load. It was really hot in a few seconds.

So, what to do? I am going to move the lot to my computer so I can plug the MEGA into the PC via USB and power the RAMPS with the 24V source. That should get me going. But what do I need to power the MEGA from the 24V source? I would think it cannot ask for much current, but it seems it does. Is that normal?

Cheers,

Hugo

There are two diodes

D1 and D2

D1 is under the X and Y pololu modules and feeds the mega
D2 is next the the fuses and is reverse polarity protection

I suspect you removed the wrong diode

'Unfortunately' I removed the right one, the one under the stepper motor driver. The one next to the fuses is still in place. If I loaded the Marlin firmware correctly and power everything up, should the LCD read something?

Cheers,

Hugo

mega normally uses very little current, on its own with no lcd mine uses 0.077amps from USB.

Do you have endstop plugged in? are they in the correct way? (a 3 pin endstop plugged in backwards shorts 5v to gnd)

No endstops, yet. Only the thermosistor for the hotend, as I would like to read the temperature to check the settings before firing up anything else.

Cheers,

Hugo

Please take a look at the schematic of the arduino atmega2560. There's a 5V regulator MC33269ST-5.0T3 or MC33269D-5.0 (I suspect the same regulator but a different package).
If you put 5V on one of the 5V output you put 5V on the output of the regulator. Since the output of any regulator is low impedance, effectively giving it a short circuit. Hopefully the thermal protection kicks in and it still works. You'll need to unsolder the regulator as well but I suggest you use the pwrin (adapter power input) input instead. Just use a buck converter from 24 to 7 to 12V and all should be ok.

Another thing you can try if you're feeling adventurous, you could try replacing the MC33269 regulator to one that can take 24V. That would eliminate the need for a step down converter and simplify the design.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2017 06:37PM by imqqmi.

---

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

Great, thanks, that makes a lot of sense. I'll check the item and see what I can do. If the regulator is a replaceble item for me that sounds like a good option. I'll solder the diode back onto the RAMPS if that works.

Cheers,

Hugo

The 3-legged part just above the auxillary power socket, right?

Hugo

Yep, that's the one.

---

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

Just a thought. I have tossed the diode in the bin, but now I want to re-instate it because I have replaced the voltage regulator. Would I really need a diode? The only use I see for it is to drop some voltage across it, which is not required now I have an LM7805 in place (can take 35V in).

Hugo

You'll have to check a few things to make sure it'll work. I think the protection diode is for protecting against connecting the input voltage to ramps and arduino power connector. If both are connected and not at the same potential, a short circuit can occur without the diode.

Also check the power dissipation of the voltage regulator at the input voltage you're using it. If it needs to drop a large amount of voltage, it may heat up. You can calculate based on the information in the datasheet how much that is, or just feel if it's still cool to the touch, if you can't keep your finger on it, it's >60 degrees C, shutdown is around 125 degrees C but at that point it will start smelling like burned plastic. You'll need to add cooling as appropriate or use a low drop regulator.

---

--
Kind regards
Imqqmi

NFAN CoreXY printer:
[reprap.org]

My recommendation will be to use a buck converter and an external MOSFET. Use 24V power supply and use buck converter to step down to 12V and power the Ramps. After that use external Mosfet to power the print bed. The easiest solution.

External mosfets are a fad and quite unneeded, just replace current mosfet with a IRLB 8743

I have an oddity I am not grasping what could be happening. I have a 24v setup and when I use the negative wire from D9 and the positive wire from my 24v to 12v converter (negative is shared between the 24v and 12v sides) I can do M106 S127 and it goes to 0v. Now 127 to 255 is from 0 to full 12v and 0 to 127 is -12 to 0v. How could that be happening? I checked the 24v coming from both terminals of D9 and it was S0 to 255 for 0v to 24v. I am stumped because I know I used this years ago but it was on a board that burned up and this board has the better IRL fets.

Anyone have any ideas?

edit: After spending all day on this I have tried even a 12v psu with its negative tied to the other 24v power supply and I am seeing the same thing. What I did was grab the old fan that worked long ago and it whines now. You know that square wave whine so I guess the better mosfets (they never even get warm) changed something so the technique that was mentioned on this thread will not work.

edit: Marlin changed is what was happening so I had to turn on fast_pwm and the noise is gone and the off beat readings is because of my junky DMM.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2017 01:39AM by Dark Alchemist.

---

_______
I await Skynet and my last vision will be of a RepRap self replicating the robots that is destroying the human race.

You are using the 12v as the negative terminal and the pwm output as positive terminal. Make sure 0V of each power output is connected, and don't make assumptions by looking at markings and colors. Use a voltmeter to find each psu polarity, then use a continuity or ohm meter to make sure the 0V is connected properly. Also measure the ramps board, make sure which terminal is 0V. Use the schematic to make sure you're connecting to the right terminal.

Quote
imqqmi
You are using the 12v as the negative terminal and the pwm output as positive terminal. Make sure 0V of each power output is connected, and don't make assumptions by looking at markings and colors. Use a voltmeter to find each psu polarity, then use a continuity or ohm meter to make sure the 0V is connected properly. Also measure the ramps board, make sure which terminal is 0V. Use the schematic to make sure you're connecting to the right terminal.

Of course.

---

_______
I await Skynet and my last vision will be of a RepRap self replicating the robots that is destroying the human race.

Quote
imqqmi
Please take a look at the schematic of the arduino atmega2560. There's a 5V regulator MC33269ST-5.0T3 or MC33269D-5.0 (I suspect the same regulator but a different package).
If you put 5V on one of the 5V output you put 5V on the output of the regulator. Since the output of any regulator is low impedance, effectively giving it a short circuit. Hopefully the thermal protection kicks in and it still works. You'll need to unsolder the regulator as well but I suggest you use the pwrin (adapter power input) input instead. Just use a buck converter from 24 to 7 to 12V and all should be ok.

Another thing you can try if you're feeling adventurous, you could try replacing the MC33269 regulator to one that can take 24V. That would eliminate the need for a step down converter and simplify the design.

If I replace the regulator of the Arduino to one that handle 24v (LM7805 is the best? Other suggestion?), like the HugoW, i don't need to remove the diode D1 for the ramps?

Other questions:
-The endstops, LCD, and sensors need to be replaced?
-Any motor can handle with this new configuration and will be better for they?

Sorry for my bad english.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/14/2017 05:17PM by arturmora.

I realise this is an old thread but as my question is very close to the topic of this thread I thought I would ask here.

I use a Bigbox bought a few years back from E3D-Online but recently I have had a possible problem with the Duet 2 board I use in it so it's currently away being tested (the board not the Bigbox). In the meantime I'd like to use my RAMPS board from my old Mendel to drive the Bigbox. Now then herein lies the problem/question, the Bigbox runs on 24v, so it's all set up for that, bed, hotend, fans everything .... I was thinking that I would update the capacitors on the RAMPS board to 35v so the existing 16v ones don't pop nasty electrolyte all over my lovely printer, easy enough to do. I next would link out the fuses with heavy wire and put inline fuses in the input lines from my 24v supply.

Would this be sufficient or would I need to do any more changes to the RAMPS board, like,say, D1, should I take it out and power the Arduino from my PC via the USB?

Anyone have any solid answers for me?

Thanks guys
Keith

Quote
Kayjay
I realise this is an old thread but as my question is very close to the topic of this thread I thought I would ask here.

I use a Bigbox bought a few years back from E3D-Online but recently I have had a possible problem with the Duet 2 board I use in it so it's currently away being tested (the board not the Bigbox). In the meantime I'd like to use my RAMPS board from my old Mendel to drive the Bigbox. Now then herein lies the problem/question, the Bigbox runs on 24v, so it's all set up for that, bed, hotend, fans everything .... I was thinking that I would update the capacitors on the RAMPS board to 35v so the existing 16v ones don't pop nasty electrolyte all over my lovely printer, easy enough to do. I next would link out the fuses with heavy wire and put inline fuses in the input lines from my 24v supply.

Would this be sufficient or would I need to do any more changes to the RAMPS board, like,say, D1, should I take it out and power the Arduino from my PC via the USB?

Anyone have any solid answers for me?

Thanks guys
Keith

There's a lot of information on this page:
[reprap.org]

And here:
[reprap.org]

And some youtube info:
[www.youtube.com]

PS also check out this topic:
[reprap.org]

PPS one more link
[www.youtube.com]

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/21/2020 03:20AM by Ohmarinus.

---

http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

@Ohmarinus - Thank you so much, there was quite a bit of good reading there and I appreciate it. I did actually find another page on reprap.org that gave me the info I wanted, whether my changes were sufficient and that D1 needed to be removed so my PC could power the arduino. This is what I came across - [www.reprap.org] actually it was passed to me by a friend but nonetheless it gave me the info.

Having said that I will enjoy reading up the links you've passed on though some of it was about running a system with 12v parts on it at 24v, where I'm running a system that is already fully 24v and I just wanted to temporarily insert RAMPS, modify and then run it at 24v so I could run my machine while my Duet was at the doctors.

It was as I thought just a matter of upgrading the caps so they don't pop, removing the fuses and adding real ones in the 24v line and then taking out D1, all is now well and the printer is happily running even though it is a bit noisier ( the Duet2 is a superb piece of kit for making the morors run quiet as well as a lot of other stuff)

Thanks again for your offerings, they are appreciated and I'll enjoy reading through them and watching the vids.

Keith

Appreciate this is an old thread ... but still good info on cheking Poly fuses, capacitor voltages and Ardunio voltage.

I'm keen to use my Ramps 1.4 at 24V to run my steppers, heatbed and hotend at 24V, but keep my part cooling fan at 12v (24V fans are hard to find).

Looking at the Ramps 1.4 schematic [reprap.org] , the MOSFETS for the bed, hotend and fan switch to ground, so if I ignore the RAMPS + terminal and instead wire my fan + to (a fused) 12V, and fan - to RAMPS D9 then my fan is running at 12v with PWM control right?

Thanks,

David, Bristol UK.

Quote
charlie68
Looking at the Ramps 1.4 schematic [reprap.org] , the MOSFETS for the bed, hotend and fan switch to ground, so if I ignore the RAMPS + terminal and instead wire my fan + to (a fused) 12V, and fan - to RAMPS D9 then my fan is running at 12v with PWM control right?

Correct. That should work just fine to run a 12V fan.