DIAMOND x5 on RAMPS with stepper extender x3 problem PIN D1 (DIR) on AUX-1

I came to operate the 5 extruders for the DIAMOND x5 (FULL COLOR) and everything seemed ok (apart from the cobwebs, I am fighting with the percolation of the nozzle and the retraction) but in the end I discovered that the 5th extruder the 3rd for the extender x3, the one that has as pin: // ### EXTRUDER_4 #define ORIG_E4_STEP_PIN 57 #define ORIG_E4_DIR_PIN 1 #define ORIG_E4_ENABLE_PIN 58 both that extrude that portrays always goes in retraction, that at the beginning to resolve it quickly (not having noticed that it did not change direction) I inverted the wires on the motor and extruded but did not retract !!!! So now that I do, how can I check the pin 1 (DIR) to see that it is not badly managed or do you suggest me to use another pin?!?!?! if you can?, thanks for your patience. P.S: I use a RAMPS and the pin changes I made them directly in 33.h for the expanders I used the REPRAP x3 one with the cable already wired

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2020 09:31PM by LucaSoft.

You cannot use pins D0 and D1 on AUX1

They have another name, RX0/TX0 this is the serial port 0 connected to the usb/serial converter.

Well unless you start using a different serial port to talk to the board.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2020 02:07AM by Dust.

thanks for the reply, but then why do those of reprap.me make this connection, how can I use / disable the USB / serial so as to free the pin, or can I use another pin for the "DIR" of the stepper? or connect an external serial and use D1 to drive the stepper. Thanks

"why do those of reprap.me make this connection," because they are assholes only out to make money.

They have been told about this before (by me) and did nothing...

If you change SERIAL_PORT to another number it changes the pins it uses for serial communications. but then you have to a) find some free uart capable pins you can use b) wire in your own usb/serial converter. Not easy as most UART capable pins are already in use as something else on a ramps, see table below.

There are 4 serial ports on a mega2560, on the ramps they are mapped to the following.

2 RXD0 PE0 ( RXD0/PCINT8 ) Digital pin 0 (RX0) usb
3 TXD0 PE1 ( TXD0 ) Digital pin 1 (TX0) usb
45 RXD1 PD2 ( RXDI/INT2 ) Digital pin 19 (RX1) Z-MAX
46 TXD1 PD3 ( TXD1/INT3 ) Digital pin 18 (TX1) Z-MIN
12 RXD2 PH0 ( RXD2 ) Digital pin 17 (RX2) on aux4
13 TXD2 PH1 ( TXD2 ) Digital pin 16 (TX2) on aux4
63 RXD3 PJ0 ( RXD3/PCINT9 ) Digital pin 15 (RX3) Y-MAX
64 TXD3 PJ1 ( TXD3/PCINT10 ) Digital pin 14 (TX3) Y-MIN

Or you wire the expander X3 dir line to any unused RAMPS IO line. then update pins_RAMPS.h to match.
D4,D5, D6 and D11 on the top row of the servo plugs are all usable. If your not already using them for something else.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/10/2020 05:23AM by Dust.

I have added the following to the reprap documentation. [reprap.org]

"Misleading Documentation Notice: The PIN diagram above for the RAMPS states that the third stepper driver is wired to EN D58, STP D57 and DIR D1. This is misleading. D0 and D1 are also known as RX0 and TX0, ie serial port 0. this is connected to the USB/serial converter and is how all RAMPS talk to the controlling computer. You can only use these pins if your not using RAMPS USB eg if you have moved the serial port to other pins and added your own USB/serial converter."

Thank you so much DUST, you have been very clear, I will try to use some other PIN for the DIR I do not use in my configuration, thank you very much! I imagine that changing the serial and installing an external one is more complex, and as it is now I have a lot of wires and circuits connected, I also had to solve the question of the low power of the Arduino mega 7805 (smd) regulator with an external regulator, I just want to get to print in color, hopefully.

ok, I connected after cutting the DIR wire of the flat from the extender, to the pin 4 of the servo near AUX-1, updated the FW in PIN for extruder 4, too easy when there are people who tell you what to do, THANKS DUST!