Duet electronics - USB connection and power

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RepRapPro Ormerod - Duet controller, USB connection and power

The instructions for Ormerod state that the machine has to have its USB lead connected, even when it is being controlled by its network/ethernet/web interface (and so not via the USB ). The reason for this is that the USB is required to supply 5 volts power to the board.

This is not ideal because it ties up the computer on the other end of the USB which - if it is a laptop - it might be useful to take away while a 3D print is being done to do other work. (In fact, the Duet will also work if it is plugged into a powered USB hub if one is available, in which case the computer would not be required.)

Ormerods and Duet boards supplied after 10 December do not suffer this restriction. They will work over the ethernet just under power from the Ormerod itself.

If they wish, buyers of the initial 220 machines with the restriction can get a free upgrade from RepRapPro Ltd. They will need to return their Duet board to:

RepRapPro Ltd
House 6, Unit 7,
Great Leaze Farm,
Oldbury on Severn
BS35 1RF
UK

together with a return address label, a note giving the price paid for postage, and an e-mail address to which the postage can be refunded via Paypal. The Duet should be packaged in its original anti-static packaging inside a padded envelope. The outside of the envelope should have a "Fragile - handle with care" label on.

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Ian
RepRapPro tech support

Hello Ian,

Thank you for the information as my first post and having just joined the forum after receiving my printer can I just say how pleasing it is to see the support given by you and your team, I'm looking forward to building mine and producing my first prints.

Kind regards,

Peter,

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RS Components Reprap Ormerod No. 333 Delivered 16/12/2013 (Still in the box, surveying the forums and instructions for Gotchas currently).

Just adding some detail to this thread...

The part that has been incorrectly manufactured on the first 220 Duets is just two resistors. These are R60 (3k92) and R61 (750R), near the JP9 (5V_EN) pins, which have been soldered to the board at 90 degrees to where they should be.
The Duet schematics are here: [github.com]
If you are confident in your ability to solder these, we are happy for you to tackle it, and will still honour the warranty on the board. However, if you are not sure of your abilities, please don't attempt it, and return the board for replacement. Lifting a trace on the board will render it unrepairable.

While you have your soldering iron out, check that the USB socket has all four tabs soldered - this will make the USB connection more robust. We have had a lot of returned boards where only two, or none, of the tabs are soldered, where the socket has been dislodged and severed USB comms. Soldering these is easiest from the back of the board.

You may as well check the rest of the hand-soldered joints on this side of the board, while you're about it. The two vias under the SD card holder DO NOT need solder; they are just locating holes for the plastic lugs on the bottom of the holder.

Ian
RepRapPro tech support