Cheap RAMPS 1.4 Kits from eBay / China

I have read a blog were the guy said he used cheap polulu drivers from ebay and they worked great...

So i went there and found this guy selling Ramps 1.4 kits from china.

check it out: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Reprap-Ramps-1-4-and-4-pololu-compatible-drivers-1-SET-/150828115953?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item231e0e67f1#ht_2216wt_1396

Have you guys heard of this before, are they reliable?

Fred.

Haven't used this guy for any of my electrics but the board looks like it is manufactured well and to be honest, most of the stuff that you find on RAMPS boards sold closer to home will be from China anyway. In my experience, goods from Hong Kong tend to be just as good if not better than stuff found in the states. It's things coming from unfamiliar mainland cities that concern me.

thx!

thecrazy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have read a blog were the guy said he used cheap
> polulu drivers from ebay and they worked great...
>
> So i went there and found this guy selling Ramps
> 1.4 kits from china.
>
> check it out:
> [www.ebay.com]
> olu-compatible-drivers-1-SET-/150828115953?pt=LH_D
> efaultDomain_2&hash=item231e0e67f1#ht_2216wt_1396
>
> Have you guys heard of this before, are they
> reliable?
>
> Fred.

meanwhile i collected some positive feedbacks
[feedback.ebay.com]

however, i think buyer does not have any risk, in case of any problem, i replace the item or i refund the money, but i am testing each board carefuly one by one so i think there should be no problem, except maybe due transportation, but also i am using a very good packing to avoid it.

www.reprapdiscount.com

Wow the seller himself! what are the chances!

I would not buy anything from that country. (If it were possible)

Sources for SAE Prusa Mendel RepRap Parts

I purchased a few kits from them and they are the best I have purchased yet.

His service is the best I have come across so far. The shipping is really fast (3days to my door in Canada) and the packaging was 50 times better than any other electronics supplier I have used. All the soldering is perfect and the boards are very clean (no flux, no finger prints, nothing). All of the pins are soldered on (even the stepsticks).







I purchased some others from an American company that had to be returned because they were unusable so I would highly recommend buying from RepRapDiscount.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/15/2012 06:04PM by Sublime.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Impressive!

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- akhlut

Just remember - Iterate, Iterate, Iterate!

[myhomelessmind.blogspot.com]

Errr...so the packaging is lovely and the solder looks good...but have you used these boards and if so how do they fare?

tenacious Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Errr...so the packaging is lovely and the solder
> looks good...but have you used these boards and if
> so how do they fare?

I have them both installed. One machine I have been running every day since, the other I have tested but have not run for a long period of time yet. They both perform exactly as expected and I have no problem. The arduino's connect perfectly and they do NOT require being reset while uploading. The drivers perform the same as my "real" pololu ones.

Also he is now including SDramps and five drivers with all the kits. Plus mosfet for the heated bed has a heat sink on it.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

I just ordered one of these kits three days ago, and it arrived on my doorstep today. Looks very nice, although I haven't had a chance to use it yet.

It came with SDramps and all five drivers and heat sinks.

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Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

I have one of every thing they sell. They are great I ordered several things at different periods throuout the day and they auto refunded the shipping to my PayPal acc straight away the hardware is as good as any I have seen form the USA et al. I have seen about 20 units that my UG students have bought from other suppliers.
Best thing is no soldering of the motor drivers! I've seen students mess this up before!

I also had a slight mix up with order numbers on their side and they shipped me the parts ASAP FedEx and included several bonus parts very happy.

Scott

I also purchased one of the complete RAMPS 1.4 kits from eBay/China. I am just getting started and I have a few questions. I am sure the seller will respond to these questions on eBay, but I thought this forum might be a better place to start a discussion and a way to share the answers more broadly. There are likely many people around at a similar point.

I agree that the parts appear to be of high quality, the packaging was great, and delivery was fast.

1. What is the best way to attach the little heat sinks to the stepper motor drivers? I have heat sink paste, but it is not adhesive.

2. The unit comes with no firmware installed. I tried the chip manufacturer's program with no luck. I am running Windows 7, 64 bit, and I think that might be part of the problem. I also tried uploading firmware through ReplicatorG, and also have errors. There appear to be many choices for both firmware and uploading programs. With the Arduino Mega integrated with this kit, could someone please direct me to some suggestions and instructions about successful firmware upload?

3. ReplicatorG firmware options all appear to be for older boards. What are some of the more popular current similar programs used to run a 3D printer? I made a printer from a CNC mill, and now I am trying to transition to Arduino-based control. I'm trying to get the new system up and running.

1) The best I have tried is this : [export.farnell.com] - it's a lil on the expensive side, but you can glue a lot of heatsinks with that quantity (only a micro drop of the product is needed) and if stored properly in its original package it won't loose its propertys over time (that's the benefit of a 2 parts glue with a separate hardener).

But now you mention it, I thought this ebay seller was providing thermal adhesive pads with his stepper drivers ?

2) Do you know if the arduino clone builder even burned the arduino bootloader on its chip ? It is a requirement before uploading any firmware, once done you would use arduino studio to upload a reprap firmware of your choice.

3) Nowadays most people use printrun to control their arduino based repraps. Alternatives are for instance repetier host and repsnapper.



Edit : oh and BTW I also bought some stuff (heated bed pcb, stepper drivers) from this vendor, I haven't tested the products yet but this has to be the best communication I ever had from an ebay seller until now.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/21/2012 10:49AM by DeuxVis.

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Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

DeuxVis Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1) The best I have tried is this :
> [export.farnell.com]
> /adhesive-thermal-conductive/dp/1211723?Ntt=121172
> 3 - it's a lil on the expensive side, but you can
> glue a lot of heatsinks with that quantity (only a
> micro drop of the product is needed) and if stored
> properly in its original package it won't loose
> its propertys over time (that's the benefit of a 2
> parts glue with a separate hardener).
>
> But now you mention it, I thought this ebay seller
> was providing thermal adhesive pads with his
> stepper drivers ?

That stuff is great and it looks like he will be supplying something similar soon. But for now he does include little foil stickers to hold on the heat sinks (they are in the little box that the drivers came in under the foam).

(I did not like the stickers and requested the glue to be included instead)

>
> 2) Do you know if the arduino clone builder even
> burned the arduino bootloader on its chip ? It is
> a requirement before uploading any firmware, once
> done you would use arduino studio to upload a
> reprap firmware of your choice.

Yes the boot loader is burnt to the chip. (I am using mine already)

>
> 3) Nowadays most people use printrun to control
> their arduino based repraps. Alternatives are for
> instance repetier host and repsnapper.

Agreed, Printrun (AKA Pronterface) is the way to go until you start printing from SD card and LCD menu.

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

Greg P. Le Sage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I also purchased one of the complete RAMPS 1.4
> kits from eBay/China. I am just getting started
> and I have a few questions. I am sure the seller
> will respond to these questions on eBay, but I
> thought this forum might be a better place to
> start a discussion and a way to share the answers
> more broadly. There are likely many people around
> at a similar point.
>
> I agree that the parts appear to be of high
> quality, the packaging was great, and delivery was
> fast.
>
> 1. What is the best way to attach the little heat
> sinks to the stepper motor drivers? I have heat
> sink paste, but it is not adhesive.
>
> 2. The unit comes with no firmware installed. I
> tried the chip manufacturer's program with no
> luck. I am running Windows 7, 64 bit, and I think
> that might be part of the problem. I also tried
> uploading firmware through ReplicatorG, and also
> have errors. There appear to be many choices for
> both firmware and uploading programs. With the
> Arduino Mega integrated with this kit, could
> someone please direct me to some suggestions and
> instructions about successful firmware upload?
>
> 3. ReplicatorG firmware options all appear to be
> for older boards. What are some of the more
> popular current similar programs used to run a 3D
> printer? I made a printer from a CNC mill, and now
> I am trying to transition to Arduino-based
> control. I'm trying to get the new system up and
> running.

Greg i agree with DeuxVis, the heat sink should be glued, but i have tested some material, i think sublime tested it as well, i find it okay, after i have the test results from sublime and from some german friends, i will replace those stickers with the new heatsink composite.

Regards,
Razvan
www.reprapdiscount.com

I would like to mention that the new cable sets are on the way, they will arrive monday, and i will post an auction for them. I made this cables

You will get in the package:
2 x 2 pin cables (thermistor cables)
3 x 3 pin cables (endstop cables)
5 x 4 pin cables (for motors, cables are twisted and isolated with shrink tube.

Specs:
cables are all 1m long
cables are scrimped on both sides
cables are labeled
cables are black color
cables for motors are twisted

The price for the cables is 9.90 usd plus shipping. If you are from some region or from some club, maybe you can make a batch order and you save on shipping costs a lot. As you know i do conbined shippings, any one of you ordered from my ebay shop had never to pay more than 12 usd for shipping, which i think is fair.

If any of you has some suggestion what could be done better, any suggestion from the comunnity is welcome.

Regards,
www.reprapdiscount.com

i was just about to order your RAMPS kits and heated build platform from ebay, and did a quick google search to check how they were. this is great feedback, and now i'm going to wait until those cable sets are up in a few days so i can snag some of them too!

thanks!

I just got a few boards and they look great. The shipping was faster than most local companies, go figure. I've tested one and only for a bit but all looks well. I appreciate the good service and quality parts.

... and some more things coming, but need some suggestions from you guys, which design you like most, since not enough time to draw all 3

[www.photobucket.com]

It's a design for a controller, derrivated from [www.thingiverse.com] ; thingiverse.com/thing:15081 created by bkubicek i just add one STOP button

Please vote which one you like most, i will draw it and upload the files to thingiverse, so any one is free to modify or just print it. Any suggestion is more than welcome!



The electronics will be available from Monday, also drawing and pcb file will be posted monday on thingiverse , the price for the assebled and tested PCB with LCD will be around 55 usd, the shipping by FedEx is FREE !!!

There will be not soldering required!

Regards,
Elvira

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/27/2012 12:48PM by reprapdiscount.

Version1 can be placed right in front of my laptop while slicing and linux host while printing or in front of the printer for stand alone. mounting to frame adds extra flexing if you mess with it during a print I feel.

I like number one as well

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FFF Settings Calculator	Gcode post processors	Geometric Object Deposition Tool Blog
Tantillus.org	Mini Printable Lathe	How NOT to install a Pololu driver

I have to agree. Version 1 gets my vote.

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Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

Version 1 indeed, you might even consider making it angle of view slightly adjustable. aka, console alike.
Maybe combine it with SD-ramps.

(not completely on topic, sidemark)
Question is however, is refreshing the display not to much burden for the arduino, while it is doing the printing ?

I would like to suggest this thread to be moved to another section of the forum btw...

edjuh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> (not completely on topic, sidemark)
> Question is however, is refreshing the display not
> to much burden for the arduino, while it is doing
> the printing ?

Plenty of people run these 20x4 LCD's without issue. I think the chip on the LCD takes care of the refreshing; the Arduino just needs to send new data.

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

Both #1 and #2 look great. If I had to choose just one of them my vote would be for #1.

edjuh Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Version 1 indeed, you might even consider making
> it angle of view slightly adjustable. aka, console
> alike.

i plan to upload the drawing at monday to thingiverse, i will upload the STP and STL so you guys can change it as you like or you can simply print it as it is.

> I would like to suggest this thread to be moved to
> another section of the forum btw...

which section you suggest, sorry for posting here, i am really new

Regards,
Reprapdiscount.com

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/28/2012 08:21PM by reprapdiscount.

Is this design is made ​​specifically for fit gadgets3d.com panel as from this eBay seller - [www.ebay.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2012 07:46AM by tommy_rapper.

Elvira will confirm ,but I don't think so, unless gadgets3d.com panel is an ultipanel with a stop button.

reprapdiscount Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> It's a design for a controller, derrivated from
> [www.thingiverse.com] ;
> [www.thingiverse.com] created
> by bkubicek I just add one STOP button

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Most of my technical comments should be correct, but is THIS one ?
Anyway, as a rule of thumb, always double check what people write.

I am not sure of the size and shape of their pcb, as far as i can see, they do not share it, maybe it's a non open HW project

Regards,
Reprapdiscount.com