HELP!!!

I am new to 3D printing and have just completed a kit. I am having some trouble getting my motors to work.
I have a Prusa i3 printer.
I have uploaded Marlin firmware to the Arduino and pronterface recognizes the printer. But, when I go to move any of the axis it wont move at all. I am getting a temperature reading from the extruder but it wont heat up.
I am getting no reading from the bed what so ever.
I have went back and checked all wiring and it seems to be correct.
i have checked all ramps boards that power the steppers and I am receiving approximately .4 volts AC

When you say ramps boards that drive your stepperw, I think you mean your stepper drivers. You should be measuring the D.C. voltage between ground and the potentiometer. .. search the wiki for stepper driver tuning. The wiki will explain how to figure up the voltage to set it at. Be careful as some of those stepper drivers have different resistor values than is standard which will through the calculation off. Ask here if the wiki isn't clear.

How are you powering your board? You do have an external power supply connected to the ramps, right?

Post a link to the hot end and heat bed that you bought. You must be careful to select the correct thermistor from the available thermistor table, and you must also make sure you have enabled them.

I'd also suggest that you post your configuration.h file for is to look at. That has to be eat up just right for the printer to work.

It was a kit that I bought. Yes I have an external power supply hooked up to the ramps.

The hot end and heat bed came with the kit that can be found here..
[folgertech.com]

here is the configuration.h file

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2015 01:00PM by espeicher.

Any help would be much appreciated. I am an industrial technology teacher who is trying to get this up and running for my classroom.

Thank you!

You might get more help if you would attach attachments as such instead of including them in the text making for a post that goes on for pages!

---

Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

#define TEMP_SENSOR_BED 0

You haven't defined the sensor for your bed so you won't get any readings.

I assume for just that fact that you didn't check the values of your configuration h file before flashing it to the Arduino board?

If so I would recommend you to do that first and then come back with questions.

Have you check the statut of your endstops with M119 in pronterface? If set wrong your motors won't move.

Thank you for the kind response.

I will give those a check.

Have a great day.

I have the tendency to believe that you uploaded the wrong marlin to your board. Did you downloaded the file from the original source or you find it online?

I downloaded it from [github.com]

If you're using a RAMPS board, it looks like you'll need to change your motherobard setting. You're current motherboard is set to Ultimaker.

// The following define selects which electronics board you have.
// Please choose the name from boards.h that matches your setup
#ifndef MOTHERBOARD
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_ULTIMAKER
#endif


Look at the boards.h file to find the board that corresponds to your RAMPS configuration. For example, with One Extruder, A Heated Bed and One Fan Fan Output, you would choose this one:

#define BOARD_RAMPS_13_EFB

Hi, you state you are a teacher, please think about the kind of name you give your topics. HELP!!! surely doesn't mean much.

It would be useful for anyone if you would choose a title in the likes of: "Motors not running"

Or something like that. Also because some people use the search, as this question has been asked a hundred times before already. When you search for a term that describes your problem, you usually already find a lot of hints on what to do

---

http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

Okay from reading on another thread I went back and used the .ino file supplied by folger tech to me and uploaded the .ino file.

I'm going to see how this if this works better.

As you can tell I'm very "green" to this.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/11/2015 10:30PM by espeicher.

Another update.

Progress has been made! My extrude and bed are now heating up.

But, when I go to make a movement it now says end stops hit.

go to configuration h file and for each axis that is triggered (without actually been hit) change the "logic" of it from true to false or vice versa. that if you don't have any wiring issues, will resolve the problems. After changing the parameters run a new M119 test and be sure all endstops are working properly.

See my post:

[forums.reprap.org]

I am now able to move the Z axis up only the other movements it still says I am hitting the endstops.

Here is the config h file for end stops..



// The pullups are needed if you directly connect a mechanical endswitch between the signal and ground pins.
const bool X_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstops.
const bool Y_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstops.
const bool Z_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false; // set to true to invert the logic of the endstops.
//#define DISABLE_MAX_ENDSTOPS

// For Inverting Stepper Enable Pins (Active Low) use 0, Non Inverting (Active High) use 1
#define X_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Y_ENABLE_ON 0
#define Z_ENABLE_ON 0
#define E_ENABLE_ON 0 // For all extruders

// Disables axis when it's not being used.
#define DISABLE_X false
#define DISABLE_Y false
#define DISABLE_Z false
#define DISABLE_E false // For all extruders

#define INVERT_X_DIR true // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR false // for Mendel set to true, for Orca set to false
#define INVERT_Z_DIR true // for Mendel set to false, for Orca set to true
#define INVERT_E0_DIR false // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false
#define INVERT_E1_DIR false // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false
#define INVERT_E2_DIR false // for direct drive extruder v9 set to true, for geared extruder set to false

// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1

#define min_software_endstops false //If true, axis won't move to coordinates less than HOME_POS.
#define max_software_endstops true //If true, axis won't move to coordinates greater than the defined lengths below.
// Travel limits after homing
#define X_MAX_POS 200
#define X_MIN_POS 0
#define Y_MAX_POS 200
#define Y_MIN_POS 0
#define Z_MAX_POS 185
#define Z_MIN_POS 0

#define X_MAX_LENGTH (X_MAX_POS - X_MIN_POS)
#define Y_MAX_LENGTH (Y_MAX_POS - Y_MIN_POS)
#define Z_MAX_LENGTH (Z_MAX_POS - Z_MIN_POS)

// The position of the homing switches
//#define MANUAL_HOME_POSITIONS // If defined, MANUAL_*_HOME_POS below will be used
//#define BED_CENTER_AT_0_0 // If defined, the center of the bed is at (X=0, Y=0)

//Manual homing switch locations:
#define MANUAL_X_HOME_POS 0
#define MANUAL_Y_HOME_POS 0
#define MANUAL_Z_HOME_POS 0

X_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false
Y_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false
Z_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = false
this means your end stop switches are normally closed and when they are hit the contacts open - so check this with a multimeter

// ENDSTOP SETTINGS:
// Sets direction of endstops when homing; 1=MAX, -1=MIN
#define X_HOME_DIR -1
#define Y_HOME_DIR -1
#define Z_HOME_DIR -1

This means your X end stop is on the left side, your Y endstop is at the back and the Z is at the bottom, and they all go to the MIN position on the RAMPS board

If the nozzle/hot end is in the middle of the bed and the Z axis is raised off the bed what does a M119 command give you?

Steve

---

My updated Instructable on our Prusa i3 Build
[www.instructables.com]

This is what it gives me off the m119 command


SENDING:M119
Reporting endstop status
x_min: open
x_max: TRIGGERED
y_min: open
y_max: TRIGGERED
z_min: open
z_max: TRIGGERED

So if you click a switch with your hand and hold it closed and run the M119 again it should show "open"

Change to this in your Marlin

X_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = true
Y_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = true
Z_ENDSTOPS_INVERTING = true

compile/upload and try again

Steve

Here is what it shows when i push the z end stop after I recompiled changing them all to true


SENDING:M119
Reporting endstop status
x_min: open
x_max: TRIGGERED
y_min: open
y_max: TRIGGERED
z_min: TRIGGERED
z_max: TRIGGERED

Set these to false:

x_max: TRIGGERED
y_max: TRIGGERED
z_min: TRIGGERED
z_max: TRIGGERED

And it should work.

Only those to true that you are using.

---

http://www.marinusdebeer.nl/

I did what you had suggested and it still isn't functioning unfortunately.

Just for fun I commented out end stops all together and my Z axis worked perfectly while y and x still wont work. They are making a high pitch when I try to move x and y. Does this suggest incorrect voltage to the motors?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/13/2015 11:15AM by espeicher.

Disable the endstops you won't be using, the high pitch might be due to wrong feedrates or trim pods on stepper drivers.

espeicher, The endstop firmware logic is setup to work with mechanical NO (normally open), or NC (normally closed), and electronic switches.

A normally open switch does not trigger until it is depressed - then it will put ground on the signal pin. The pullup resistor must be enabled and inverting set to true.

A normally closed switch is triggered until depressed - then it will remove ground from the signal pin. The pullup resistor must be enabled and inverting set to false.

An unused endstop is always open - the signal pin is floating. The pullup resistor must be enabled and inverting set to true.

An electronic endstop provides the correct signal voltage depending on its design. The pullup resistor is disabled and inverting is set depending on the endstop design. If the electronic switch puts 5 volts on the signal pin when triggered, the inverting is set to false.

See this post:

[forums.reprap.org]

The endstop switch plug must be plugged in correctly. If the 5 volt and ground pins are closed through the switch, you can damage or destroy your control board.

Alright so Ive made some progress on the machine. I can currently move the Z axis up and down, the extruder heats and the bed heats. Also when I run the M119 is shows all end stops opened. So I'm down to figuring out the x axis and y axis. I have moved the wires from x and y to the z spot and the motors work so I know they are not bad. When I try to move the x axis it just locks up and wont move the Y shows no movement at all also. I have also moved each driver to the Z spot so I know that none of those are bad. I have even purchased a new ramps board with still the same exact results.

This post has some links to Marlin setup help:

[forums.reprap.org]

Quote
espeicher
Alright so Ive made some progress on the machine. I can currently move the Z axis up and down, the extruder heats and the bed heats. Also when I run the M119 is shows all end stops opened. So I'm down to figuring out the x axis and y axis. I have moved the wires from x and y to the z spot and the motors work so I know they are not bad. When I try to move the x axis it just locks up and wont move the Y shows no movement at all also. I have also moved each driver to the Z spot so I know that none of those are bad. I have even purchased a new ramps board with still the same exact results.

Are all 3 jumpers installed under the stepper drivers?

Steve

---

My updated Instructable on our Prusa i3 Build
[www.instructables.com]

Problem was resolved! It was a bad Arduino. Wouldn't you know it would be the last thing I could possibly do. I ordered a new sainsmart arduino off amazon. Works perfectly now! Thank you all for your assistance!