Folger Prusa i3 Kit from ebay

Thanks, I was posting while you posted the manual, thanks for all your effort on it. I think it will help most people, I see a lot of places it would have saved me some headaches.

I do have my fan on D9 and till now had not installed repetier host. It's installing now and I'll check the fan.

Sounds like my thermistor is bad then. Looks like ratshack doesn't carry them.

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Jamus
Thanks, I was posting while you posted the manual, thanks for all your effort on it. I think it will help most people, I see a lot of places it would have saved me some headaches.

I do have my fan on D9 and till now had not installed repetier host. It's installing now and I'll check the fan.

Sounds like my thermistor is bad then. Looks like ratshack doesn't carry them.

No problem, glad I can help, I'm no guru by any means, just know enough about these things to get me into trouble

Pronterface should have a fan on option, but I know it works in repetier.

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cliferton1
getting better i guess lol. something is up with my z. x and y seem to have correct scale but z is stretched. i attached a pic of a part we make at work and a slightly scaled down version i just printed. I have not adjusted my stepper voltage no idea if thats going to have anything to do with it or should i be looking at marlin settings. the 20mm cube i printed was 19.98mmx19.97mmx25.7mm

s292.photobucket.com

s292.photobucket.com

Looks like your Z axis settings in marlin firmware need to be adjusted. There is a line in configuration.h that starts out with "#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT ". What are those values? The third value in there needs to be adjusted as that is your Z and it is too high. If you look through this thread I've posted the formula for adjusting this, which I don't have handy right now but should be easy enough to follow. If you can't figure out how to calculate the formula let me know and I'll help you with your values.

Had a significant issue happen last night.

After printing an eight hour print my i3 cooled and stayed in a down state (running but no heat to extruder or bed).

After bed glass replacement I started up another print.

Bed comes up to temp
I hear it homing
I hear it auto leveling
I smell a bit of burning. I figure it is the new tape I am using.
Stop print
Issue bed and head go to zero degrees commands.
Look at Pronterface my bed temp is 120 degrees and rising. I am also getting overtemp errors.
Pronterface was issuing the commands but the unit kept heating
I unplug the power supply and then look up to the controllers...wisp of smoke rising from what looks like between the boards.
looked down at the graphics display and it looks like the Arduino is communicating and I am getting temperature data.

This was the first instance I have had of a "runaway" bed heating cycle.

I expect that I have just blown an A4988 driver board. Have a complete ramps board and drivers (and spares) on the way.

Has anyone had this type of runaway failure? I am probably going to double up on sensors and build an independent power kill feature for this type of scenario.

It was just odd to me that such an unusual scenario would play out

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2014 10:40AM by Nargousias.

Did you check your temps in your slicer? I had that happen once, melted the SS tube right out of a Ubis hot end. Checked and saw that Cura was set to 300 for some reason. Maybe you repeated the hot end temp for the bed temp?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2014 11:27AM by MakerFront.

Thanks for the info. I was off work today but I think I'm going up there tonight to mess with it.i should be able to figure it out now that I know where to look I'll check out that in marlin. I'll keep it updated...thanks again

LCD controller issue: (lcd controller:[www.ebay.com])
I think I read through everything that had LCD controller in it in the thread (maybe not since this thread is a little too epic)

I installed the lcd with header to the arduino. Everything mechanical is legit. Onto the software:
1) with stock folger tech marlin software I unslashed the #define reprap_discount_smart_controller, Saved-Compiled-Uploaded- nothing
2) looked online and found the code line should be #define reprap_discount_full_graphic_smart_controller, SCU- nothing
3) page 15 Gannicus post says "During the day, I got to thinking...the Folgertech Marlin software on their Google Drive was probably the cause of EVERY problem I was having.
So, I downloaded the fresh copy of Marlin from github and Dooms101 configuration.h he posted on page 2, and recompiled and uploaded.
Plugged in the LCD... and poof. Magic. Everything works. EXCEPT for the hotend." - did all that and still nothing, even saw that #define_reprap_discount_smart_controller was not unslashed

Now what to try?

Edit: gees I really need to dink around some more before posting.
Fixed. In number 3, changed #define_reprap_dsicount_smart_controller to #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/19/2014 09:29PM by BayAreaRepRap.

Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

messing with it now. so what are the voltages I need to go with on the motors? I saw where you said use the ones you posted bfore but I guess I kept overlooking the ettings

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MakerFront
I worked with the people at FolgerTech (very accommodating by the way) and put 2 manuals together for the Prusa I3 from them. There's a build manual (rev 1.1) and a config guide for the marlin/repetier/slicer config.

So, here's the two manuals:

[drive.google.com]

Enjoy everybody!

Well done mate. I could have done with them a week ago. I hope they made it worth your while.

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dooms101
Here's an update on my adjustments to the extruder. Looks like it fixed the problem, I just got done with a perfect 3 hour print of a really tricky T-Rex skull that failed several times before I made the adjustments. I also sped up the max_feed_rate in marlin to 150, 150, 3, 25 which made the print crazy fast. I'm also using a 0.152mm layer height which is giving really really smooth prints.

Now that I'm convinced that it works I'm going to design a shroud that will replace the nylon spacers I used as well as avoiding the need to tape everything. I'll also redirect the vented air as right now it blows down on the print and causes a little bit of warping.

Here's a better angle of the extruder that shows how things are now spaced out:
[attachment 41861 2014-10-1322.03.56-1.jpg]

Trying this tomorrow! I hope this solves my issue aswell! You rock man.

Today was a productive day. I started wiring the printer last night by connecting to the end stops and motors, and running the harnesses through some 3/8 inch flex shield, and routing them over to the RAMPS section. Today I finished that out, and did all of the soldering and crimping. Kept dropping the small pins and cursing at them and figured it was time for a break. Got the printer wired up completely.

Hooked up the USB cable from the printer to my laptop and opened up the arduino software and installed the drivers. I was able to connect to the board and tried uploading blink in the included library. That worked. Tried uploading marlin, didn't have a complete version or the wrong one. Read through the configuration manual the previous page. Deleted everything on my laptop pertaining to marlin and started from scratch. Downloaded every file in the marlin directory from Folger's google drive and tried again. Finally got a good load and was able to run my printer in Pronterface. I got it to home in all three axis and was able to get each axis to move both ways. Right now the home position is way off but on the safe side as in the build manual. I got the extruder to start heating up, but the bed will not.

Things I did not like about the manual is that it does not cover how to rout the wiring. That would have made things a lot easier. Because I didn't know how much wire I needed for the Y axis the cutoff from the bed thermistor was too short to use for the fan. Luckily I had some wire laying around to use for that.

Tasks for tomorrow
1) set the Vrefs for the motors.
2) troubleshoot the bed heater
3) set the end stops.
4) Get the printer set up to start test prints.

To Makerfront. Thank you for posting the manuals on here. I would not have had it so easy getting this printer as far as it is without them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2014 12:25AM by jrcaster.

Ok been at it tonight. I tried the numbers you had posted (79.84, 80,3836.93,101) as a start and the cube was x=19.84mm,y=19.79mm, z 19.62mm. so im still a little off there. How should I go about correcting this?

trying to test print some stuff. im having trouble with the part coming off during print. I was using painters tape. now I wiped it with alchaol and have the bed at 80*c. so far this z vibration bushing is printing ok at the moment, but it is stringing a little bit im using pla and am up to 220*c. just trying diff temps ........just came off crap. the center the center hole is kinda globby. I was trying to do a .1 layer model. gonna try 1 more time tonight with same settings as the as I did the cube it looked great just a little off in size with .2 layers.

when I draw and save a stl in autodesk inventor and load it it is tiny and I have to scale up. in pronter... it was scaled down 1000. in repiter host I am not sure of the scale. parts I download import fine. I am drawing the parts 1/1 scale and in metric mode. I would try a different cad software, but I use it everyday for work and am very familiar with it. any insite on that?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2014 02:21AM by cliferton1.

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cliferton1
Ok been at it tonight. I tried the numbers you had posted (79.84, 80,3836.93,101) as a start and the cube was x=19.84mm,y=19.79mm, z 19.62mm. so im still a little off there. How should I go about correcting this?

trying to test print some stuff. im having trouble with the part coming off during print. I was using painters tape. now I wiped it with alchaol and have the bed at 80*c. so far this z vibration bushing is printing ok at the moment, but it is stringing a little bit im using pla and am up to 220*c. just trying diff temps ........just came off crap. the center the center hole is kinda globby. I was trying to do a .1 layer model. gonna try 1 more time tonight with same settings as the as I did the cube it looked great just a little off in size with .2 layers.

when I draw and save a stl in autodesk inventor and load it it is tiny and I have to scale up. in pronter... it was scaled down 1000. in repiter host I am not sure of the scale. parts I download import fine. I am drawing the parts 1/1 scale and in metric mode. I would try a different cad software, but I use it everyday for work and am very familiar with it. any insite on that?

I posted this earlier

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louspinuso
For question 2, try this [reprap.org]. I've been using a 20mm hollow cube to calibrate and this formula:

new_e_steps = old_e_steps * (20 / distance_actually_moved)

So based on what you're printing you need to adjust those values using that formula. That value of 20 is the size you expected to print so if you're printing a 20mm cube that value stays 20 but if you're printing a 100mm cube then you need to change that to 100.

Based on what I'm reading, you need to adjust as follows:

X= 80.48 (based on 79.84*(20/19.84))
Y= 80.85 (based on 80*(20/19.79))
Z= 3911.24 (based on 3836.93*(20/19.62))

Try those and see if that helps.

My advice : don't play with step per millimeter values. Because you introduce errors. If you change the values to get a "perfect" cube, for example reducing of 2% some values, your 2% will be huge gaps when printing large pieces. And your "adjustement" won't be enough for smaller parts. Anyways, your "perfect" settings won't be so perfect if you buy a new brand of filament. The walues are a result of the good calculation from the motor's resolution and the transmission parts you use. If the cube is not perfect, it depends of the thickness of your plastic deposit, it's possible shrinkage, and some other factors, like your belts tensioning. For the original Folger's i3, don't expect to get a 0.01mm precision on each axis. 0.2mm is pretty enough for most of our purposes. You'd better try to reach the precision you want with the values adapted for our transmission parts. Play with extrusion temperatures and speed to complete the best possible parts, but parameters are calculated.

---

Collective intelligence emerges when a group of people work together effectively. Prusa i3 Folger (A lot of the parts are wrong, boring !)

I set the Vrefs as per the new manual. The X axis motor was getting warm after playing with it for a while so I adjusted it back to .25V to see if that would do any better.

In Pronterface I can control everything except the extruder fan which never turns on. Also I still can't get the bed to heat up. When I turn on the extruder heater there is an LED that turns on on the RAMPS board.

In repitier I can turn the extruder fan on but there are no controls for the heated bed. When I turn on the fan there is an LED as well as when I turn on the Extruder heater. So two LED's light up.

In Pronterface I don't get any voltage output across the bed heater when it is suppose to be on.

Is this a software or configuration issue? I am using the files from Folger's Google drive.

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konto89
Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

did you use the folger tech firmware in the google drive? I can't get it to work with that by doing what he did in the video. I've uncommented reprap_discount and added the U8glib.h to the library folder and Sketch->import library to my current arduino sketch, save it and upload and nothing comes up on the screen.

Did you mess with anything else?

I found the problem. The heat bed thermistor is reading 60Mohms.

I added the temp readouts in Pronterface and it was showing the temp for the extruder as 23 and the heat bed as 0. I remember a line in configuration.h as not allowing anything to heat up if it was below 5.

I just verified it. I soldered a 90kohm resister across the thermistor leads on the heat bed and went into pronterface. It read about 26 degrees and when I activated the heat bed it started warming up. I also noticed a LED lit up on the RAMPS board. Went into Repitier and it had a bar for the heat bed also.

Now to order and wait for parts.

Just finished printing this power supply cover w/ switch slot (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:40377) thought you guys might want to print one and wire it up if you want a switch.

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BayAreaRepRap

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konto89
Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

did you use the folger tech firmware in the google drive? I can't get it to work with that by doing what he did in the video. I've uncommented reprap_discount and added the U8glib.h to the library folder and Sketch->import library to my current arduino sketch, save it and upload and nothing comes up on the screen.

Did you mess with anything else?

I did not use the firmware from folger. I just loaded the latest from marlin, used the configuration files that the other guys posted to make the changes for our printer and for the lcd I followed the instructions from the video.

I decided that I had to change the acrylic bed it was so wrapped that I could not print anything! The thumbnut was hitting the frame of the printer!!
As aluminum is a little diffucult and expensive choice I used a 2mm thick iron plate that I had.


WP_20141221_12_37_31_Pro by kgeorge1989, on Flickr
WP_20141221_13_24_02_Pro by kgeorge1989, on Flickr
WP_20141221_16_44_53_Pro by kgeorge1989, on Flickr

The acrylic piece weighs 170g , the iron bed without the holes 770g and with the holes 530g!
I hope that the y motor will not have any problems.
For now it's ok!

Hi all,

I put together a GitHub Wiki with many of the commonly referenced resources from this thread. I often find myself trying to find something in this thread and it's not much fun to dig through 29 pages to get it

The Wiki is publicly editable, so if you'd like to please feel free to add on and improve it!

[github.com]

Jason

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vonnieda
Hi all,

I put together a GitHub Wiki with many of the commonly referenced resources from this thread. I often find myself trying to find something in this thread and it's not much fun to dig through 29 pages to get it

The Wiki is publicly editable, so if you'd like to please feel free to add on and improve it!

[github.com]

Jason

Oh thank you. I'll try to find all my referenced websites and instructions and get them out there. I suffered trying to find the calibration equation I posted yesterday.

Never used a multi-meter before. What setting are you guys using to set your vrefs.

I found the GND pin and try using the Pot for the positive - but my readings are all over the place.

Do you guys have it running as you check? Motorson/off? connected? moving?

Any help is great.

I just did a 3 hour print - and it's working wonderfully - but wouldn't mind checking.

Drozes, You can use the black negative leads on the power connector of the RAMPS board. Just touch the black lead to the screw holding the black wire captive. That way you don't have to worry about the black test lead sliding off and shorting out the driver. Then you can touch your red lead to the center of the pot you are trying to adjust. Remember to use a plastic or ceramic screwdriver to adjust it. Go back and forth with your red test lead and the screwdriver till you get it adjusted. For the screwdrivers search for color tv and radio adjustment set or mini potentiometer adjustment screwdrivers.

As far as the range to use on the multimeter, it should have either a 2 or 4 volt range.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2014 01:54AM by jrcaster.

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jrcaster

As far as the range to use on the multimeter, it should have either a 2 or 4 volt range.

DC, not AC

Harbor Freight has some digital volt meters. If you get coupons, you probably have some for a free meter.
[www.harborfreight.com]
For the red meter from HF, you want to select 2000m or 200m on the DC scale (2.000 or .200 volts DC).
You want your red probe plugged into the V^mA socket. The black probe in the COM socket.
Do not place your ground (black) probe on the ground pin shown in the instructions. I accidently slipped off the ground pin shown, and touched the +5 volt pin right next to it, and took-out all my stepper drivers and MEGA controller board in an instant.

Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 12/22/2014 12:10PM by Easy.

Quote
vonnieda
Hi all,

I put together a GitHub Wiki with many of the commonly referenced resources from this thread. I often find myself trying to find something in this thread and it's not much fun to dig through 29 pages to get it smiling smiley

The Wiki is publicly editable, so if you'd like to please feel free to add on and improve it!

[github.com]

Great idea! I updated the Wiki with Waltermixx's Config.h and Slic3r_config_bundle.ini from page 11.
also I would like to see dooms101 slic3r config he used for that T-Rex skull.

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BayAreaRepRap

Quote
konto89
Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

did you use the folger tech firmware in the google drive? I can't get it to work with that by doing what he did in the video. I've uncommented reprap_discount and added the U8glib.h to the library folder and Sketch->import library to my current arduino sketch, save it and upload and nothing comes up on the screen.

Did you mess with anything else?

I am having the same problem I used working folgertech firmware with and without changing the #define_reprap_dsicount_smart_controller to #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

I downloaded a new marlin, still nothing.

Quote
KeyserSoze3d

Quote
BayAreaRepRap

Quote
konto89
Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

did you use the folger tech firmware in the google drive? I can't get it to work with that by doing what he did in the video. I've uncommented reprap_discount and added the U8glib.h to the library folder and Sketch->import library to my current arduino sketch, save it and upload and nothing comes up on the screen.

Did you mess with anything else?

I am having the same problem I used working folgertech firmware with and without changing the #define_reprap_dsicount_smart_controller to #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

I downloaded a new marlin, still nothing.

Did you check the wires? Maybe you putted them the wrong way?

Quote
konto89

Quote
KeyserSoze3d

Quote
BayAreaRepRap

Quote
konto89
Watch this video [youtu.be] . I have the same display did what the guy said and it worked!

did you use the folger tech firmware in the google drive? I can't get it to work with that by doing what he did in the video. I've uncommented reprap_discount and added the U8glib.h to the library folder and Sketch->import library to my current arduino sketch, save it and upload and nothing comes up on the screen.

Did you mess with anything else?

I am having the same problem I used working folgertech firmware with and without changing the #define_reprap_dsicount_smart_controller to #define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER


I downloaded a new marlin, still nothing.

Did you check the wires? Maybe you putted them the wrong way?

I tried that, one way the display is dark, the other way its lit up with a light line through the center.