I'll check this out. I am using the default mm/steps, and no micro stepping, so that might cause issues. I incorrectly assumed that the +1 was steps not mm.by mfsamuel - RAMPS Electronics
My Baud Rate is set to 115200 in both prontface and sprinter. 1. The feed rate or extrude rate in the case of the extruder is too high. Some versions of Pronterface set a very high default feed rate for the Z. would this matter for a single step? 2. You were turning the wrong trimpot. This happened to me with RAMPS 1.2 since the arrangement of the Pololu carriers was not what I expected. I amby mfsamuel - RAMPS Electronics
I have been working to upgrade my electronics to RAMPS 1.2 with a Arduino Mega. I have everything wired up, Sprinter loaded, and Prontface running on my computer. Everything looks good, computer connects, and I can send steps to the drivers. However when I manually send +1 steps maybe 20% of the time it fails to turn (just makes noise), and +10 never works. I lowered the drivers current limitby mfsamuel - RAMPS Electronics
wayland Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >A step is 18 degrees, but that should be fine if I get a small >enough microstepping driver. Most people use motors that are 1.8 degrees. It does not mean that you can't use them, just that they may have trouble with the print resolution. gears can always be added to alter the linear motion, or if you are using a thrby mfsamuel - Controllers
so, the purpose of the 100uF capacitors is basically distributed power not decoupling. anyone have guidance on how to calculate the proper size for this distributed power application based on the stepper motor used in the application? or alternatively a way to measure using the actual drive. Triffid_Hunter's use of capacitor's is what I was expecting. A large capacitor at the supply and smalleby mfsamuel - Controllers
i might have had this wrong for a while then. my understanding was a smaller capacitor provides decoupling from lower frequency? also, i though 10uF-100uf was just for power supply decoupling at the board, in which case one for the whole supply would probably be sufficient.by mfsamuel - Controllers
Looking over the pololu boards that are posted here ( ) and I see that the decoupling capacitors are significantly larger capacitance than I was expecting. I normally use small .1uF capacitors in noise isolation like this. -Is the 100uF the right size for this application? Does it matter? -Would there be any adverse effects if it is sized too high (inconsistent power supply to drives), or tby mfsamuel - Controllers
looks good for the heater. it is exactly what i was expecting, and the led is a nice touch. i will need to cut the thermistor part out since I have a thermocouple.by mfsamuel - Controllers
I am using the alternative Arduino Mega/Pololu Carriers Electronics Anyone have any advice for driving the extruder heater without the extruder controller? Some Questions: -Is there something specific I should be looking for in a power MOSFET (I assume sufficient voltage and current are the main points)? -Do I need anything other than the MOSFET? -Wiring advice. I assume i'm driving this offby mfsamuel - Controllers
the appeal for me was the arduino mega and pololu stepper carriers can be done for under $100 USD. now i still need to put them into a working reprap.by mfsamuel - Controllers
Try this out: Let me know if it works since I was planning to try it out. Also, Triffid_Hunter was working on something that might eventually work, but still seems to be experimental still.by mfsamuel - Controllers
try changing the truth table.by mfsamuel - Controllers
Triffid_Hunter Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How about some logic gates on the direction line > so the endstop input 'sees' the zero stop when > moving towards home, and the max stop when moving > away? We can then put an AND gate on the step line > so we have electronic lockout as well as firmware > notification. that is what the NOR gate shoby mfsamuel - Controllers
BeagleFury Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The NOR solution would require openloop, stepping > the motor thru a significant distance to ensure it > gets to the endstop, without actually knowing that > it made it. good point, and back to stephen's original post, we can run 6 stops off of 3 lines. with NOR gates you only need the min stops going to theby mfsamuel - Controllers
a simple NOR gate could eliminate the need for firmware and pins entirely. tie the direction of the stepper to A and the endstop to B and Output to the enable on the stepper control. if a flag gets hit then the drive will only be able to move in the opposite direction. obviously this assumes direction and endstop both go LOW when you want to stop the motor. you can also use a NAND gate withby mfsamuel - Controllers
can you try connecting the 5v and gnd directly, and check the led (or sig wire with a voltage meter)by mfsamuel - Controllers
I have successfully run steppers off these Triffid_Hunter has a great blog and he is using them, and will probably post here if he hasn't already (while I was typing) about the virtues of heat sinking them. from my limited experience with them that is the only disadvantage; the thermal dissipation is quite poor since it is a small form factor chip.by mfsamuel - Controllers
it depends on the power supply. some just need a jumper, and some will only activate under load. check out or if the psu fan comes on with just a jumper then you do not need the resistor. most of what I have seen is 10 Ohm 10 Watt.by mfsamuel - Controllers
Damn you Triffid_Hunter! Always 1 or 10 steps ahead of me.by mfsamuel - Controllers
any opinions on the best way to proceed. 1. Buy a stock extruder controller (does not support the stepper or the thermocouple directly) 2. Try to modify the 5d code to incorporate everything on the Mega. 3. Buy a arduino clone to run the stepper and thermocouple (should require less code changes) I am inclined to modify the 5d to run on a single mega since there is no additional cost to me, butby mfsamuel - Controllers
Is it possible to run everything off of a single Arduino (Mega)? I know there is a separate controller for the extruder but I have extra stepper drivers and should still have plenty of digital pins coming from the arduino mega. I am also using a thermocouple rather than a thermistor so it is not like the existing extruder is spot on for my needs. If I do need a second controller I assume I canby mfsamuel - Controllers
A steam punk reprap would look great next to the Victorian all-in-one you made!by mfsamuel - Controllers
thanks everyone, now I just have to wire them up properly.by mfsamuel - Controllers
looks like the ones from Alltronics i purchased. ~8USD per stepper. assuming they are the same ones. they have a notched shaft so they need a gear-head if you want to use them in a pinch wheel extruder.by mfsamuel - Controllers
great thank you Triffid_Hunter. i have read your blog, and (i think) your posts on the pololu forum and am fully prepared to heatsink these babies. I have some harddrive coolers that should work for this, but the header pins and resistors seem to sit higher than the chip. A copper shim with thermal paste to get the surface flush with the other heatsink may work, but the thermal conductivity oby mfsamuel - Controllers
I think I understand all of that, and I am able to trim the current using the pot on the board down to ~1A, but should I be trying that at 1.2V or 12V?by mfsamuel - Controllers
I was not sure about the units. So, I am off by a factor of 10. The steppers are rated as 2A 24V, if these are not scaled by a factor of 10 then isn't it impossible to achieve 24V since that would be 20A. This is actually why I asked the question since the math is not making sense to me either. The only explanation was everything was off by 10x.by mfsamuel - Controllers
I recently purchased the Pololu A4983 Stepper Carrier to drive my reprap setup. this requires an external power source. and i wanted to make sure I was calculating the voltage properly. my steppers are 2 A/Phase 1.2 Ohm/Phase So I am not sure how to make the math work. If want to run this at 1A I should use a 12V power source, correct? If I get a supply that is rated at 2A is that enough foby mfsamuel - Controllers
Maker Beam anyone? I think something like this that is reinforced with metal to ensure there is no warp would do what you are proposing.by mfsamuel - General