Show all posts by user

Need help debugging possible short on Melzi - 5 years ago

Hi Reprappers! I have a Mendel90 with a Melzi 2.0 board on it. It has run fine for a long time, but recently I decided to finally fix the rather messy cabling around the extruder (see ). Something untoward must have happened during this, as I now have a connection between the hotend connector and the thermistor connector - even with the wires disconnected. Other functionality seems fine, includi

by larsrc - Controllers

Problems w/ thermistor & TeaCup - 11 years ago

Hi Teacuppers, Since my last mail, I have upgraded to a Teacup-capable Arduino, and successfully used it with the manual control panel in ReplicatorG. It moves in all three directions and heats, but I can't move the extruder (I expect due to refusing to move a cold extruder) and worse, the temperature reading is totally off. I have a plain thermistor built into the Wade's Extruder I got. I have

by larsrc - Firmware - experimental, borrowed, and future

Teacup too large for ATMega168 (Teamug?) - 11 years ago

I'm trying to use Teacup for my McWire[1] repstrap using an Arduino Diecimilia. I chose Teacup because the wiki page says it fits in an ATMega168, but when compiling even a fairly simple setup (1 thermistor, 1 extruder, no US, the compiled size is 17,512 bytes (of a 14,336 byte maximum). I see last year somebody with a somewhat similar setup went just over the limit. Has Teacup been growing fat b

by larsrc - Firmware - experimental, borrowed, and future

Re: Want to buy: Reprap stepper motor driver (v1.2 - v3.3) or components for v2.3 - 11 years ago

Nevermind the Pololu, it's easy to get after all. I'll take 3 (so you don't have to do a singular job, and so I have something for playing with), including components. Thanks, -Lars

by larsrc - Wanted

Re: Want to buy: Reprap stepper motor driver (v1.2 - v3.3) or components for v2.3 - 11 years ago

Thank you! So does this require a Pololu, or is that optional? I'm surprised that the components can be that cheap, I've been looking at a lot more for the older designs. -Lars

by larsrc - Wanted

Want to buy: Reprap stepper motor driver (v1.2 - v3.3) or components for v2.3 - 11 years ago

I have been searching high and low for a RepRap stepper motor driver, version 1.2 through 3.3 (or the components for a v. 2.3), but everywhere I've found any, I've had to pay with PayPal, which is completely and frustratingly broken for me. Does anybody have one lying around they would be willing to sell me? I live in Germany, so within EU would be best. Thanks -Lars

by larsrc - Wanted

Re: Lost: Extruder for McWire RepStrap - 14 years ago

Yes, this one: Thank you! -Lars

by larsrc - General

How to prevent McWire Z stage from dropping? - 14 years ago

I have my McWire ready to go, all stages operational, but I'm worried about my Z stage and how easily the tubing slips off the motor. I didn't see anything that prevented this in the original design. What has people done to prevent a catastrophic drop? -Lars

by larsrc - Mechanics

Lost: Extruder for McWire RepStrap - 14 years ago

I turn my back for a moment (well, a couple months, in fact), and everything on the wiki moves around. I'm getting further along with my McWire RepStrap (Z stage almost ready), but when I went looking for an extruder, the normal McWire page that gave suggestions for every part is gone. Has it moved somewhere where I can't find it? What is the most common/simple/well-tested extruder for McWire? U

by larsrc - General

Re: Stepper Motor Driver 1.2 problems - 15 years ago

Do the LEDs change when you run the program? Does the heatsink heat up? Have you tried measuring what goes out to the motor? -Lars

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Noisy stepper motor driver - 15 years ago

Yes, I noticed when I got them that they looked significantly different from the ones. They were actually rather annoying as they nearly collide with the heat sink. I don't suppose them getting heating can be a problem? It's frustrating to see the drivers using power on heating the heatsink when the motor is idle. Is there a way around that? Does the 3rd gen electronics avoid that? Thanks -Lars

by larsrc - Controllers

Noisy stepper motor driver - 15 years ago

While trying to adjust my v1.2 stepper motor drivers for minimum power use (not just to use less power, but also to stop them from overheating when idle), I noticed that they gave off various kinds of noise at the most promising settings. Depending on the setting, it could be a high-pitched whine, a hissing noise or even a sound like a deflating tire (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VP2qARfJ7E).

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: New RepRap [Question] - 15 years ago

If you have a good drill and hacksaw, you can cut them yourself. Not gonna be as pretty, and you have to be fairly precise with some of the holes, but that's what I did (even having to move some holes due to different sized items), and it works.

by larsrc - Reprappers

RepStrap success in 2D - 15 years ago

I have a working 2D part of a RepStrap (holding off on the 3rd D since I want to play with lasers)! Did the first successful run yesterday, writing with a Sharpie, including a slightly distorted fractal. This thing is so nifty! Thanks to all who have designed and helped getting me here. Obligatory YouTube video. I suppose I need to adjust the power use, at the moment they just go at full power

by larsrc - Reprappers

Further power supply woes - 15 years ago

I still don't have a working power supply I bought two old IBM Server 330 mega-towers for about $5. I didn't fire up the one of them before taking it apart, so I don't actually know if the power supply from it works. The other one, however, works (I took about 8 gigs of old bank data off the RAID drives, audibly so, but even with the power on input wire shorted and a 1 Ohm resistor on 5V I get no

by larsrc - Controllers

Anybody tried maglev? - 15 years ago

Upon noticing that DealExtreme has rare earth magnets for very cheap, I've been thinking about making a Rep(St)Rap that uses magnetic levitation for its rails. We'd obviously still need side stabilization, for instance like what the McWire has, and we'd have to be careful about where we use ferromagnetic materials, but being able to reduce friction to zero would be interesting. Should make it pos

by larsrc - Mechanics

Re: A success - and a failure - 15 years ago

Whoops, got a .dk instead of a .com there. This should work better.

by larsrc - Reprappers

A success - and a failure - 15 years ago

I got my stepper motors to run for the first time today! Two motors got wired up and tested with two separate driver boards. Unfortunately, I seem to have blown the power supply since my switch broke off and caused a lot of flaky power. One step forward and one back...

by larsrc - Reprappers

Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago

So I swapped my power supply out with one my brother had lying around, and the new one works! Even better, it works without the 3.3V and 5V load resistors on it. One of my boards has a short, though, the other is fine. On a board that hasn't been connected to the Arduino, can one expect anything about how the bicolor LEDs will light up? The good board has only one of the lighting up. I'll connect

by larsrc - Controllers

Metric dimensions of McWire threaded rod - 15 years ago

The McWire instructions[1] calls for a 1/4" 20 threaded rod. The 1/4" would be the diameter, but what does the 20 mean? 20 threads per inch? In general, I am surprised that the instructions use imperial measurements throughout -- especially since some of them are obviously originally made in metric. I'd be happy to add metric if I could only register for the Wiki, but it doesn't send me to the r

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago

It happens with boths boards simultaneously plugged in, as well as with either of them alone. And with just a car bulb attached (12V 21/5W). In all cases with 10 Ohm 7W resistors on the 5 and 3.3 V lines. By now, I'll either have to buy a new power supply or open up this one and try to figure out what to cut/jumper to override the low load shutdown. There is also something up with at least one

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago

Tried with some 10ohm 7W resistors, both on 3.3V and 5V and on 3.3V and 12V (with the driver out of the loop). PSU still shuts down. Is very unhappy PSU, and I have had no luck finding a data sheet for it. I have measured many parts of the board and found not signs of a short. Stuck again

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago

Thank you. I do happen to have a good macro camera, so I'll have to try that, and do some testing of what's connected to what with a multimeter. I didn't know the power supply could shut itself off like that, but it makes sense and is probably a good thing! I already have fairly large heatsinks, but gotta try the potentiometers. -Lars

by larsrc - Controllers

Stepper motor drivers LEDs light up only briefly - 15 years ago

I just got my v 1.2 stepper motor drivers together, and figured out the secret trick for turning on the power supply (connect green wire with any black wire). However, when I attach the drivers for testing, all the LEDs light up for a moment then go out again. Repeatably. The power supply is an old Mitac X-145C which I haven't tried for any other electronics projects yet (pulled it out of my old

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: stepper motor question (again...) - 15 years ago

Sid, did those Sanyo motors work out for you? I see some on ebay.de (or are those yours that you're trying to get rid of? and wanted to hear if they're worth going for. Thanks in advance, -Lars Clausen

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Replacing SB360 with SR340? - 15 years ago

That's what we figured. Thank you, I'll go ahead and solder them on. -Lars

by larsrc - Controllers

Replacing SB360 with SR340? - 15 years ago

Hi! I was down at my Friendly Local Electronics Store for parts for the Stepper Motor Driver (v. 1.2). He didn't have the SB360 diodes, but said that for this purpose, SR340 diodes would do. Was he right? Are there any limitations I should know with this difference? Or should I take them back and order SB360ies over the net? Thanks in advance, -Lars

by larsrc - Controllers

Re: Driver PCBs wanted - 15 years ago

Thank you, but I found that Joachim Glauche already has some 1.2's lying around that he'll ship me. -Lars

by larsrc - Wanted

Re: Driver PCBs wanted - 15 years ago

Never mind, MakerBot has most of what I need. Most. They don't have the v. 1.2 stepper motor driver PCBs. Anybody got some of those to spare, or can make some? -Lars

by larsrc - Wanted

Stepper Motor v. 2.3 PCBs - 15 years ago

I accidentally ordered three Stepper Motor v. 2.3 PCBs when I meant v. 1.2. Anybody wants them? Anybody can swap them for som v. 1.2 PCBs (whether RepRap-made or not)? -Lars

by larsrc - For Sale