Stepper motors wont work

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:07 am

I fully assembled and turned on my rostock max last night, and got the drivers and software installed,i then wen through the matter control set up, then came time for homing the printer. I pressed the home button in anticipation....and nothing. I went back and updated the settings for the define motor current, and still no results. Ive gone over the motor connections and they are as deep in as they can go, so i don't think they are loose. I know its unlikely for all of the motors to be bad, so this is most likely a simple fix, i just have no idea where to start, and from the looks of it, this is not a common problem, so wat do?

also, before messing with the define current, everything else worked, afterwards, the lcd screen will not read out the temp, and says def on both. On matter control, my bed temp says it is 369 degrees Celsius, Which is certainty not right. Hurray for problems!

Edit; well, now the temp readout decided to work, it seems like it occasional forgets a decimal, which is still a problem...

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:00 am

hmm as far as the read out goes its being tempermental, but i think it has something to do with the heating bed being to hot, as it happened when it hit 80. still nothing with the motors

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:22 am

I honestly have no idea what to do, and it is quite frustrating, any suggestions would be amazing

Post by **geneb** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:47 am

If the thermistors show "def", one or both of them are not connected properly. The temperature display is never "tempermental". If it's showing weird values, there's something going on with the thermistors or their wiring.

I would suggest carefully checking the thermistor wiring.

If none of the motors work, there's a wiring problem or you've got a blown fuse.

g.

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:22 pm

How do I find out if it is a blown fuse,and how should I go about fixing it?

Post by **Eaglezsoar** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 4:42 pm

You need to have a multimeter or borrow one. Turn off the printer and unplug it.
You need to find the two small fuses as shown in this picture.

Carefully remove the two small fuses and measure their resistance, a good fuse should have 0 ohms, a blown fuse will show infinite ohms (an open condition)
If one of the fuses is blown it will have to be replaced. See this link for where to get the fuse. I recommend that you buy some spares.
http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2243

kevo3 wrote:How do I find out if it is a blown fuse,and how should I go about fixing it?

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 8:45 pm

Eaglezsoar wrote:You need to have a multimeter or borrow one. Turn off the printer and unplug it.
You need to find the two small fuses as shown in this picture.

Rambo Fuses.jpg
Carefully remove the two small fuses and measure their resistance, a good fuse should have 0 ohms, a blown fuse will show infinite ohms (an open condition)
If one of the fuses is blown it will have to be replaced. See this link for where to get the fuse. I recommend that you buy some spares.
http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2243

kevo3 wrote:How do I find out if it is a blown fuse,and how should I go about fixing it?

what could have blown the fuse? it looks like some solder on the rambo fan wires came loose and they were touching, could this be it? If not, i will need to find what it is so it doesnt blow more. Along with this, couldn't i simply switch the two fuses and retest it with the solder repaired?

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:05 pm

This is the loose solder, I've got no idea how this mess passed over me but I'm suffering the consequences. Ive reheated the solder and redone it and they are now separate. Am I out of the woods, or no? Also, please dont kill me over the terrible (understatement) solder job, ive learned my lesson for lazy soldering.

Xenocrates · Post by **Xenocrates** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:54 pm

If the LCD still lights, you're likely out of the woods there. Does it still show DEF for the temperatures? If so, recheck your wiring end to end, as well as the resistance of your thermistor.

You can likely swap it, but if the LCD was lighting, you haven't blown the logic fuse. I might suggest checking your connectors are facing the right way on the rambo, but I think they are biased (I haven't had the front off in a bit).

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 10:59 pm

Xenocrates wrote:If the LCD still lights, you're likely out of the woods there. Does it still show DEF for the temperatures? If so, recheck your wiring end to end, as well as the resistance of your thermistor.

You can likely swap it, but if the LCD was lighting, you haven't blown the logic fuse. I might suggest checking your connectors are facing the right way on the rambo, but I think they are biased (I haven't had the front off in a bit).

Ive just finished unplugging the mess of wires and am about to plug them back in and turn it on. I dont have anything to test the thermisitors, but i will check over the wires, i feel like it has to do with the soldering, as you can see from the above pics, im not very good at that.As far as the motors, i could understand one, but all of them needing to be the opposite direction? that seems unlikely, but alas, im out of options, so that will be next. Also, if it helps any, the rambo fan (the badly solderd one) Has yet to turn on once

Xenocrates · Post by **Xenocrates** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:05 pm

If they are plugged in backwards consistently, then they will all fail to work, as it isn't quite a difference between forwards and backwards, but rather semi-specific signals to each wire. I do wish I could be of more help to you, but alas, none of us are clairvoyant yet.

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:07 pm

Xenocrates wrote:If they are plugged in backwards consistently, then they will all fail to work, as it isn't quite a difference between forwards and backwards, but rather semi-specific signals to each wire. I do wish I could be of more help to you, but alas, none of us are clairvoyant yet.

I would also like to apologize for my lack of ability to describe the issues, as my rank says, im still quite the "noob"

Xenocrates · Post by **Xenocrates** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:09 pm

Actually, your rank is now Plasticator. But it's not so much you can't describe the issue, but that you don't know what it is. If you knew what it was, then you could fix it. As it stands, you have teething troubles, and don't have any experience with how things are supposed to be going.

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:11 pm

Xenocrates wrote:Actually, your rank is now Plasticator. But it's not so much you can't describe the issue, but that you don't know what it is. If you knew what it was, then you could fix it. As it stands, you have teething troubles, and don't have any experience with how things are supposed to be going.

Quite true, im plugging those steppers in the way i had it before to test them, if they wont work, imma try it the way you said to

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:22 pm

kevo3 wrote:
Xenocrates wrote:Actually, your rank is now Plasticator. But it's not so much you can't describe the issue, but that you don't know what it is. If you knew what it was, then you could fix it. As it stands, you have teething troubles, and don't have any experience with how things are supposed to be going.
Quite true, im plugging those steppers in the way i had it before to test them, if they wont work, imma try it the way you said to

done with the rearranging and.... nothing, still as dead as before

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Sun Dec 13, 2015 11:50 pm

RESUTS!! just not neccesaritly the good kind... i turned on the printer and the lcd screen lit up as usual, fan in the back also on, all is dandy despite not being usuable... so i power it down/ unplug it and pull out f3 and f2 fuses and switch them out,and turn it on,the fan comes on, but as far as the lcd goes, nothing. I of courrse have a mini heart attack thinking ive killed the board, gather my self, reverse my actions and retry with the fuses back in place. Turned on the printer with fingers crossed and tadaa, lcd screen on. I believe you had mistaken which fuse did what, as i think the f2 fuse controls/regulates only the motors....The down side? after i switched fuses the first time the printer would not connect, so i could not test the motors. eh, at least its obvious f2 is dead, so now i just gotta order another... and some extras...

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:04 am

Fuses on order, now i just have to wait a few days. I will update IMMEDIATLY when i change them out so if any one else is trying to trouble shoot a similar problem.

nitewatchman · Post by **nitewatchman** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:17 am

kevo3 wrote:RESUTS!! just not neccesaritly the good kind... i turned on the printer and the lcd screen lit up as usual, fan in the back also on, all is dandy despite not being usuable... so i power it down/ unplug it and pull out f3 and f2 fuses and switch them out,and turn it on,the fan comes on, but as far as the lcd goes, nothing. I of courrse have a mini heart attack thinking ive killed the board, gather my self, reverse my actions and retry with the fuses back in place. Turned on the printer with fingers crossed and tadaa, lcd screen on. I believe you had mistaken which fuse did what, as i think the f2 fuse controls/regulates only the motors....The down side? after i switched fuses the first time the printer would not connect, so i could not test the motors. eh, at least its obvious f2 is dead, so now i just gotta order another... and some extras...

F2 protects the motor steppers, F3 protects MOSFETS for fans, hot ends and supplies logic. If the steppers are not running the most likely source is the F2 fuse. Since you changed fuses and the Logic shut down (no LCD, no RAMBO lights) the F2 fuse was bad. First step is to go over the connectors for ALL the motors (including extruder) at the RAMBO interface. Especially look for whiskers straying from the connectors. If there are any other splices of connectors downstream take a good look at those also. Looks also at connections like the fan connection to the board. THEN make sure the printer is powered down and replace the F2 fuse. Power up and if the motors now move the problem has moved another step towards the end goal. If the fuse opens there is still likely a wiring problem.

Good luck and keep spare fuses! Also buy a cheap VOM.

gary

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:37 am

nitewatchman wrote:
kevo3 wrote:RESUTS!! just not neccesaritly the good kind... i turned on the printer and the lcd screen lit up as usual, fan in the back also on, all is dandy despite not being usuable... so i power it down/ unplug it and pull out f3 and f2 fuses and switch them out,and turn it on,the fan comes on, but as far as the lcd goes, nothing. I of courrse have a mini heart attack thinking ive killed the board, gather my self, reverse my actions and retry with the fuses back in place. Turned on the printer with fingers crossed and tadaa, lcd screen on. I believe you had mistaken which fuse did what, as i think the f2 fuse controls/regulates only the motors....The down side? after i switched fuses the first time the printer would not connect, so i could not test the motors. eh, at least its obvious f2 is dead, so now i just gotta order another... and some extras...
F2 protects the motor steppers, F3 protects MOSFETS for fans, hot ends and supplies logic. If the steppers are not running the most likely source is the F2 fuse. Since you changed fuses and the Logic shut down (no LCD, no RAMBO lights) the F2 fuse was bad. First step is to go over the connectors for ALL the motors (including extruder) at the RAMBO interface. Especially look for whiskers straying from the connectors. If there are any other splices of connectors downstream take a good look at those also. Looks also at connections like the fan connection to the board. THEN make sure the printer is powered down and replace the F2 fuse. Power up and if the motors now move the problem has moved another step towards the end goal. If the fuse opens there is still likely a wiring problem.

Good luck and keep spare fuses! Also buy a cheap VOM.

gary

Thank you for the advice, im glad it was simply a fuse instead of a seriously important(irreplaceable) part. IM not sure if you saw but i had a bit of solder come loose on the rambo fans wires, and they were essentially hugging eatchother, could this be the source of my sorrows? or is this fan not connected to f2 at all? either way i fixed it but if thats not connected, then im in for a long night of looking at wires for cross connections.

nitewatchman · Post by **nitewatchman** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:48 am

kevo3 wrote:
nitewatchman wrote:
kevo3 wrote:RESUTS!! just not neccesaritly the good kind... i turned on the printer and the lcd screen lit up as usual, fan in the back also on, all is dandy despite not being usuable... so i power it down/ unplug it and pull out f3 and f2 fuses and switch them out,and turn it on,the fan comes on, but as far as the lcd goes, nothing. I of courrse have a mini heart attack thinking ive killed the board, gather my self, reverse my actions and retry with the fuses back in place. Turned on the printer with fingers crossed and tadaa, lcd screen on. I believe you had mistaken which fuse did what, as i think the f2 fuse controls/regulates only the motors....The down side? after i switched fuses the first time the printer would not connect, so i could not test the motors. eh, at least its obvious f2 is dead, so now i just gotta order another... and some extras...
F2 protects the motor steppers, F3 protects MOSFETS for fans, hot ends and supplies logic. If the steppers are not running the most likely source is the F2 fuse. Since you changed fuses and the Logic shut down (no LCD, no RAMBO lights) the F2 fuse was bad. First step is to go over the connectors for ALL the motors (including extruder) at the RAMBO interface. Especially look for whiskers straying from the connectors. If there are any other splices of connectors downstream take a good look at those also. Looks also at connections like the fan connection to the board. THEN make sure the printer is powered down and replace the F2 fuse. Power up and if the motors now move the problem has moved another step towards the end goal. If the fuse opens there is still likely a wiring problem.

Good luck and keep spare fuses! Also buy a cheap VOM.

gary
Thank you for the advice, im glad it was simply a fuse instead of a seriously important(irreplaceable) part. IM not sure if you saw but i had a bit of solder come loose on the rambo fans wires, and they were essentially hugging eatchother, could this be the source of my sorrows? or is this fan not connected to f2 at all? either way i fixed it but if thats not connected, then im in for a long night of looking at wires for cross connections.

I saw that and suspect that this was likely the issue. I don't know specifically where the voltage to the fan is sourced from but it would make sense that F3 would protect it. Suggested being anal about the wiring because my recent short in the F3 kingdom took several hours and five fuses to resolve.

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:55 am

Well, well know for sure within the next week if that was it, considering that the f3 fuse that i moved to f2 didnt blow, im assuming that was the issue, or i just got lucky.

Post by **Eaglezsoar** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:06 pm

kevo3 wrote:Well, well know for sure within the next week if that was it, considering that the f3 fuse that i moved to f2 didnt blow, im assuming that was the issue, or i just got lucky.

I think that you don't give yourself enough credit, it took good troubleshooting skills to find all the problems you had.
A job well done!

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 3:14 pm

Eaglezsoar wrote:
kevo3 wrote:Well, well know for sure within the next week if that was it, considering that the f3 fuse that i moved to f2 didnt blow, im assuming that was the issue, or i just got lucky.
I think that you don't give yourself enough credit, it took good troubleshooting skills to find all the problems you had.
A job well done!

Well thank you, that certainly made my monday! Now if only i can get the printer running...

kevo3 · Post by **kevo3** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 11:04 pm

In the process of trying to fix the thermisistor issue, i think i may have either fried the hot end, or badly messed up the wire crimp. The black wire came out of its crimp and refused to go back in due to the crimp still being halfway closed, After reinserting it, i tested the hot end, bu the temp stayed right at 27-30. So, did i fry my hot end? or is this the thermisistor acting up? or simply a case of bad wiring? also, i need a way to get that crimp off without damaging the heating element wires, as they've already become slightly weakened. Also, no fuses yet. Still in Tennessee...

Post by **Eaglezsoar** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 11:10 am

kevo3 wrote:In the process of trying to fix the thermisistor issue, i think i may have either fried the hot end, or badly messed up the wire crimp. The black wire came out of its crimp and refused to go back in due to the crimp still being halfway closed, After reinserting it, i tested the hot end, bu the temp stayed right at 27-30. So, did i fry my hot end? or is this the thermisistor acting up? or simply a case of bad wiring? also, i need a way to get that crimp off without damaging the heating element wires, as they've already become slightly weakened. Also, no fuses yet. Still in Tennessee...

I hope by now that you have gotten the crimp off and if not I would use long nose pliers to hold it and use something to cut the crimp in half length wise like a dremel tools or sharp pair of wire nippers.
Once you get the crimp off you can do the hotend again (rewire it) at the hotend. Inspect the thermistor and make sure that it did not come out of it's hole. If you need to troubleshoot the thermistor you should
turn off all power and disconnect the thermistor. Using an ohmmeter you should read approximately 100K ohms across the thermistor at room temperature.
Please let us know that you have it working again.

Welcome to the SeeMeCNC Community

Stepper motors wont work

Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work

Re: Stepper motors wont work