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Solved Using generic RAMPS 1.4 board; do I need to edit the firmware?

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016.

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  1. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    I've recently replaced the RAMPS board on my R1+ with a generic board, and while everything else seems to work fine, my heated bed no longer heats up. I can read the temperature, but when I tell MatterControl to heat the bed, nothing happens. The LED for D8 on the RAMPS board doesn't light up, either.

    Could this be a firmware problem? I have re-flashed the firmware with the official latest release for R1+., but that didn't seem to fix anything. Might I have to make a change in configuration.h, rebuild and upload?

    Thanks.
     
    #1 doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016
  2. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Not firmware. Either a bad RAMPS or it is not wired exactly right. I assume you referred to @Geof thread on how to do this?
     
    #2 mark tomlinson, Oct 15, 2016
  3. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    I did, and side note, a huge thanks to @Geof for making that very helpful post. In any case, my fears are probably correct, I bought a bad RAMPS board, since everything else seems to line up with those instructions. Thanks
     
    #3 doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016
  4. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    What temp do you show on the heat bed not heated ?

    Your welcome i did the writing @mark tomlinson is the brains behind the post and held my hand through it all
     
    #4 Geof, Oct 15, 2016
  5. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    The bed shows about 18.5° C, same as the extruder when it's not heating. So I'm guessing the bed thermistor is fine, maybe just a problem with D8 on the board?
     
    #5 doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016
  6. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    it could be. Are you using the stock thermistor for the hotend?
     
    #6 Geof, Oct 15, 2016
  7. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    Yes - though I'm using a new hotend I bought from Robo3D, so it's "stock" in that sense.
     
    #7 doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016
  8. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    ok. So the hotend and bed use the same thermistor type. You can swap the heatbed wires to the hotend, tell it to preheat. Dont let it go over 60 just see if it starts heating. If it does start to heat you have a ramps issue. This is a very drastic way to check and could damage things so it may be better to inspect the connections, but I have done it.

    Did you install the heatsink on Q3?

    Check the voltage on the powersupply to D8

    be careful with any of the suggestions as they can damage things.
     
    #8 Geof, Oct 15, 2016
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  9. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    Great, will do - thanks for all the help! And the heatsink is installed on Q3.
     
    #9 doctorjay, Oct 15, 2016
  10. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    No problem. Ask any questions if you have them, happy to help out.
     
    #10 Geof, Oct 15, 2016
  11. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    Thanks, and since you offered, now I've got another question:

    I've installed the replacement RAMPS board (well, the replacement for the replacement). I've connected the printer via USB, and both temperatures are showing around 180 degrees. The heaters aren't on, so that can't be right. Any ideas why this might be happening? The previous board was at least showing the correct temperature.
     
    #11 doctorjay, Oct 16, 2016
  12. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Thermistors are connected incorrectly
    Thermistor types are set incorrectly in firmware (probably not the case if they read correctly before).

    not that you want to here this, but of course, it could always be a bad RAMPS :)
     
    #12 mark tomlinson, Oct 16, 2016
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  13. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    That sounds like thermistor issues. Double check they are seated on the correct pins. Its easy to miss.

    Edit : @mark tomlinson so fast!
     
    #13 Geof, Oct 16, 2016
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  14. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    It looks like I'm reading around 170 degrees on both thermistors whether or not they're plugged in. So, I'm guessing it's another bad RAMPS board, just bad in a different way. Looks like I'll have to try yet another board... maybe a more reliable brand than Random Amazon Seller.

    Thanks to both of you for your help.
     
    #14 doctorjay, Oct 16, 2016
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  15. Geof

    Geof Volunteer Moderator
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    yea I would imagine so. you can look at the solder on the back of the board for those pins and see what they look like. shorted, not soldered, etc.
     
    #15 Geof, Oct 16, 2016
  16. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    Just for everyone's entertainment: I've installed a third replacement RAMPS board. This time the thermistors work, heaters work, in fact everything works except the X-axis stepper (which did work on the previous board). I'm starting to suspect that some parts supplier somewhere is deliberately, methodically messing with me.
     
    #16 doctorjay, Oct 19, 2016
  17. danzca6

    danzca6 Well-Known Member

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    ok...so where are you buying these boards?
     
    #17 danzca6, Oct 19, 2016
  18. doctorjay

    doctorjay New Member

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    Various Amazon vendors. They've all been $8.99 or $9.99 - maybe I need to spend more for a better manufacturer? Or maybe the problem is elsewhere, but the X axis worked for the previous board, just a few days ago.
     
    #18 doctorjay, Oct 19, 2016
  19. danzca6

    danzca6 Well-Known Member

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    does the x just do nothing at all or is it making noise?

    btw, I just bought this kit for a backup and the full graphics controller today from amazon - https://amzn.com/B016D6DSBW. I believe Mark and Geof have bought the same brand and have had good luck with it. Super cheap. Hopefully it all works when I get it Friday.
     
    #19 danzca6, Oct 19, 2016
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  20. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I spent about $15 each (Ramps/Arduino pairs for roughly 30 dollars*) and never had a problem with one, BUT you are not the first to have an issue with bad boards. I usually stick with Prime vendors and if these are make sure you open a ticket to complain.


    *I believe I got sainsmart ones last time -- they had a combo kit.
     
    #20 mark tomlinson, Oct 19, 2016
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