Ok need some serious help

[ThatOneGuy]

Hello everyone.

I recently acquired a Rostock MAX V1 from an instructor at my college. He at one time was able to print with it, but a student "wrecked" the printer and thats when he got me involved. I found a blown fuse on the Rambo (F2), and replaced it with one that he ordered online somewhere. Anyway, fast forward a bit. I had to also rebuild the hot end due to what he said "Run away temps". Completed the rebuild of the hot end, but still cannot control the temperature of it? I have played around in the Repetier-Host software and set the default temp to 150 degree's but it just passes that temp and keeps on going. I have to power the unit down in order to get it to stop/turnoff the heat.

My question is how do you load the firmware into the printer itself? I have downloaded Arduino 1.0.6 and configured the port and board type, but do not have a clue how to download the firmware from https://github.com/seemecnc/RostockMAX/ ... r/FIRMWARE and then upload that into the Rostock MAX printer. My belief is that there may be a conflict or incorrect parameters set in the firmware causing this? I check the thermistor and at room temp was averaging around 85 kOhm, and then when i would apply heat (used a digital read out soldering iron) it would steadily and rapidly decrease in resistance as it should have. Removed the heat source and the resistance would climb back up to around 85 kOhm.

I checked the leads from the thermistor on the hot end to the T0 socket on the Rambo and I have continuity all the way so no broken wires or anything there.

Issues:
1.) How do I wipe and reload the firmware to use v0.91? Step by step info would be awesome as I will be the first to admit that I am NOT a programmer, other then cnc machines, by any means.
2.) Could my temperature issues be caused by incorrect Firmware settings?
3.) Newest issue is now the LCD will power on but only shows 2 rows of "boxes" instead of any readouts like temp etc. This was working just earlier today?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I did read through the first 15 pages of the help/trouble-shooting section of the forum before posting here. Nothing really pointed me in any one direction or the other.

Equipment:
Rostock MAX V1
RAMBo
v.80 repetier firmware (thats what was shown on the LCD when it was working.)
Arduino 1.0.6
Repetier-Host v0.95F


Thanks in advance!

[Earthbound]

The downloads page on the SeeMeCNC website has the build manuals for both V1 and V2. The manuals have step by step directions for loading firmware and verifying temperature control. The steps in the newest manual for the V2 would be my suggestion since they are the most up to date software wise and the hardware differences should not be significant.

[ThatOneGuy]

I've read the most recent manual that was posted. Unless I missed it I didn't see where/how to load the firmware onto the Rambo? I'll check again. I stopped reading earlier because I was get fairly aggravated lol.

[Earthbound]

The most recent recent manual is the RMv2 2nd Edition. Software/driver/firmware starts on page 210.

[Eaglezsoar]

http://download.seemecnc.com/rostockmax ... dition.pdf
is the location for the latest version 2 manual.

[Captain Starfish]

Assuming you've already taken a snapshot of the EEPROM settings via Repetier Host - forgive my lack of trust, I do it with pen and paper...

Go to that web address.
Download and unpack the link for the firmware.
Open the .INO file in Arduino.
Config the Arduino to talk to your printer (make sure any host software is shut down, they will compete to use the same USB port).
Upload.

And now I see the problem, GitHUB is a @#$)(*@&$ when it comes to partial downloads. You'll need to back up a level from the link you supplied, from FIRMWARE to RostockMAX. Then you can Download Zip.

[ThatOneGuy]

Assuming you've already taken a snapshot of the EEPROM settings via Repetier Host - forgive my lack of trust, I do it with pen and paper...

Go to that web address.
Download and unpack the link for the firmware.
Open the .INO file in Arduino.
Config the Arduino to talk to your printer (make sure any host software is shut down, they will compete to use the same USB port).
Upload.

And now I see the problem, GitHUB is a @#$)(*@&$ when it comes to partial downloads. You'll need to back up a level from the link you supplied, from FIRMWARE to RostockMAX. Then you can Download Zip.

I do not have a backup unfortunately. This is going to be a fresh install it appears. I was able to communicate with the printer earlier but I am unable to do so now. I will do as you mentioned in your post. Thank you all for the help and I will post an update afterwards.

[ThatOneGuy]

Sweetness! Ok, so I did as you said and re-downloaded the Arduino files and uploaded to the printer, and Vee-oooh-la, she's alive again! Now I am gonna try the manual controls to see if the hot end will actually respond to the correct temp commands! Thank you and will update again.

[ThatOneGuy]

Interesting....

I brought up the Repetier-Host Software, opened the manual control tab and typed in a G28 (home) and pressed enter. 2 of the 3 axes went in the UP (+) direction, while the last one tried to plummet to its death. I stopped it before it could do any damage. I pushed the 3 axes back to the top where the switches are at, and tried again. It did the same thing. I was reading somewhere that it is possible to have an axis inverted? Is that correct?

EDIT** Also noticed that I still do not have temp control of the hot end?

[Earthbound]

You need to edit the Configuration.h file (part of the package that you opened in the Arduino environment) and change the direction of the offending axis.

Somewhere in Configuration.h you'll find

#define INVERT_X_DIR false // or true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR false // or true
#define INVERT_Z_DIR false // or true

Each of them could be true or false. Change the value of the axis that is running the wrong direction.

Then recompile/upload the firmware again. That will take care of it.

[ThatOneGuy]

You need to edit the Configuration.h file (part of the package that you opened in the Arduino environment) and change the direction of the offending axis.

Somewhere in Configuration.h you'll find

#define INVERT_X_DIR false // or true
#define INVERT_Y_DIR false // or true
#define INVERT_Z_DIR false // or true

Each of them could be true or false. Change the value of the axis that is running the wrong direction.

Then recompile/upload the firmware again. That will take care of it.

Awesome. Thank you! Will do this first thing in the morning. Would the settings for temp control also be here?

[Earthbound]

Regarding temp control...

What does LCD report for NOZ: temperature? You should not need to make any changes in the firmware for temperature control. With a fresh installation of Repetier 0.91 firmware, hot end thermistor should plug into T0 which is where you have it based on your initial post. If firmware can see it, then temperature should be shown by NOZ: on LCD.

I'm trying to narrow down the definition of the problem. Does display track the temperature rise just fine, but does not stop at target?

Did you run the CLEAR EEPROM routine shown in the manual? Might just be a bad value in the EEPROM leftover from previous owner tinkering. Clear EEPROM following the instructions in the manual, then see if you can run hot end autotune.

[ThatOneGuy]

The LCD does display the temp as it rises. It just doesn't stop at the setpoint. For my curiosity, I changed the default temp to 150 and then ran the auto tune PID via M303 S150. Still had no effect on it as it climbed well over 200 degrees.

I will run the the CLEAR EEPROM again later today and post what the results are.

Thanks again Earth for all the help

[Polygonhell]

There are only 2 things I can think of that would cause this,
If the bed and Hotend thermistors have the connections swapped at the RAMBO board.
Possibly some bad PID settings.
Can you show us a picture of the LCD when the Hotend is heating?

[jdurand]

Could also be a short on the heater driver so they're always on.

When I worked in a semiconductor fab building there was always fun with new equipment coming in. Start a pool on which part would be mis-wired and catch on fire first. I coined the term "The Fire of the Week" and got called into the managing director's office...he wasn't amused.

[Earthbound]

Worth asking the question...

Does the temp climb before you set a target temp, meaning that it fails to regulate to target, or does it climb from the moment the machine is powered up, which is a whole different issue?

[ThatOneGuy]

I will do my best to get/take short video clips so you all can see what's going on.

Here is the order of operations:
1.) I turn the printer on.
2.) Open Repetier-Host and verify the default temp is well below 200.
3.) Connect the Host software to the printer and open the Manual Tab.
4.) I verify a second time that the temp is set below 200. I set it at 150.
5.) I enter M303 S150 to run the autotune process but at 150 degrees instead of 200.
6.) Watch as the temperature climbs to 150 and then keeps on going.
7.) New symptom: even after turning the hot end off via the manual control screen, the hot end continues to heat up.
8.) Power down the printer.

I'll update asap and hopefully with pictures/video.

[ThatOneGuy]

Worth asking the question...

Does the temp climb before you set a target temp, meaning that it fails to regulate to target, or does it climb from the moment the machine is powered up, which is a whole different issue?

The temp does not climb until I tell it to. I am beginning to think there may be a problem with the driver circuit on the RAMBo itself, but I cannot confirm that yet.

[ThatOneGuy]

There are only 2 things I can think of that would cause this,
If the bed and Hotend thermistors have the connections swapped at the RAMBO board.
Possibly some bad PID settings.
Can you show us a picture of the LCD when the Hotend is heating?

I will get you a picture.

[Captain Starfish]

If it doesn't start climbing from room temperature until you tell it to, then the output driver on the RAMBo is likely just fine. A fault that causes a latch-on scenario with no damage is improbable. Not impossible, just very improbable.

Much more likely is something like the earlier suggestion by Polygonhell with swapped thermistor connections - ie the heater PID doesn't know it's at temperature so it keeps going.

Here's a thought: have you tried heating the bed to (say) 50º? If it does the same thing, swap your thermistor connections.

[Earthbound]

I will do my best to get/take short video clips so you all can see what's going on.

Here is the order of operations:
1.) I turn the printer on.
2.) Open Repetier-Host and verify the default temp is well below 200.
3.) Connect the Host software to the printer and open the Manual Tab.
4.) I verify a second time that the temp is set below 200. I set it at 150.
5.) I enter M303 S150 to run the autotune process but at 150 degrees instead of 200.
6.) Watch as the temperature climbs to 150 and then keeps on going.
7.) New symptom: even after turning the hot end off via the manual control screen, the hot end continues to heat up.
8.) Power down the printer.

I'll update asap and hopefully with pictures/video.

Ignoring autotune for a moment, unplug the printer from your computer. Using the LCD panel, can you turn the hot end on and off successfully from the AdjustTemps function? Does it still latch on when controlled locally? If so, really sounds like MOSFET is misbehaving.

I wondered about swapped thermistor leads, too. But since the NOZ display is showing the temperature rise, I think that validates the correct thermistor is being read.

[ThatOneGuy]

My apologies for not updating. I've been extremely busy with work, finals and holiday shopping for my baby grandson. Lol.

I'll post something tonight or tomorrow. Thank you all for you continued support.

[ThatOneGuy]

Okay,
Sorry for the gap in communications, but I am just now able to spend some time with the printer again. I am going to attach 3 pictures showing:
1.) What the Printer LCD indicates at start up

Rostock at startup

2.) The bed with a command to heat up to 55 degree's. (LCD)

Bed heat command of 55 Degree's

3.) The bed reaching and maintaining the 55 degree set-point. (LCD)

Bed reached/maintaining 55 degree's

I had a thought today. I am going to try and swap the hot end leads from the Extruder 1 terminals to the Extruder 0 terminals and see what that does. I was poking through the manual controls mounted on the printer and saw that Extruder 0 is the only one that is displayed under the "Adjust Temps" section. I am wondering if this may be the problem? Possibly being caused by a conflict between Firmware settings and real-world configurations? (I know CNC machines do not like these differences). However this raises another question of why would Extruder 1 be outputting power if Extruder 0 is selected in the firmware? Do they both output power at the same time?

I know, I have a lot more questions then I do answers and I apologize for that.

Thank you all again for your help.

[ThatOneGuy]

!!!!!EUREKA!!!!!

Okay, here is what I did. I swapped the Hot End/Extruder leads from the Extruder 1 Heat terminals to the Extruder 0 Heat terminals and via the Printer controls, (The LCD and knob) went to the Adjust Temp section. Set it to heat at 150 Degree's and the extruder began to heat up. I was rather apprehensive as I watched it climb because it was doing so very quickly. When it hit approx 145-150 degree's the climb began to slow and eventually came to a stop at approx 165.7 degree's. At this point the temp began to lower until reaching the 149.5-150.5 degree's and then stabilized and has been maintaining this temp for about 10 minutes without issue.

Wow, what a relief! It definitely was a wiring issue, but all i had to go on was the Instructor's advice/input so I could not have known this prior to now. Again, thank you all so much for everything! Now I am going to change the configuration.h file to correct the direction of one of my servo's and then begin the process of tuning and printing! Wish me luck!

[ThatOneGuy]

Okay,

Here is my first print. I didn't notice until AFTER the print had started that the Program was setup for PLA and not ABS. I just let it finish printing to see what it would look like. Definitely need some tuning and program edits to make it right.