Help with GRBL on a RAMPS 1.6 board - DOA

I’m still having trouble trying to get a ramps 1.6 board running grbl on my MPCNC. The steppers never come on. I must be really missing the big picture here. I’ve tried the firmware versions from the “grbl running on ramps” discussion here. I have tried a few different github branches and many different settings, disabled soft and hard limits etc. Nothing at all.
The strange and frustrating thing is that everything works perfectly with Marlin. So I assume I’m all wired correctly with the exception of maybe the limit switches. What am I missing here? Can someone share their configs, wiring and overall big picture setup? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I noticed there are 2 rows of pins where the steppers plug in. Should I try the other set for grbl?

So, is anyone else successfuly running a ramps board with grbl dual endstops?

Hi Paul, I´m woking without any problem with this grbl version:

Comment config.h - 178 line (Z home) if you don´t have z endstop.

If your problems are in the endstops, this version is configured to work with (NO) endstops.

Try it and tell me.

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thank you for this version of GRBL. I’m only getting one motor to work on each axis. I have two for each axis. Is there a setting I need to change? I’m really confused with the pin assignments when trying to compare how Marlin does it. Is there a pin mapping between Marlin and GRBL ?

Hi, in this version each steper has a driver, you can see the wiring in doc folder. Anyway all the wiring is the same like marlin wiring. You only have to upload the program and config it with the $$ commands.
In the first post I hace uploaded my grbl config.
To work with grbl you have to install UGS or a similar gcode sender.

So if I unplug my endstops (NO) and it already works with Marlin & cncjs, then all steppers should work. But they don’t. Why would ONLY X1 Y1 and Z1 work. X2 Y2 and Z2 are locked on but no motion.

Type $$ in your console and paste here your $ configuration.
Then I will help you

Z2 motor??

This has been the most frustrating setup I have ever encountered. It is really driving me crazy. I hate asking for help but honestly your the first person to really follow up with my problem. I have posted several different times and places. Much appreciated.
I have done lots of programming/electronics from setting up a mesh network of ESP8266’s to configuring Grafana to monitor my solar battery monitor. How can Marlin work “out of the box” and GRBL cause me to rip my hair out? I have a hard time giving up on things like this.

Below are my settings you requested.
here is what I did:
I unzipped
Grbl—MPCNC—Autosquare-MPCNC-Autosquare-Laser firmware.
Changed
#define INVERT_MIN_LIMIT_PIN_MASK ((1<<AXIS_1) | (1<<AXIS_2) | (1<<AXIS_4) | (1<<AXIS_5))

No motors what-so-ever

These are the typed in settings

$0=10
$1=255
$2=0
$3=21
$4=0
$5=1
$6=0
$10=3
$11=0.020
$12=0.002
$13=0
$20=0
$21=1
$22=1
$23=31
$24=200.000
$25=2000.000
$26=200
$27=1.000
$30=12000
$31=0
$32=0
$100=200.000
$101=200.000
$102=400.000
$103=200.000
$104=200.000
$110=4500.000
$111=4500.000
$112=800.000
$113=4500.000
$114=4500.000
$120=50.000
$121=50.000
$122=50.000
$123=50.000
$124=50.000
$130=850.000
$131=600.000
$132=100.000
$133=850.000
$134=600.000
$140=135.000
$141=135.000
$142=135.000
$143=135.000
$144=135.000
$150=0.000
$151=0.000
$152=0.000
$153=0.000
$154=0.000
ok
$G
[GC:G0 G54 G17 G21 G90 G94 M5 M9 T0 F0 S0]
ok

FWIW, grbl works out of the box on the official hardware. This is a fork to work on ramps.

So are you saying this forum is really only for the “official” hardware? That would explain the difficulty I’m having in getting someone to hang in there with me through my troubles.
thanks

Oh no, definitely not. But how much help do you expect if <1% of the users here have tried that software? I specifically try to help people who use unofficial hardware, and if I knew how to help you, I would.

Hi Paul, I will try to help you, what you have changed is not necessary. First comment the line:

Upload grbl, then you have to modify $$ parámetros( $3 and $23 to choose tour axis direction).

Take a look here:

My motors won’t even make a noise. Shouldn’t I hear motors engage when I clear eeprom, upload your firmware and then apply power without changing any settings at all.

They won’t be enabled until you send a move command.

Tried jogging and homing. But again, I switch to Marlin and it works flawlessly

Hi, First of all, grbl doesnt works with repetier, you have to install Universal gcode sender or CNC.js.
grbl doesnt work like marlin. Once you have uploaded grbl you have to type $$. In $$ you have all your machines config. So if you dont config your machine, It wont work.

Most important parameters are $3 and $23.
These works like:

 X1,Y1,Z,X2,Y2.       (X1 and X2 always have the same number, Y1 and Y2 have the same too)
  1    1  0   1    1  =   27

You only have to type $23=27 (axis) or $3 = 27(homing).
After this unlock your machine ($X) and try to move the axis, if some axis goes in the wrong direction, change $23.
When they go well try do homing. ($H), if some axis goes in wrong direction change $3.
If you are working with universal gcode sender I can send you my parameters ( easiest).
All grbl command are explained in grbl wiki.

I’ve entered all the parameters I listed in a previous post using bCNC. I switched to CNCjs also with the same result. Nothing. I’ve tried different $3 and $23 but isn’t that pointless until the motors move?

I’ll try using UGS now. so if you could please send your $$ configuration that would be great. Would it also help if you also sent your config.h?
Thanks
Paul

Did you wire everything correct? Perhaps post a good picture of your wired board?
Also make sure that the axis in lines 71/75 of config.h (axis 4 and 5) are named X and Y (In my journey i came across some versions where they are named D and E)

Cheers/Kees

Everything works under Marlin. Yes my 4 and 5 are x and y