Z axis problem

Can you post the gcode?

Best to stick with my sample gcode on the basics page for testing, no heating required. https://www.v1engineering.com/estlcam-basics/

Do you want the stl fill that I am printing off of because I just got it off of thingiverse?

So I made the gcode with estlcam and it work. I drew a beautiful picture of a star. Can I not just put a stl file in repetier host? Do I have to put it though a program to convert it to gcode?

If you’re 3D printing it, then you need to slice it. If you’re carving it, then you need to CAM it.

Repetier host can use slic3r or cura (it’s been a while, but they used to, at least) to slice an stl into gcode. I did that for a while, but I much prefer using slic3r directly, because you can manage it better.

But you have to slice or CAM your objects into gcode.

Ok thanks I didn’t realize that I had to slice it because I use Cura usually and I guess they do it automatically.

Ok so I did some test prints and everything was fine the prints came out good. I decided to try and put on some end stops. I know Vicious doesn’t support end stops but I was wondering If anyone else could help me. So I plugged in a end stop to the X max port that is says on the attached picture. I then turn the MPCNC back on and it went pop and the green plug on the ramps 1.4 started smoking I then turned it off and then since then I have turned it back on and have been seeing if a board is fried or anything. If I just turn on the outlet power nothing happens except the always on fan turns on which makes since because it is connected to the power supply. When I plug the ardunio into my computer the LCD turns on and I have tested everything and it seems to be all working when it is plugged into my computer. The only thing I haven’t done is try and print any thing. Would anyone be able to tell me if it is still even safe to use, did I plug in the end stop wrong, or what happened even?

Sounds like you wired power and ground, endstops use signal and ground.

Hopefully you only pooped that one endstop port. Unplug it and make sure everything works.

 

I forgot to mention I have unplugged the endstop and tested everything as said in my last post. However when I just power it though the outlet not from my computer the LCD screen does not light up.

I don’t really understand the power ground and signal ground could you explain that?

Some endstops require power and are wired on their end to not fry the board. Something like a optical endstop or hall effect type stop. We just use the signal and ground wires to close a mechanical switch loop.

There are three pins for each endstop. Power, Ground, and signal. You want to connect your endstop to ground and signal, and leave the power alone. Ryan’s theory is that you connected your endstop to power and ground, which would mean a short. Since the endstop has no resistance (it’s a switch) you basically connected power straight to ground, so a LOT of current went from power to ground, which heated up that entire pathway, which is what caused the smoke. If nothing was trashed, you were very lucky. A fire was next.

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Ok wow. I am very lucky. So you wouldn’t recommend trying to put on end stops again?

Ok wow. I am very lucky. So you wouldn’t recommend trying to put on end stops again?

Well, you just wired the incorrectly. Can you see any melted parts? Especially the connectors?

If you want endstops and nothing was damaged, then you can try it again, you just have to be careful to wire it up right. I’m guessing you don’t have 0 damage. Does it power up ok if you don’t have anything connected to the usb?

I don’t see any melted parts. If I don’t plug the USB into my computer and just turn outlet power on then the LCD screen doesnt light up so I can’t tell if anything works from just the outlet power.

I did research the end stop position and I though that the two pins closest to the inside of the board were the right ones. Is this not correct?

 

Ok, then the regulator on the Arduino is toast. That converts the 12V power to 5V for the electronics. When you have the USB connected, the electronics are powered by the USB.

I don’t have the schematic in front of me, but there is a little ‘s’ for signal ‘+’ for power and ‘-’ for ground on the ramps board, I think. You want s and -.

 

Yeah, looks like the pins closer to the middle are power and ground.

The regulator is near the green plug. So that’s probably the smoke you saw.

You can either:

  • always connect us power.
  • replace the Arduino mega with another one
  • desolder and resolder a new 5V regulator. I think Ryan sells them. I would only recommend that if you have soldering experience.

Ok thanks I am really stupid. I think at least for now I am just going to always connect usb power because I would do it anyways. So I am assuming that the positive cord goes on the signal?