Stymied by Extruder Controller v2.2 (gen3)

We built 2 Gen3 Extruder Controller boards (v2.2). Neither seem to be working.

We were able to successfully load the firmware (20100806 version) onto them, at least arduino IDE says "upload done". When we connect them to the motherboard, and watch the console in the reprap software, the following happens:

One board only reports T2 for the temp, and does not change even if we bridge the thermistor input.

The other board reads T875 when we bridge the thermistor input, which would lead us to believe it's working- but neither board will turn the attached stepper.

With both extruder boards, the stepper emits a quiet whine when connected, but doesn't have the same "holding" torque that the same stepper has when connected to the stepper controller board. These same steppers work fine with the Gen3 stepper motor driver, so we don't think the stepper is the problem. We believe the data connection to the mobo is working, since we can get temp from at least one of the extruder boards.

One possibility is that we are only sending ~10V from a very old ATX PSU. This same PSU works fine with the stepper controller- but maybe 10V isn't enough for the extruder controller? Another thought is that in following the instructions on reprap website to test the extruder board, they only seem to be testing that the temp sensor is returning a number to the mobo- so is it reasonable to assume that hooking up a stepper to the board would let us see it turning when instructed to extrude from reprap software?

Or is there some other feedback mechanism that would keep the stepper from turning in this configuration?

We are stuck, and don't know what to do, or test. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

-Tom and Scott: stymied in Portland

Very first port of call would be to ensure you have connected the SDA/SCL on the motherboard to the D10/D9 pins on the extruder controller.

see the wiring schematic

If that does not work then perhaps see the troubles I had and the path I followed to isolate the issue here.

good luck

Thanks for your help AgegingHippy!

We started poking around and realized that we never connected SDA/SCL on the mobo to D10/D9 on the extruder controller!

What a simple thing, but without watching the entire wiring video, we were completely unaware that this was required! I wish the build instructions for mendel made this more clear, and I wish the list of parts included the wiring and connectors to go between the boards.

We now have a full set of working electronics.

Thanks again.

-Tom and Scott

Hi Tom

Your'e welcome. Pleased I could help someone rather than always asking for help

To be fair, the wiring schematic does indicate the connections.

But many people miss that connection so don't feel too bad.

I just wish that had been my problem lol

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/30/2010 04:47AM by AgeingHippy.

[objects.reprap.org]

Can somebody please make a note on that page saying that to run a stepper one needs to add sda/scl for dir and step?
Because this seems to be a somewhat repetitive issue.
So we can avoid this in future.

seems this has already been done - it is the last line of the section on testing the extruder controller.

Last update is 28/11 so could have been done then.

when some1 occasionally asks me when i need some stuff done and i reply: "yesterday" ...
i never would of figured that it will ever happen to be done "the day before yesterday" .... (we are now on 30th) .... hahaha now that was fast !!!