When is it necessary to setup multiple "E0 E1 E2" steps and what is the format?

I am using the following setup.
RUMBA controller
Diamond hot end
Marlin 1.1.0-RC-8
Repetier-Host V1.6.2

I have noticed that when I start Repetier-Host the "E" specification is not transferred from the firmware.

Is this normal for am I not doing something correctly?

These are my settings:
/**
* Default Axis Steps Per Unit (steps/mm)
* Override with M92
* X, Y, Z, E0 [, E1[, E2[, E3]]]
*/
#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 160, 160, 3200, 188.53 }

/**
* Default Max Feed Rate (mm/s)
* Override with M203
* X, Y, Z, E0 [, E1[, E2[, E3]]]
*/
#define DEFAULT_MAX_FEEDRATE { 300, 300, 5, 25 }

At a guess you have the eeprom enabled and have not updated that

If you use M500 even once then from that point on you must update setting with further M500's.
Once the eeprom is used the setting in the firmware are no longer used being superseded by what is in the eeprom

reset eeprom to firmware by M502 then M500

Dust

Thanks for responding.

Well I gave that a try and it did not seem to work.
However I changed from Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 to Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 bug fix
and it seemed to clear it up. But there seems to be other problems so I'm
thinking of going to Marlin 1.1.0-RC7 but am not sure yet

oh and the subject line...

* X, Y, Z, E0 [, E1[, E2[, E3]]]

so with 3 extrudes you just add extra prameters

#define DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT { 160, 160, 3200, 188.53, 200, 150 }

Dust

Thank you

I don't know why they use E0 [, E1[, E3 etc....
To me it would have been simpler just to state it the way you did
or E0, E1, E2.... The [ threw me off.

Also it helped me figure the this error I was getting:

#elif defined(ABL_GRID_POINTS_X) || defined(ABL_GRID_POINTS_Y)
#error "ABL_GRID_POINTS_[XY] is now ABL_GRID_MAX_POINTS_[XY]. Please update your configuration."

Because of your suggestion I tried ABL_GRID_MAX_POINTS_X to replace ABL_GRID_POINTS_X and it worked. Now the "AUTO_BED_LEVELING_LINEAR" is working with a 9 point check.

So if you don't mind I will ask another question.
Do you know of a way to calibrate the other two extruder steppers?
I've tried selecting Extruder 2 & 3 in Repetier but Repetier reverts back to Extruder 1 which makes sense to me because I told it I had 1 Extruder and checked the "Printer has a Mixing Extruder box. I wanted to check the calibration instead of just assuming it would be the same as the first extruder.

Anyway thanks for the help.

For what it's worth:

I found that my moving the power plugs for the steppers to "E0" one at a time I was able to calibrate the 3 steppers used by the Diamond hot end.

It should be mentioned that I have switched from Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 to Marlin 1.1.0-RC8-BugFix.

I was a little surprised in the different settings I got for the steppers. All 3 steppers are of the same model, same specifications, same vendor and purchased at the same time.
The steps needed are as follows. E0= 188.53, E1=173.00 and E2 = 180.00.
Each was tested at 100mm length.
I would have thought it would have been a little closer.
As I mentioned earlier I am using a RUMBA controller. The drivers are DRV8825's set 32 steps.

I am now wondering what factors could have influence over the settings.
Since all of the steppers were of the same specifications, I would expect that the steps would have been closer.
Next I looked at the extrusion hardware, all of the same type and teeth number.
Next I looked at the voltage setting of each of the 3 drivers. The voltage varied from 0.537 to 0.545VDC. I suppose that could make a difference but I'm not sure how much.

So I would like to here from anyone else whom may have done something like this.
I'm not even sure if it was worth doing. What do you think?

thanks.

Different idle pressures can change your steps/mm as more or less filament goes deeper or lighter into the extruder gear

IMHO using DRV8825 drivers is the worst choice for slow moving extruders, except you do the "fast decay mod". Also the Vref setting seems pretty low, you might find skipped steps are the cause for the different e-step calibration.

BTW:
I'm at the exact same stage as you: Rumba & Diamond with RC8.
I had to install a new arduino IDE and got tons of warnings while compiling. Was it the same for you and did it help to use the RC8 bugfix?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/30/2017 11:53AM by o_lampe.

o lampe


The Vref may be a little low, the steppers are rated at 1.5A per phase. The setting of .5V should give about 1 amp per phase so that's 2/3 of the full capacity so I think that will work.

It did not occur to me until now I suppose the stepper drivers could be mixed and use DRV8825's for XY and A4988's for Z.

Prior to the compile I do get some warnings, in both RC-8 and RC-8 Bug Fix. Same warnings for both versions.
But during the actual compile I don't get any or I guess they could go by so fast I don't see them.

I'm not done with this project yet but I'm getting close. I just have the heated bed assembly to complete. Should be done by the weekend.

Have you completed yours ?

Do you use "Atom" ( [atom.io] ) ? It's an editor that works with arduino IDE and makes it a lot simpler.

No, I'm not through with my Rumba_Diamond adaption. It seems Marlin hasn't matured yet. I'm thinking of trying another RADDS and sell the Rumba instead.
If only Duet WiFi had 6 drivers onboard, I wouldn't even think twice

Those are the warnings I get repeatedly:

In file included from sketch\stepper.h:46:0,

                 from sketch\MarlinSerial.cpp:33:

sketch\planner.h: In static member function 'static void Planner::set_e_position_mm(const float&)':

sketch\planner.h:353:11: warning: invalid conversion from 'int' to 'AxisEnum' [-fpermissive]

           + active_extruder

              + active_extruder

           ^


                 ^

In file included from sketch\temperature.h:31:0,

                 from sketch\Marlin_main.cpp:226:

sketch\thermistortables.h: At global scope:

sketch\thermistortables.h:677:1: warning: narrowing conversion of '3.20640015e+2' from 'double' to 'const short int' inside { } [-Wnarrowing]

 };

I checked by doing a recompile and I did not see any warning messages like that.
I don't know enough about programming to know the why's and why not.

I went with Rumba instead of the Duet for the same reason.
I could not believe that a new board with a 32 bit processor was designed with only
2 extruders on board. Especially with the growing popularity of multi colors.
They probably would have sold more. But that is their decision to make.

Anyway, I ordered the Aluminum bed yesterday and picked up the glass today so one step closer.

Observation:

Well I'm still investigating the calibration of the 3 stepper motors when using a Diamond hot end.

It that Marlin 1.1.0-RC8 (& Bug Fix) allows for the calibration settings of 3 or more extruders I have
been looking for a way to calibrate each of the stepper motors. The simplest way I have found so far
is to simply define 3 extruders and the associated thermistor settings etc. Then using Repetier-Host I can
define 3 extruders then use the pull down menu to switch between extruders and calibrate the stepper motors.
Doing this I found that extruder #0 uses a setting of 188.53, #1 = 173.00 and #2 = 180.00.

I've been using Repeiter-Host since I started with 3d printers about 2 yeas ago and I like the
program. However it may be falling a little short as things change. It appears that only the first
setting from Marlin is retained. When switching between extruders the firmware setting window still shows 188.53.
I'm not sure but this seems to indicate the same setting is used for each of the extruder motors.

How much difference this makes, well I'm not sure. Perhaps none.

Does anyone know of slicer software that allows for the difference in extrusion motors?

There is a line in configuration.h that needs to be enabled to allow different extruder steps.

// Enable if your E steppers or extruder gear ratios are not identical
#define DISTINCT_E_FACTORS

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/01/2017 02:49AM by o_lampe.

thanks o lampe

WOW how did I miss that!

Maybe I need to take some reading lessons.

Makes me wonder what else I've missed.....

// This defines the number of extruders
// :[1, 2, 3, 4]
#define EXTRUDERS 1
//
// Enable if your E steppers or extruder gear ratios are not identical
#define DISTINCT_E_FACTORS
//

I guess it's time to really sit down and go over this line by line......

For a foreign reader it is less easy to just scan the lines. I have to read it word_for_word.

I know what you mean, I read lots of post on this forum using a translator.

o lampe

How is your project coming?
I seem to be stuck and not making any progress.
Would you mind sharing your files for the Repetier firmware for the RUMBA board?
I would like to compare your with mine to help try and figure out that I am missing.

I never planned to use repetier, but I attached the config.h for marlins RC8. It is untested because I'm considering to leave the Prusa unchanged and build a CoreXY/Diamond instead.
There are some compiler-warnings, that keep me from flashing it.

o lampe

My mistake for some reason I thought you had also had a Repetier version.
I did build a CoreXY, that is what I am working with right now. The printer is not quite done yet but should be ready to test by early next week. I have ordered the Aluminum to make the bed and it should be here soon.

I have heard that Repetier firmware works a little better in the control of the filament mixing. So I wanted to try it but when I do the Z stepper motor do not work properly.
For some reason I thought you had tried Repetier firmware thanks for letting me know that you did not and thanks for attaching the configuration.h file.