EDIT YOUR PROFILE HERE

Please or Register to create posts and topics.

Power supply issues

Switched on my K40 today and it started making a tapping sound once per second, the sound turned out to be the stepper motors that move the head attempting to move then stopping very quickly.

I open the lid to power supply and red LED 'Power' LED was flashing in time with the tapping. Pressing the small surface mount test button next to the led didn't do anything.

Is the power supply blown or is it possibly something else?

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

This means the steppers are drawing too much current from the power supply. Check if the potmeters on the steppers are set low. I personally test all these boards but you never know, they might have shifted or static electricity may have played a role. Remove one stepstick and test it and see if a step stick is broken. I will replace it if needed.

Cheers, Paul awesome.tech

Thanks for the reply,

 

I turned it on again today and it worked perfectly so not sure what's happening there.

However, I'm not sure what you mean by 'stepstick'?

The step stick is the tiny pcb with a heatsink (2 of them) on the k40 shield of the controller. The potmeter rotating contact might make bad contact (maybe temperature dependent so its intermittent?) . So I suggest to slightly adjust it (fraction of mm) to ensure it makes good contact or replace it with a new step stick (I can help you out here, just PM me)

 

Cheers, Paul awesome.tech

Hello Paul, not to highjack a thread or anything, but, I build my own 3D Printers ( Ramps/Marlin ) and CNC routers ( GRBL ) and was wondering what mA you actually adjust your drivers (stepsticks) to on the Gerbil you ship

Waiting patiently for DHL,

G Monsey

Hi, Usually set the current for the K40 steppers at 250-300mA. The k40 stepper motors are really small. The 24V stock power supply can only deliver 1A max. It has not current protection build in. Setting the current on full (1A) per motor will cause the k40 power supply to grunt and likely to start stuttering (on-off ticking).

Cheers, Paul awesome.tech

Thank you for the Reply,

I actually run my 3D Printers at 280, but depending on the axis my CNC Routers run much higher.

I was just curious what you actually set them at, so I can check them when they arrive to ensure no shipping problems.

Thank You,

G Monsey

 

 

Forum Registration

EDIT YOUR PROFILE HERE