1 Topic by bbriggsgeek

  • bbriggsgeek
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Topic: Filawinder - Nothing is Working

I just finished my build for my Filawinder.  I tried to set it up by using the instructions.  When I turn it on, the spool turns for a couple seconds then stops.  Nothing else works.  None of the buttons, the turning the knob.  I can't get anything to move anything.  If I switch it to manual mode, it turns but the servo doesn't move when I press the buttons.

This is what I get in trouble shooting mode:
I don't know how to read this.

Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00
Hall 1 Right 1 Left 1 Center 1 Auto 0 Knob 695 Guide Pos 105.10 Mot Speed 1 Loop Pos 1500.00

2 Reply by IanJohnson

  • IanJohnson
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  • Registered: 2012-08-07
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Re: Filawinder - Nothing is Working

Hall  is the sensor that detects the magnet.  When the magnet passes it should change from 1 to 0

Right, Left and Center are the buttons.  When you press the buttons they should change from 1 to 0

Auto is the Auto/Manual switch, you should see it change back and from from 1 to 0 as you flip the switch

Knob is the value it reads as you turn the knob, from 0 to 1024.  If the motor won't turn for instance, but you see the knob value change as you turn it, then you know the knob itself isn't the problem.

Guide Pos is the current position of the guide in degrees.  You should see this change each time the magnet passes the sensor on the control board.   When you set the current guide position with the middle button, it will change this value.

Mot Speed is the speed of the motor from 0-255.  If the motor won't turn, but Mot Speed changes, then you know it is trying to control the motor but the motor isn't responding.

Loop Pos is the position of the filament in front of the sensor from 0 to 3000.  1500 is the middle, which is the position the winder tries to maintain.


If Auto Mode doesn't seem to be working, you can see if the center button is responding to start calibration.  If it calibrates, it will briefly show the calibrated values.  If the loop pos doesn't change, then you know there is a problem with the sensor.  If the Loop Pos is changing, then motor speed should be changing.  If you see motor speed changing, but the motor itself doesn't turn, then you can look to the motor for problems.

3 Reply by bbriggsgeek

  • bbriggsgeek
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Re: Filawinder - Nothing is Working

Thank you.  I got it working.  More or less.

I'm doing 3mm filament.  I've got the extender on my setup.  I can't get it to pull the filament through the PTFE tube.  Part of the reason is I can't get a smooth extrusion there are small waves in it.  I worked for about an hour trying to get it loaded but no luck.  When I finally got the filament winding, there wasn't enough torque to pull it through the tube. 

How much PTFE do others use for 3mm?

4 Reply by jason_

  • jason_
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  • Registered: 2013-07-02
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Re: Filawinder - Nothing is Working

My expierence is with 1.75 but I don't think its ever going to pull it through if the filament isn't pretty straight.  I would think this would be even more important with 3 mm.  Concentrate on getting straight filament first then worry about the winder