1 Topic by perlguy

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Topic: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

I just finished up a print and was going to load another file for slicing and printing when the lights on my Solidoodle just started flashing.

Now, every time I connect the USB cable to my Mac, I get a message saying "USB device was drawing too much power from your computer, one or more of your USB devices have been disabled."

I even tried plugging it into a powered USB hub.  When I plug it into the hub, the lights on the hub start to flash!

I've got the power disconnected and I am only trying to connect the USB cable when this happens.

What happened and how can this be fixed?

Is it dead???

Help!

2 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Sounds like the 7805 regulator gave up the ghost. Can you try desoldering it from the board? It is not necessary, as long as you have USB power.

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3 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Replaced the 7805, still doing the exact same thing.

I don't even have anything (none of the connectors) connected to the board, but as soon as I plug it into my computer's USB port, it tells me that it is drawing too much power.

Any more ideas?

4 Reply by elmoret (edited by elmoret 2013-01-05 02:31:29)

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Pop the microcontroller out of the board, then try connecting to USB.

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5 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Microcontroller removed.

Computer restarted, same results.

6 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Very sad...

Any other ideas?

7 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

perlguy wrote:

Very sad...

Any other ideas?

VBUS is tied to the +5v rail:

http://reprap.org/mediawiki/images/f/f5 … u_1.3a.png

So it could be anything on that rail, shorting to ground.

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8 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Thanks.  I will see if I can find anything.

9 Reply by elmoret

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

perlguy wrote:

Thanks.  I will see if I can find anything.

All of the socket stepper drivers use 5v, you could try removing those.
If your endstops and thermistors are disconnected, it can't be those.
That leaves the FTDI chip (USB to Serial) and the PCB traces themselves.

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10 Reply by ronsii

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Have you tried a different usb cable? just to eliminate the simple things as I have seen the cable ends pick up conductive junk and mess up everything...ok so my workbench is really messy with bit of wire,components,and all sorts of stuff laying everywhere wink also you might take the main board off the machine if you haven't already and go over it with a fine tooth comb as I remember another guy saying his board shorted out on an errant piece of solder blob or something like that. A final thought would be to take some hires pics of both sides and post em' up just in case someone might spot something... but if you didn't smell any burning(other than plastic) we probably would not see much:)

11 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

What are the chances that a couple of my pololu md09b stepper motor drivers went bad?

When all are removed, I get the solid red light on my board and my Mac sees it as a valid USB connection.

If I connect #1 or #4 (doesn't matter in which position), I get no light or a dim blinking light, and the "too much power" message on my computer.

If I connect #3, it is a solid, dim light, and sometimes it gives me the "too much power" message, sometimes it does not.

It just seems very strange that 3 of these little boards would fry all at once, but right now, that it what it is looking like.

Any other ideas?

(oh, also new USB cable tried).

Thanks!

12 Reply by danny

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Just take off that 5v regulator.
Don't replace it.

This happened to my printer. If you always print from a pc the 5v regulator just isn't needed.

13 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

I am just plain pissed-off now.

First, I ordered a brand-new full "motherboard" set and was in contact with support and told them that I needed it expedited and shipped overnight to me, I would pay the cost.

The support person said that they would expedite the order.

The site said the boards were in-stock, so I would have expected it to ship on Monday.

My order still says "pending", and support is no longer answering me email asking about status.  They only answered when I was about to put in the order.

NOW, I ordered some brand-new Pololu md09b stepper motor driver boards.  (directly from Pololu, and they arrived when they said they would).

I put the boards onto the motherboard, tuned them to the exact proper voltage...

Plugged in my power-supply, and the whole power supply started flashing on-and-off.

So, I scrapped the crappy Solidoodle power supply and used a computer power supply.  (no more power regulator on the motherboard either)...

Everything seemed to power on just fine, so I hook it to my computer, same "over powered USB device" message.

CRAP!

I start looking over the motherboard, again, with a magnifying glass.  Both the Extruder and the Z-Axis pololu boards have fried, there are holes in their controller chips!

CRAP! CRAP!

Now I really have to wait for my replacement motherboard because it seems like something is seriously wrong with this one!

God only knows when Solidoodle will "expedite" my replacement to me.

</rant>

14 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Here is a photo of one of my fried motor controllers.

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15 Reply by DePartedPrinter

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

perlguy wrote:

Here is a photo of one of my fried motor controllers.


Thats crazy. Did it ship this way or did you actually witness it "fry"?

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16 Reply by danny

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Did you completely remove the 5volt regulator?

17 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

No, it didn't ship that way.  Please read the whole thread.

Yes, I completely removed the 5V regulator.  I am wondering though if because that regulator is gone, it may have caused these motor drivers to fry.

18 Reply by danny

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

I would believe the answer there is possibly.

it'd depend how the 5v reg failed.

Certainly my 5v reg failed and had the same flashing lights symptoms. I figured this was the failed part, read that it wasn't needed and just cut it off, and have been printing happily ever since.

If your failed, (like my did) but failed in a different way that may have caused your motor driver issues.

Two further questions/things to try.

try removing all your motor drivers, and then try turning the machine on. does it still flash etc.

second, with the 12 brick not plugged in, but with the USB cable plugged in, is the redlight on the board on?

19 Reply by perlguy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

Yes, I had tried with the motor drivers removed and just the USB plugged in, the red light on the board did come on.

I think that I am going to try to put an new 5v reg on the board, some new motor drivers, and try it all again.

If I blow the motor drivers again WITH the 5v reg on the board, then I guess I will have to wait for my "expedited" replacement motherboard to come in.

I am very frustrated with Solidoodle "support" right now and wish I had the email addresses to Solidoodle management.

Thanks!

20 Reply by jon_bondy

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

perlguy wrote:

I am very frustrated with Solidoodle "support" right now and wish I had the email addresses to Solidoodle management.

Solidoodle support and management often read these postings, and occasionally respond.

21 Reply by justsomeguy (edited by justsomeguy 2013-01-12 07:47:54)

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

You might also consider the Azteeg X3.  It's a couple of bucks cheaper than Solidoodle's replacement board.  I am not particularly skilled with electronics but between Ian Johnson's thread somewhere on this forum and the reprap wiki I was able to get my machine going again using this board and have been quite pleased with it so far.

Solidoodle was not offering replacement boards on their site when mine died though I see they are now.  (edit: To be clear, I should say when I killed it.  It was not defective.)

22 Reply by danny

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Re: Flashing Lights, Dead Solidoodle?

You should be able to use the existing board without the 5v regulator
It sounds likely that there is some other problem.

To be honest, if you can't immediately say yes it's that (and only that) cheap part
Like just the pololu driver, or just the regulator, just the mcu or just a trace on the board then I'd just throw away the sanguinolu and go with ramps. Or the x3, (or there is another board mentioned in a new thread that's much more featured than the stock board.