Printer random shutdown

[willsonman]

Ok fellas. I'm really resenting the time suck that my printer has become.

Short storyurchased net Anet A8 and fried control board. Replaced with RAMPS 1.4 using Marlin. All stock printer hardware but have other endstops that came with the RAMPS board.

Printing is great and I am happy with it... when it prints.

The issue is that I get random shutdowns. Sometimes it is within a few seconds of startup (plugin) and sometimes its after 3-4 hours of printing. The printer just stops and the screen goes dark but the cooling fan (not extruder fan) will keep running. Reset button will not reset the controller. I have to unplug for a few seconds and plug back in. I'm really, REALLY frustrated with this. Even my wife feels bad because it has been such a time suck just to get the printer to do ANYTHING.

What I've tried:
Modified firmware to address thermal overrun issues previously encountered. I do not get those anymore.
Tried alternate PSU of 1000W server variety. Still get the shutdowns.
With and without cooling fan operating.
Checked all connections for firmness. Tightened 12V supply wires to the control board.

Nothing seems to be a consistent trigger for the shutdown. I'm a scientist, I know how to isolate variables.

 

[willsonman]

Further suggestions from google:
Add a cooling fan to the RAMPS board.
Also, direct connect the extruder fan to the power connections, not D9 or D2, and use D9 for the print cooling fan. Currently I have the extruder fan on D9 and print fan on D2. The idea is that D2 could be getting voltage ripple from a fan.
Another possibility is power interruption... like a light switch or appliance in my home that turns on and causes ripple in my socket. Perhaps an battery backup to reduce this?

 

[Craftydan]

You've run it through a server power supply and still seen a failure. If your desktop PC's aren't rebooting on the house power, there's not enough garbage on the house mains to cut through that PSU.

This could be a C-64 issue . . . main board just running too hot. A fan may be worth a try -- if you've got a CPU case fan handy, set it up and point it at the board. doesn't need to be fancy.

BTW . . . how dry is the air up there right now? You've got everything exposed. Could this all be a mild case of ESD?

one quibble . . .

For Shame!!!! Mount that RAMPS board to something, Will ya? Simply tossing it into an old Tupperware container is better than what you have now . . . and if processor cooling is your issue, it makes it easier to mount the cooling gear. Strain relief all the cables if you can -- the moving axis could be pulling on something breaking/shorting a weak connection that pulses through the board and locks up the processor. Print something different and leave the board lying in a slightly different position, and the "dead mans switch" triggers at a different spot in the print.


. . . and this is why I do not need another hobby

 

[willsonman]

DUDE! If I could PRINT a mounting bracket, I would! Part of the issue is being able to make things for it but just can't. ESD was a theory as well. I had it operating on the floor and moved to the table as you see in the pic but still got a shutdown after 4 hours of printing. Parts was <75% done. Thought I had the issue fixed but was restraining myself from practicing english with my son falling asleep just upstairs. I have a spare fan that I plan to give a try on today. Just seems like a stupid fix as it is a rather chilly basement.

 

[Craftydan]

Agreed . . . probably a stupid fix . . . stranger things have happened

Print a bracket? Sorry, I thought I was talking to Wilsonman, who builds scale airplanes out of blocks of foam and wood

Seriously, secure the cables and the board. A single bolt restraining it to the frame is better than nothing. Having the board hanging from it's wires (and wires that might very well move in the print process) is begging for something to come loose mid-print.

I'm not getting the floor-to-table fix for ESD . . . not sure how that would help that . . . not sure how to fix it though without grounding an enclosure to the PSU.

 

[jhitesma]

So when it shuts down how far does it shut down? Does the LCD stay on? Does it just hang? Just want to clarify what we're dealing with.

I've had an issue with mine where it will suddenly mysteriously lose USB connectivity. Doesn't happen repeatedly and will go months without happening then suddenly happen three times in a day...then not happen again for week. When it happens the RAMPS becomes unresponsive but the LCD stays on and the hotend/bed stay hot (though not running away - still maintaining temp so obviously the board isn't totally hung.) Very odd issue and the big reason I don't trust my printer to run unattended. The intermittent nature of it makes it really hard to debug too. I do have a cooling fan on my RAMPS but have never noticed unusually high temps on it. And this has happened on cold days and hot days

Though a few months ago I cut the power wires on my usb cord and don't think I've had it happen since...so my latest theory is it's something goofy about the power circuits on the RAMPS when powered by external 12v AND USB.

I run my extruder fan straight off the power supply and use D9 for the print cooling fan. Just as a point of data.

The RAMPS do seem to be sensitive. I have a fluorescent light / magnifier on an extendable arm over my printer and have learned I can't turn it on when the printer is printing or it will cause the RAMPS to reset. Having it on before I start a print - no problem. Turning it off - no problem. It's not something over the power as far as I can tell since I've tried plugging it into a different outlet on a different breaker and it still does it. So I suspect the light is giving off some kind of RF when starting that happens to be at the right frequency to interfere with something on the RAMPS. If I move the lamp a few feet away from the printer I can turn it on and off with no issues. I could probably add some shielding around the RAMPS ... but I just make sure I always turn the lamp on before starting a print. (I really need to get some LED's on/around the printer so I can move that lamp into my shop...)

RAMPS/knockoff arduinos aren't really known for their quality...but they are cheap. Could pickup a new set $20 or so and see if they work any better. Or could give your existing ones a close once over and look for any cold solder joints. Wouldn't surprise me if you found a few.

 

[willsonman]

So when it shuts down how far does it shut down? Does the LCD stay on? Does it just hang? Just want to clarify what we're dealing with.

The printer just stops and the screen goes dark but the cooling fan (not extruder fan) will keep running. Reset button will not reset the controller.

The heat on the extruder and bed also turn off.

I've only been printing off of an SD card so USB connection is not suspected.


Dan:
I'm not sure how to ground out a machine made of acrylic. I get your point about mounting the board but honestly, its the last thing on my mind right now. If the darn thing will shut itself off within minutes of turning it on then there is some other issue... especially if nothing is even moving or printing.

 

[Craftydan]

Sorry, didn't mean ground the frame. I don't think anyone cares what the voltage is on the bearings and plastic brackets.

I was proposing (off the cuff, without really describing it) a chassis ground to a new metal housing that surrounds the control board. This would cut out external EMI . . . which sounds like might be an issue with this board.

I know you're frustrated by this and that you're not concerned with buttoning it up until it works reliably. . . but the part that is most likely failing is suspended by it's own connectors. There's a fair chance that's not a coincidence.

 

[LitterBug]

Have you tried putting it on a different material than the foam? With all the electronics exposed, maybe there is some kind of continuity either in the foam or a contaminant that is causing issues. I'd double check all the power connections to make sure nothing is loose. Try wiggling things while powered up to see if you can cause it to happen. Also check all the voltages with a voltmeter to make sure everything is in spec.

Cheers!
LitterBug

 

[Joker 53150]

Print a bracket? Sorry, I thought I was talking to Wilsonman, who builds scale airplanes out of blocks of foam and wood

Some ointment will sooth that burn.

Years ago I did service work for Pioneer Audio, and intermittent issues like this were a colossal pain to troubleshoot. The culprit was often a bad solder joint, similar to what Jason mentioned. It's too bad those donkeys at Gearbest couldn't just process a simple order for a replacement board for you in a reasonable amount of time.

 

[wilsonb]

RAMPS/knockoff arduinos aren't really known for their quality...but they are cheap. Could pickup a new set $20 or so and see if they work any better. Or could give your existing ones a close once over and look for any cold solder joints. Wouldn't surprise me if you found a few.

I agree here. It's worth taking a look.

 

[dkj4linux]

Another thing to check (for completeness sake): the reference voltages on the A4988 motor drivers. Are any of the drivers or motors running hot... so that possibly one is going into thermal shutdown? -- David

 

[willsonman]

Well, I'm reporting back. I got the extruder fan and another 40mm fan rigged up to the PSU leads on the board and print fan is on D9. I successfully printed a part in 4:47. Mounting plate for the board is now running. All seems to be fine. I cleaned shop which involved using the vacuum on the same circuit and no issues. It seems as though it really was just a cooling issue. Not 100% convinced just yet but I'll report back later.

 

[Balu]

My board shuts down into some kind of failsafe when the maximum hotend temperature goes over a defined max. I think it's set to 230 on my small Mini Fabrikator. It even happens when I set it to 225 sometimes, when the control loop does something weird. Since you compiled your firmware yourself, that might be an option to check too.

 

[mjmccarron]

I have had issues with the RAMPS 1.4 board. All have been power issues. I removed the poly fuses both the 5A and the 11A and replaced them with wire jumpers. I then installed external fuses and have had no problems since. The poly fuse is a thermal device and they are mounted too close to each other which lowers their trip point. Make sure that if you do this you use external fuses to avoid frying your board or worse.

Mike

 

[willsonman]

The active cooling seems to have done the trick. Many parts printed in succession with no errors. Many thinks to all the tips posted in here. And yes, I did print a board mount and a mount for the board fan.