Extruder stepper failing
Hi, I got very similar problem described in the "i3 Mk2S Extruder gear/motor clicking" topic. This is a well known issue so I started to clean the nozzle and filament path which did not help this time. I found the extruder motor is clicking even when the pulley is released. When I turned the printer off (maybe "disable steppers" would do the same) I could manually turn the extruder axis. However after starting the printer the situation is the same - attempt to "move extruder axis" will just "jump" the extruded axis even when it's not engaged (the pressing bearing released). What is strange ... when I tried hard to "help" the extruder axis to turn it started to work for a while but the is got stuck again.
I guess something from following could happen:
a) the FET in the driver burned and one of the stepper windings is not powered
b) actual winding in the stepper burned (???)
c) when I'm thinking about it when describing the problem ... is could be even released or oxidized connector
My question ... anyone here with similar experience? What was the problem? Any idea how to diagnose it (beside check the windings with ohm-metter)? Shall I buy replace the rambo board?
Thanks for any idea/suggestion!
RE: Extruder stepper failing
You could switch the plugs of the extruder- and the y-axis motor. The clicking still at the extruder it is the motor or more likely a broken wire where they get bent back and forth. The clicking at the y-axis it must be the board.
RE: Extruder stepper failing
OK, it's a good idea how to make the test in the least painful way. Anyway, if I'm not wrong the steppers used are bi-polar ones so a broken wire would leave only one coil working what would completely disable any motor movement. This look more like something as part of h-bridge failing or the micro-stepping current control failure ... all at the board side. However as you proposed ... switching steppers is the best way to find out for sure. Thanks!