Maslow 4.1 Upgrade Results and Firmware Oops

[md8n]

I’ve had problems like this so I wrote some things up I could refer to later:

15mm error and friends - retraction problems especially

Just dropping some notes here, for my future self, and for those still using OG Maslow 4 gear. 15mm Error Especially if you are seeing this on just one belt. It can be caused by the cumulative impact of a retraction fault. Gradually the belt gets a little looser and a little looser, until it crosses the 15mm threshold. Which brings us on to Retraction Faults: Idler gear seizing up on its shaft. This definitely impacts retraction. The latest arm design includes bearings for the idler gear’s …

Communications and belt retraction issues on a cold day

The most common cause for this I’ve found is something sticking in the arms. Either the idler gear on its shaft (this is fixed in the 4.1 upgrade), or the belt spool itself sticking. Here’s a technique I’ve been trying to diagnose which arm may be problematic. Do the usual to unmount the M4 Extend all the belts Go into config, and drop the retraction force down to 600 and “Save” it. Now try retracting. If any belt fully retracts (not just partially), write the retraction force on a post-it …