The belts loosen at the first movement

[Lionel_Massari]

Hello everyone, since an update of my yaml file two weeks ago, I have had recurring problems concerning the loosening of the lower belts.

Let me explain: I do everything, retract, extend, tension. So far, so good. But as soon as I try to make my Z HOME, the whole thing loosens slightly and the lower belts are very loose. I tried to avoid this problem by still launching a GCODE file. During jogging, the lower left belt loosens completely. Basically, everything seems to go wrong during movements.

Unfortunately I was stupid in not keeping my original yaml file. However, I tried to reinstall numerous versions of FC and yaml, and finally version 0.83 worked.

I saved this version as well as my calibration values.

Until this morning, it started with wifi disconnections, then these first signs of loose belts during the Z HOME calibration reappeared. I then tried to reinstall a recent version, my saved version (0.83), nothing worked.

< Other problems :
I systematically lose my initial calibration, forcing me to repeat everything : retract, extend, tend.
Also, after a stop, the movements of the maslow are random, if I want to go down, for example it will go up. >

I don’t know what to do anymore, I browsed the forum for days the first time, to no avail.

PS : I use a sturdy wooden frame, an anti-static vacuum cleaner hose, I glued my motor connections before even using the Maslow for the first time.

[dlang]

Lionel Massari wrote:

Hello everyone, since an update of my yaml file two weeks ago, I have had recurring problems concerning the loosening of the lower belts.

Let me explain: I do everything, retract, extend, tension. So far, so good. But as soon as I try to make my Z HOME, the whole thing loosens slightly and the lower belts are very loose. I tried to avoid this problem by still launching a GCODE file. During jogging, the lower left belt loosens completely. Basically, everything seems to go wrong during movements.

This is the typical behavior when you didn’t have the router all the way down
when you did the calibration.

Unfortunately I was stupid in not keeping my original yaml file. However, I tried to reinstall numerous versions of FC and yaml, and finally version 0.83 worked.

I saved this version as well as my calibration values.

Until this morning, it started with wifi disconnections, then these first signs of loose belts during the Z HOME calibration reappeared. I then tried to reinstall a recent version, my saved version (0.83), nothing worked.

< Other problems :
I systematically lose my initial calibration, forcing me to repeat everything : retract, extend, tend.

when you power it off, it doesn’t know where the belts are, so you have to do
the retract/extend/apply tension. This isn’t loseing the calibration.

to lose the calibration, it would have to lose and recreate the yaml file, and
it should give you an error if it does that.

Also, after a stop, the movements of the maslow are random, if I want to go down, for example it will go up.

This I don’t understand

David Lang

[bar]

When you run calibration does it seem like it run smoothly and gets good results?

[Lionel_Massari]

@dlang

Il s’agit du comportement typique lorsque vous n’aviez pas le routeur complètement abaissé
lorsque vous avez effectué l’étalonnage.

I had the Z axis as low as possible, without a bit of course.

[Lionel_Massari]

@dlang

lorsque vous l’éteignez, il ne sait pas où se trouvent les courroies, vous devez donc effectuer
la rétraction/extension/application de la tension. Cela ne signifie pas que vous perdez l’étalonnage.

pour perdre l’étalonnage, il faudrait perdre et recréer le fichier yaml, et
il devrait vous donner une erreur s’il fait cela.

I mean I luckily keep the calibration but I lose the maslow position and have to retract everything, without the machine being shut down. Usually this happens after losing the wifi connection.

About random movements, I mean the machine doesn’t respond to what I ask it. After a sudden stop while jogging, or a wifi disconnection, if I try to move maslow, the responses are insane: for example I click to move 20 cm in Y axis and maslow goes to the left (-X axis). Everything returns to normal after turning it off. But it’s tedious.

Also I noticed that the pause button works, but the stop button does not.

[Lionel_Massari]

Hi bar, the results seem excellent to me: calibration carried out in 82 points (9x9).

I tried a calibration again this evening, I will see tomorrow if it works again.

[dlang]

Lionel Massari wrote:

Also I noticed that the pause button works, but the stop button does not.

I think this is the key, stop loses state so you have to do the rehang dance,
pause doesn’t

David Lang

[Lionel_Massari]

OK, I see.
However is it normal that when I click on the stop button nothing seems to happen, Maslow continues its course ?

About the other major issues, I don’t understand. I hope my last calibration will have an effect.

Thank you, I have to sleep (midnight Here)

[Lionel_Massari]

Hello @bar @dlang

Ok the problem of loosening when I adjust Z HOME seems resolved, but when I start machining, it stops after about 20 seconds with these observations in order:

• one of the belts gradually becomes loose
• the machine stops with an error report (red LED)
• the machine no longer responds and the wifi disconnection message appears.
• I have to start all over again, turn off, retract, extend, tend.

here are some photos

Here are the report files of the calibration and the error message during jogging >>
Maslow-serial (1).log (23.4 KB)
Maslow-serial (2).log (3.3 KB)

[bar]

Do you see an error message printed in the console in lower right of the screen?

[Lionel_Massari]

Oui il est dans mon message “Maslow-serial (2).log”

[bar]

[MSG:WARN: Position error on Bottom Left axis exceeded 15mm while running. Error is 15.011mm Counter: 1]
[MSG:WARN: Previous error was 15.011mm]

This is the error message that we’re looking for. This one is caused by the connection to the encoder board getting interrupted. It can be caused by dust getting into the Ethernet connection ports. Blowing them out with compressed air to clean them and sealing them up with hot glue is the go to quick fix at the moment, the long term fix is the JST-XH encoder boards which seem to solve the issue fully.

[DanVinar]

@Lionel_Massari

About random movements, I mean the machine doesn’t respond to what I ask it. After a sudden stop while jogging, or a wifi disconnection, if I try to move maslow, the responses are insane: for example I click to move 20 cm in Y axis and maslow goes to the left (-X axis). Everything returns to normal after turning it off. But it’s tedious.

I just wanted to let you I’ve had this happen - the stop button did not work in FluidNC and the jog movement in my situation was upwards endlessly until I got worried it would fall off the edge of my waste board. I had to turn the maslow power switch off at the power board and back on and it began jogging normally once I did that.

I believe it was @dlang that mentioned it could be static electricity (and a lack of grounding) causing spooky behaviour. I believe this was the case of me - the maslow was very dusty because I had just cut something for the first time, with the router speed far too high causing a lot of sawdust. I cleaned everything, decreased router speed and haven’t had weird issues since.

[Lionel_Massari]

Hello !

I’m coming back to the news.

I installed the new unofficial version of yaml (84.1 I think), the one which improves the calibration on the edges. Since then, no more problems, everything is going perfectly.

It is true that I noticed problems as soon as the machining moved away from the center.

Thank you very much @dlang !