Converting a SeeMeCNC Rostock MAX V3 to Duet WiFi
By SublimeLayers →
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
After a couple of months of working with my V3 in its stock configuration, it's time to migrate to a Duet WiFi controller and RepRapFirmware - for all of the reasons I've written about on this blog. The RAMBo controller that comes with the V3 is fine but it is at least 50 years old in "controller years". While many hobbyists can use RAMBo to make some nice prints, until you've experienced Duet and RepRapFirmware you don't know what you've missed. So let's dive in...
Materials and Preparation
You should take care of a couple of things before diving in to replace the RAMBo. First, you should have all of the necessary parts on hand. These are:
1x Duet WiFi - will include a connector kit
1x 7" PanelDue - this is optional and/or you could use the smaller 4.3" PanelDue
Digi-Key part numbers. I recommend getting 50 pins to have extras:
Materials and Preparation
You should take care of a couple of things before diving in to replace the RAMBo. First, you should have all of the necessary parts on hand. These are:
1x Duet WiFi - will include a connector kit
1x 7" PanelDue - this is optional and/or you could use the smaller 4.3" PanelDue
Digi-Key part numbers. I recommend getting 50 pins to have extras:
- 5x connector housing male 4 position (WM2535-ND)
- 3x connector housing male 3 position (WM2534-ND)
- 3x connector housing male 2 position (WM2533-ND)
- 35x connector male 24-30awg pins (WM2565-ND)
3/25/2017 PLEASE NOTE: I no longer support this adapter and I no longer recommend using the accelerometer probe. 100s of hours of experimentation and data collection convinced me that it is too sensitive to simply changing the bed surface. So much so, that I needed to retune it (a LOT of work) for three different PEI covered beds. I hypothesize that the difference in the tape holding the sheets on the bed was the culprit. I tested with 6 different bed surfaces and each gave completely different results. I've replaced them with FSR/JohnSL probing and haven't looked back.
Adafruit 3.3v Trinket - to make the HE280 accelerometer probing adapter as described here (the parts above include the connectors for the adapter)
Adafruit 3.3v Trinket - to make the HE280 accelerometer probing adapter as described here (the parts above include the connectors for the adapter)
Print my RAMBo to Duet adapter plate
Print my 7" PanelDue Enclosure if you are installing the 7" PanelDue option
A few pieces of scrap wire. If you kept the scraps from your original kit, you have more than enough!
Pre-commisioning the Duet WiFi
The first thing you should do is pre-commision the Duet WiFi to get it on your network and update to the latest firmware stack and my configuration files. All knowledge on Duet is available on the Duet3D.com website and forum. All of the following can be done with the Duet WiFi connected to USB to power it.
Step 1 is to get the Duet WiFi connected to your network. The official guide is here, complete it and then continue.
Step 2 is updating the config.g and other configuration files. You can download this zip file (link updated 4/10/2017) from my Dropbox. It has the necessary /sys and /macros files. You can upload the ZIP file itself in the Duet Web Interface.
- Open the Duet Web Interface and click on the Settings tab on the left side. Make sure the General tab is selected.
- Click the Upload Files(s) button and then choose the RostockMAXV3.zip file you downloaded above.
Step 3 is updating the firmware. The current release version is 1.17. There are 3 firmware files, all pre-built and located here. Click on each one and then click the Download button at the upper right. Here's how to install them:
- Open the Duet Web Interface (after doing step 1 above) and click on the Settings tab on the left side. Make sure the General tab is selected.
- Click the Upload Files(s) button and then choose the DuetWiFiFirmware-1.17.bin (or the latest version) file. It is important that you install the files in this order. Once the firmware updates, you will be asked if you want to install it, select Ok and wait for the install to complete.
- Do the same for the DuetWebControl-1.14-b4.bin (or latest version) and install it.
- Finally, install the DuetWiFiServer-1.03-ch.bin (or latest version) and install it.
You can now disconnect the Duet WiFi from USB and continue with the installation.
Making the Pigtails
Next, you will make the pigtail adapters to make it easy to wire the Duet WiFi.
1) Make four stepper adapters using one of the male 4 position housings on one end and one of the 4 position housings included with your Duet WiFi on the other end. These should be about 3" long (not a critical dimension so don't be persnickety about measuring!) Note the orientation of the locking tabs on the connectors. The colors match the wire colors of the existing RAMBo harness. I like to label the black connector X, Y, Z and E.
Make 4
2) Make three endstop adapters using one of the male 3 position housings on one end and one of the 3 position housings included with your Duet WiFi on the other, also about 3" long. These only have 2 wires so make sure you connect them to the correct pins as shown in the photo.
Make 3
3) Make one hotend thermistor "Y" adapter using one of the male 2 position housings on one end and one 2 position and one 3 position housings included with your Duet WiFi on the other, also about 3" long. I used green and white wire as shown to match the RAMBo harness.
Make 1
4) Make one bed thermistor adapter using one of the male 2 position housings on one end and one 2 position housings included with your Duet WiFi on the other, also about 3" long. Polarity does not matter. I used black and white wire for this.
One of the 4 position housings and one two position housing are used for the Trinket probe interface, the remaining connectors are used once the Duet is in place.
Installing the Duet WiFi
Disconnect the harness and other wiring from the RAMBo. Make sure to mark each as you remove the connector so you know what to reconnect to. A small piece of masking tape with a label on each works well.
Install the Duet WiFi printed adapter using the original screws that attached the RAMBo mounting pillars.
Note the orientation to accommodate the fan. Make sure you don't pinch any wires and that the fan power wires are routed to the right of the fan as shown.
Install the Duet WiFi with its power connectors oriented to the right as shown. Then connect the main power wires (red and black) and heated bed wire (black). It might be easiest to connect these wires before attaching the Duet to the mount. I used 4 M3x10 cap screws with washers to attach Duet.
Next, install the stepper pigtails and connect to the original RAMBo stepper harness. Note the X, Y, Z and E orientation as shown.
Now you can connect the X, Y and Z endstop pigtails and harness - pay attention to install on the proper axes.
Install the Y adapter you made in step 3 above. It connects as shown to the Duet and RAMBo harness.
Connect the bed thermistor adapter.
Find the orange wire coming out of the HE280 whip. You will install a 2 position connector to it as shown. Then install it on the Duet as shown. This is the part cooling fan wire.
NOTE: the ORANGE wire must be attached to the NEGATIVE terminal and not the positive terminal shown in the photo. I can't reshoot this photo as I've completely rewired my V3 and removed the HE280 and accelerometer probe. It is shown correct in the photo below (with the yellow circle) though.
Hook up the hotend wiring to the hotend connector on Duet WiFi as shown.
Install a 2 pin connector on the Rostock MAX V3's top ventilation fan (the one inside the Duet mount cutout) and connect as shown. It is important to get the polarity of the wires correct or the fan will not run.
Now you can install the HE280 accelerometer adapter. Here is the completed board and harness (note that yours will not have the green LED, that was for testing). The whip should have a 2 position connector with a single blue wire and a 4 position connector wth a red and black wire. They connect to the adapter's mating connectors.
The other end of the HE280 adapter attaches to either the Duet's E0 endstop 3 pin connector or to its 4 pin Z probe connector, depending on which version you built. This is all described in the instructions and header file on GitHub. Attach to the Duet WiFi.
If you are installing a PanelDue, connect it to the 4 position connector on Duet.
Commissioning
That's it for the basic Duet WiFi installation and configuration. Now you an proceed with making sure everything works properly. First power up your printer. If you have PanelDue, you should see its display. If not, power down and figure out your connection issue before proceeding.
Connect to DuetWiFi from a web browser. Once connected, verify the bed and hot end thermistors are giving sensible readings. Then heat the bed to 50°C and the hotend to 100°C to test them. Once your bed and hotend are working, you can test the steppers. Click the home button and watch carefully. Have your cursor on the Emergency Stop button or finger on the power supply button in case of problems. Next, bring your hotend up to printing temperature and test the extruder.
If all of that works, you are ready to test the HE280 accelerometer adapter for probing. Home your printer and click the Auto Bed Compensation button. If all goes well, you will have a calibrated, ready to print Rostock MAX V3 with a Duet WiFi and RepRapFirmware!