Help! The prints of my UMO+ stop randomly

[Elaup 2]

Hello!

 

I'm facing a new issue with my UMO+ after years of good jobs: it stops randomly and I can't find why. The prints start normally and before the end of the job almost everytime the printhead suddenly stops moving, the screen becomes blue with nothing displayed for a few seconds, before going back to normal as if I just turned it on, and the build plate can go down.

 

I can get very small prints to the end but when I relaunch it the second time this problem occurs. I've no idea of where it can come from. I wanted to update the firmware but I can't connect it to Cura via usb. It's not detected, no connection sound and it does not appear in the software window. (I'm now using ubuntu as an OS, maybe that's the reason of this last issue?)

 

Thank you in advance for your help and hope my explanations were clear!

Edited October 7, 2020 by Elaup

[gr5 2,172]

I'm thinking it's the power supply.  Does it act the same as if you turned it off and then on?

 

These power supplies are "smart".  They have little computers in them.  If things overheat or if there is too much current drawn for too long then they cut the power.  Only a fraction of a second.  But enough to reboot the arduino.

 

I seem to vaguely remember you can run the UMO+ with both power supplies at once?  Maybe not?  I forget.

 

Try a print where you use only blue tape and no heated bed.

 

[gr5 2,172]

Oh I just remembered - I have a UMO that was upgraded with heated bed kit - that version can use 2 power supplies but the UMO+ is quite different and only uses one power supply.

 

Ultimaker in the past has bought 2 meanwell power supplies:

GST220A24-R7B
GS220A24-R7B

 

The one without the T is better - it can deliver more power (even though they are both rated the same).

 

It could be that your power supply is getting old or it could be that you have more friction on your rods which draws more current.  I hooked up a current meter to my UM power supply once and when I fought the print head the current/power usage went up noticably.  Try adding a drop of oil to each rod.

[gr5 2,172]

By the way, running the bed at a lower temperature will be worse because the lower the temperature, the more current it draws when it's on.  It has to be off.

 

I could be wrong - it might not be the power supply but I've had problems with a few of these and many customers on the forum have reported problems.  Especially with the GST (newer) ones.  You can buy these online.

[Elaup 2]

Hello gr5 and thank you a lot for your answer! You were right, the problem was coming from the power supply, but not at the printer level, it was just the hub that was very not well inserted in the old plug... The other devices on it were working well, but probably that the printer didn't like it! After noticing it I could print four two hours long parts.

 

Thank you also for all the other advice and tips to maintain it well, it improves my understanding of how all this works!

 

My last issue is now the connection to Cura. Do you know if it can come from the ubuntu OS?

 

Tank you again!