Stepper Driver

[thirty6 3]

My Ultimaker has finally died after several weeks of intermittent faults.

Now it have found that one of the stepper drivers is crashing everything, if i unplug it the ulticontoller works, plug it back it everything goes blank or starts the stepper motor it is plugged into pulsing.

One of the other stepper drivers has a bit missing see photo.

Does it make sense for a stepper driver to have this effect?

 

 

[hreedijk 4]

A broken stepper driver can cause many strange effects, you should replace it by a new one.

 

[thirty6 3]

Thanks for the info as Ultimaker want 54 euros for 2 inc shipping, any idea of the best place to get some??

 

[hreedijk 4]

I had one broken stepper driver once, but I could get it at a local FabLab.

As advised by Daid on the thread below you can use Pololu Black....

http://umforum.ultimaker.com/index.php?/topic/1315-stepper-drivers-fried-replacements/

Be sure the Amps are the same.

 

[tommyph1208 55]

Those are UM2 step sticks right?

They look quite like the "ice blue" step sticks you'll often find bundled with eg. Ramps boards:

http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/221281785267?nav=SEARCH

But otherwise I guess Pololu black yes...

And do be careful with the current, I just fried some pololu purple sticks, by going too high...(partially due to not knowing which way to turn the pot to increase and decrease current)... Start low and slowly work your way up until the stepper no longer skips steps (apply a little resistance to the printhead with a finger or two when testing)