Close



Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1

    LEDs causing freeze up?

    I have a FlashForge Creator which is 99% a knock off of the Makerbot Replicator 1.

    I just installed LEDs to light up the chamber, and the first two prints I tried after installing the LEDs they both froze while laying down the raft.

    I used two LED strips I bought from an autoparts store that are rated for a 12v system. After reading that the best place to tap into for power was the fan - which I found mine to put out 24v - I ran the two LED strips in series to create a 12v drop across both.

    The LEDs work fine, but could they be causing the machine to freeze up?

  2. #2
    Technologist Kingoddball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Syd - Aust
    Posts
    193
    Could they be draining too much power?
    How many Watt is your PSU?

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Kingoddball View Post
    Could they be draining too much power?
    How many Watt is your PSU?
    Hmm, I'm not sure. From what I have read, LEDs do not draw much power at all - but read this:

    I completely disconnected the LEDs from the printer and the issue of it freezing has gone away. So the LEDs were the problem. Why are these printers so sensitive? I've ran into issues other times of the printer freezing due to having another appliance plugged into the same outlet as the printer. Any electrical noise seems to really screw with the internal electronics.

  4. #4
    Technologist Kingoddball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Syd - Aust
    Posts
    193
    Bare electronic components (are on mine anyway).

    Maybe add some ferrite connections on the wires.

    http://www.elmac.co.uk/pdfs/ferrite.pdf

  5. #5
    Student WildZBill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    40
    The fan runs at various speeds, using PWM (pulse wave modulation). Your LEDs would flicker on and off at that high speed, with corresponding surges of high current. Not a good idea.

  6. #6
    Student WildZBill's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Sacramento, CA
    Posts
    40
    An LED takes very little current, but 100 of them will need more than an amp.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •