DuetWIFI not detecting DueX5

tbahre · 15 Apr 2018, 02:18

I currently have a printer build in progress that is going to be using my existing (1 year old) DuetWIFI and a new DueX5 that i got from filastruder. Today I started some commissioning of the printer and got stuck right away when the DuetWIFI wouldnt detect the X5 right from the beginning.

I checked and rechecked my VIN wiring and made sure it was correct and I re-seated the 50 pin ribbon cable a couple different times to make sure it was in there. I then updated the firmware from 1.21RC3 to the actual 1.21 release and gave it another try - there it was! I saw the DuetWIFI mention the X5 in the M115 command.

...I restarted the DuetWIFI - the X5 disappeared from the M115 command

I restarted again - still gone

I've now wasted about 3 hours trying to get the X5 recognized again with no results.

Could anyone offer any help?
Thank you.

T3P3Tony · 15 Apr 2018, 10:03

Check the ribbon cable for continuity, and that there is a good ground between the Duex and the Duet on VIN.

tbahre · 15 Apr 2018, 15:01

@t3p3tony said in DuetWIFI not detecting DueX5:

Check the ribbon cable for continuity, and that there is a good ground between the Duex and the Duet on VIN.

I had 18 gauge wiring on the VIN and all checked out just fine but for sanity's sake i redid the VIN wiring with 16 gauge wire and everything there is definitely good to go with good connections to the terminals. After this I powered on to see if It fixed the issue but that wasn't the cause of the problem because the DuetWIFI still couldn't see the DueX5.

The ribbon cable looked good from what I could tell but its hard to judge a ribbon cable based on looks. I could have set up a probe to test each of the 50 connections for continuity but on removing the cable from the boards I broke the top plastic retainer on one side with my pliers. Its now in the trash bin next to my desk.

I went on ebay and found a 4" long, 50 pin, female/female IDE cable for around 7usd so I bought it and we can try again with a new cable this week when it arrives.

Not to jump too far ahead with this, but: What would be the next course of action if, when this new cable arrives, the DuetWIFI still cannot see the DueX5? Is there a way to tell which board is responsible for the non-detection?

T3P3Tony · 15 Apr 2018, 16:39

Not definitively but its more likely to be the Duex5. If it still does not work with the new ribbon cable then please contact Filastruder to swap the Duex5 under warranty.

tbahre · 15 Apr 2018, 16:59

@t3p3tony said in DuetWIFI not detecting DueX5:

Not definitively but its more likely to be the Duex5. If it still does not work with the new ribbon cable then please contact Filastruder to swap the Duex5 under warranty.

Thank you for your input, I'll post back here this coming week with any updates.

dc42 · 16 Apr 2018, 15:33

Please confirm that you have a short cable between the negative sides of the VIN connectors on the Duet and the X5. Not a long cable between each VIN block and the PSU.

tbahre · 16 Apr 2018, 21:30

@dc42 said in DuetWIFI not detecting DueX5:

Please confirm that you have a short cable between the negative sides of the VIN connectors on the Duet and the X5. Not a long cable between each VIN block and the PSU.

Confirmed.

https://imgur.com/a/qeaSJ

tbahre · 19 Apr 2018, 19:32

Got the new ribbon cable tried it and still no luck. The cable looks just fine, exactly the same as the old one. I'll be contacting filastruder to start a warranty replacement on the X5.

dc42 · 19 Apr 2018, 20:24

@tbahre said in DuetWIFI not detecting DueX5:

Got the new ribbon cable tried it and still no luck. The cable looks just fine, exactly the same as the old one. I'll be contacting filastruder to start a warranty replacement on the X5.

I'm sorry that you appear to have received a faulty DueX5. I hope Filastruder replaces your board promptly.

tbahre · 19 Apr 2018, 20:41

No need for an apology, these things can happen. At this point I just hope it’s actually the X5. My duetWiFi seems to be working just fine though and has never given me a reason to doubt it.

Edit: The direct support and contact with the hardware designers is just top notch. Thank you.

dc42 · 19 Apr 2018, 21:04

It's almost certainly the DueX5 at fault. The pads of the SX1509B chip are underneath the chip and very small, so we occasionally get bad solder joints there. The Duet has to get a response from that chip to know that the DueX board is present.

tbahre · 3 May 2018, 21:45

Got the replacement DueX5 unit today from filastruder and all is working just fine! Problem solved. Thank you for the support here.