Homing problem and Z-axes micro step question

[commonlogic]

Did a upgrade to a SKR V1.4 turbo and touch sreen.
Compared 3 config.h and adv.h from FT, cheesecheese56 and joymonkey.
thanks, that helped a lot.
x,y and z are moving in the right direction, say move left and the go left but when i try to home they move away from the limits.some suggestions were to change

define X_HOME_DIR -1 to #define X_HOME_DIR 1

but that gave error messages compiling

// Invert the stepper direction. #define INVERT_X_DIR true does not work

in Endstop settings

// Mechanical endstop with COM to ground and NC to Signal uses "false" here (most common setup).

define X_MIN_ENDSTOP_INVERTING true

inverting true to false does not work, it sees the endstop as being triggered already.
this was suggested on few places.

Regarding the Z-axis I was looking at the prusa calculator and they mentioned there that micro-stepping is not recommended, is the a old item that has been solved.
I have a 1 to 3 gear on my Z-drive, should I change this to a 1:2?
see my built post Upgrade to what
And adjust my jumpers on the Z to no micro-stepping?

[carefudundae]

I'm somewhat confused by what all you are asking and referencing. Please help clarify...

What version of the firmware are you using? If you self-built, you may want to post to github or pastebin and share here...

When homing does it slam into the wrong direction? or just move a little bit then stop? If the latter, that may be an issue with your homing switch... What type of homing switch are you using?

To reverse homing direction, change the "-1" to a "1" or vice versa in x_home_dir. If that gave an error, what did it say?

Regarding your Z-axis questions, what gear reduction are you using (obviously not stock)? What post are you saying "see my built post"? Include a link...
Microstepping is fine for z-axis in my experience. I'm not sure you'll get much out of doing 128 microsteps, but 16 or so is likely fine...

I think folks will happily help you out, but just need to understand your issues better. thanks!

[commonlogic]

I have a FT 5-1 upgraded to a -2 running Marlin bugfix 2.0 and a SKR V1.4 turbo with BTT-TFT35-V3.0 with steppers 2208 in standalone mode
Y-steppers are separated, one on Y and one on E1.
All steppers in 1/16 MS, 4 jumpers installed on the right as shown here

End-stops are standard that came with the unit, here is what I done so far,

FT5-1 upgrade to what?

Hi, purchased a -1 just before the new -2 version came out I was not a fan of the wooden parts on so I got alu. brackets and ordered some other alu. angles, U-shapes and so on to replace these components from the start. Later ordered all the 24V parts with a new power supply to make it like a -2. After the assembly of the frame it felt not as sturdy as I hoped for. Felt like there was nothing in the assembly that pulled the frame together, thought about banding it like they do with shipping crat…

Did compare the 2 .h files that were in post
http://folgerforum.com/t/skr-v1-3-controller-tmc-2208-marlin-2-0-works/2495/11 and 14
Also the official ft 5 version .h

define X_HOME_DIR 1 gave me error in sanitycheck

error "Enable USE_XMAX_PLUG when homing X to MAX."

With the touchscreen I can move all 3 axis as indicated on the screen right arrow x moves right and so on.
But homing the X goes the wrong way and slams away from the endstop.
When activating the limit manually the driver stops, led on, this goes for X Y and Z.

I reversed the rotation of the X in the firmware and did a test, homing works now,(moves to the right) but on the touch screen I have to use the left arrow to move to the right manually.
Thinking now that I might have to find a solution in the operation of the touchscreen.
This is why
// This option reverses the encoder direction for navigating LCD menus.
// If CLOCKWISE normally moves DOWN this makes it go UP.
// If CLOCKWISE normally moves UP this makes it go DOWN.

found this under LCD and SD support.

Z-Axis,
When checking marlin there is a link to https://blog.prusaprinters.org/calculator_3416/
Here they are trying to talk you out of using micro steps:

"Optimal layer height for your Z axis
Helps you to select layer height in a way, that Z axis moves only by full step increments. Z axis isn't usually enabled during inactivity. If the axis is disabled during micro-step, axis jumps to the closest full step and intorduce error. This effect is occuring to some extent even while leaving the Z axis motors enabled. This is most usefull to machines with imperial leadscrews but also for unusual layer heights with metric leadscrews."

[carefudundae]

Ok cool, thanks for clarifying. I actually remember that post a while back when you talked about using the hardibacker board... that was a really good idea, hopefully its working out for you.

So the error in reversing the direction makes sense, but I'm wondering if the confusion is where "home" is for the ft5. For most cartesian printers it is in the front left, but when you are looking at the front of an ft5, its flipped around. "Home" is in the back right. Also, moving positive in x moves the head to the left (when looking at if from the front). Is there where the confusion comes in? If you are still homing in a mostly stock config, then you probably just had the motor direction reversed, but that's easy to fix in the firmware (didn't help that the touchscreen tricked you to thinking it was correct)... and looks like you already figured that out. "right" is "left" on the ft5... also "back" is "front" as well. At least z goes in the right direction... kind of. Z still gets me from time to time, if I want to move the bed up, you have to go down in z. Anyways, glad you got that sorted out...

Regarding the z axis, you don't really need to worry about that when setting the printer up. That's more for setting print layer heights, to try to stick to intervals of a full step. Chuck Hellebuyck had a video a while ago about this (CHEP Magic Numbers video). I don't really like the term "magic numbers", but its the same basic idea... Either way, nothing you need to worry about in setup, just for slicing.

[commonlogic]

Thanks Carefudundae for the quick response.
If front left home is the default, why do other FT-5 users not run into this?
Could it be the BTT-TFT35-V3.0 display
Need to connect the stock display and see how the movement direction is that way.
Maybe it is just the touchscreen showing the "wrong" direction.
The bed and nozzle are heating, so that is good.

Z axis
Interesting video,right now with a 1:3 ratio i need to keep 1/16 steps = 1200 steps/mm or 0.0133 mm/full step
I do have a 30 teeth gear that I can put on the Z-stepper and go 1:2 = 800 steps/mm or 0.02 mm/full step
Easier to change than replacing the gears on the rods.
Is it possible to run full step only on Z and 1/16 on the rest?
Just remove the MS-,2,3 jumpers on the Z stepper
Thanks for your help
Ron

[carefudundae]

If front left home is the default, why do other FT-5 users not run into this?

Front left home is "standard" for many cartesian style printers, but not the FT5... I'm sure every ft5 owner at one point has had some level of annoyance with this arrangement, but you get used to it. I recently did a corexy conversion, and in doing so put the homing orientation to "front-left" and really like having it that way. I think the difference for you is that instead of using the lcd to increase/decrease x or y, you are using arrows and it caused this issue/disconnect.

It's standard to use microstepping in x/y/e (I think trinamic drivers go up to 128 microsteps if desired), and oftentimes z as well (though there may be some minor advantages to using full-steps in z). Again, it isn't something you need to change in the hardware/firmware, just a slicing setting to get regular layer heights.

[commonlogic]

It is possible to change the icons on the touch screen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Putn10_Ek starts at at 9.28
Or rotate it upside down, it also has a convig.h file, maybe edit that.
I like the screen but it needs a longer connection wire.

did you change a 5 into a corexy?

[carefudundae]

Yep, converted my FT5 into corexy a couple of months ago. Something I'd been wanting to do for a while and decided it was a good pandemic project... Did a handful of other upgrades while doing that, but mostly just did it for fun.

[commonlogic]

If all else fails, read the manual!
Under menu/settings /feature is "invert x,y,z axis"
don't know what is worse , my headache or the dent in my desk.

[caiju]

I would love to know your solution to this problem.
I currently am doing a swap to SKR 1.3 and I'm also having issue with the homing.

define X_HOME_DIR -1 + #define USE_XMIN_PLUG -> homes to the left for me.

define X_HOME_DIR 1 + #define USE_XMax_PLUG -> Glitters and stops like it hit the switch

[commonlogic]

Hi Caiju,
I changed the direction using the touchscreen.
Had to check it but on the touchscreen go to menu-settings-feature.
There is a switch for INVERT X(Y,Z) AXIS.
I could not find a way to do this in config.h