Home JGAurora A5 & A3S Modifications & Upgrades

Additional Fan for Stepper Driver TMC 2208

Hey I want to upgrade my A5 with the TMC2208 Stepper Drivers. So i need a additional fan for the drivers. I bought a 24V 40x40x20mm fan, but where an how i can connect the fan on the board?

Comments

  • GandyGandy Posts: 89🌟 Super Member 🌟
    You will need an air duct to guide the airflow along the heat sinks. There are several designs on Thingiverse, probably including one matching your fan size.
    If your fan is already equipped with a JST XH-2.54 connector (quite common), you can connect it to the +24V connector on the board. Check page 8 in https://github.com/makerbase-mks/Datasheet/blob/master/English datasheet/MKS Gen_L DataSheet.pdf for the exact location (top left in the image)
    Before connecting, make sure the polarity matches up with the connector on the board, the fan will not work and maybe get damaged when connected with the wong polarity.
    If there is already a cable connected, it should be the hotend cooling fan. Check https://jgaurorawiki.com/a5/automatic-control-the-cold-end-fan on how to switch that one to automatic control. After changing to the TMC2208 you will soon get annoyed by the then quite audable hotend fan ;)
    You may also want to automatically control the TMC2208 fan. For that, you will need a small PWM board you can find on ebay or aliexpress or alike. You will then need to connect the PWM board to +24V/GND, provide a control signal (e.g. from the +Z-Limit connector) to it and connect the fan to the output. You will also need a slight modification to Configuration_adv.h in order to activate automatic fan control:

    /**
     * Controller Fan
     * To cool down the stepper drivers and MOSFETs.
     *
     * The fan will turn on automatically whenever any stepper is enabled
     * and turn off after a set period after all steppers are turned off.
     */
    #define USE_CONTROLLER_FAN
    #if ENABLED(USE_CONTROLLER_FAN)
      #define CONTROLLER_FAN_PIN P1_28           // Set a custom pin for the controller fan
      #define CONTROLLERFAN_SECS 60             // Duration in seconds for the fan to run after all motors are disabled
      #define CONTROLLERFAN_SPEED 140           // 255 == full speed
      //#define CONTROLLERFAN_SPEED_Z_ONLY 127  // Reduce noise on machines that keep Z enabled
    #endif

    Please make sure to select the correct CONTROLLER_FAN_PIN



    Thanked by 1Samuel Pinches
  • fmj89fmj89 Posts: 3Member
    Hey Thanks for your help, the fan had a JST XH-2.54 connector but, there is no free socket on the board. The +12/24 socket is already occupied the same as the fan port on the left side (page 8) above the extruder ports.
  • GandyGandy Posts: 89🌟 Super Member 🌟
    If you have a soldering iron you can also get a premade JST cable and two sockets to make a y-cable for said connector
    Thanked by 1Samuel Pinches
  • fmj89fmj89 Posts: 3Member
    edited March 2020
    Hey, so if i understood you right i have to buy this pwm board ( https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B072N8G7Y9/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1X7QLRQH87QA3 ) and connect this one to the board and the fan. After this i have to modificat the adv.h and switch the hotend cooling fan to an automatic control fan. Then i will get the best result, right? Is there a video availible for these modifications otherwise i think i will be lost. I have a soldering iron and i really interessted in these upgrades but without help i think at the end it doesnt work right :wink:

    Post edited by Samuel Pinches on
  • GandyGandy Posts: 89🌟 Super Member 🌟
    edited March 2020
    The board you linked to is an I²C 12-channel PWM controller, that's not what you need, and I'm not sure if Marlin even supports this. I was rather referring of something like this:
    In case of the 4-channel PWM board, you just need to:
    I'd recommend going with the 4-channel board to have a few spare channels for later hardware modifications or to have an easily available replacement for a damaged MOSFET, if need be.

    I don't know of any video on the subject, but I can provide a few pictures if that helps. Also, I can provide a 3D-model of a mounting plate for the 4-channel board to properly mount it inside the A5 to avoid risk of short circuits.

    Thanked by 1Samuel Pinches
    Post edited by Gandy on
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