TMC2208 guide - Stepper driver upgrades part 2

Continuing the series on stepper motor driver upgrades for your 3D printer, comes another highly requested video: a complete guide to the TMC2208.

Like the TMC2100, this driver offers very quiet operation with stealthchop2. It can be used in legacy mode as a drop in replacement, or configured using one time programming to be in spreadcycle. The best option is to connect it to your mainboard via UART and make dynamic changes to stepper current and stepper modes on the fly with gcode.

This video guide takes you step by step through how to configure for the three available modes, including setting microstepping, VREF and any Marlin firmware changes. This guide is to suit an MKS Gen L mainboard previously fitted to an Ender 3. There will be slight differences between 2208 board manufacturers but I've tried to account for those as much as possible.

As with the TMC2100s, you won't need TL smoothers or stepper motor dampers. You can also fit less of them (eg only X and Y axis) to save money.

In the next video, I will be tackling the TMC2130 in the same way, including SPI mode to enable sensorless homing.

Purchase these drivers from the following links:

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#3dprinting #upgrades #tmc2208

[Lozzie]

Dynamic reading of V-ref by clamping the positive terminal to the screwdriver was BRILLIANT! I was struggling to get it right and luckily searched online and found your vid.

[trippmotorsports]

Hi Michael, first off, awesome videos. Started playing with 3D printing back in May and now I can't find enough time for all of the projects I have planned. One project is the SKR v1.3 32 bit upgrade for my Ender 3 pro. Thought I'd use the TMC 2208 drivers. Since I was using the BigTreeTech SKR figured it would be a good idea to use the drivers from the same company. After hours of research, reading and watching videos, come to find out the BigTreeTech TMC2208 do't have solder pads that need to be jumped across, they are already setup for UART mode. Just in case anyone else runs across this, might ave a bit of research. Keep up the good work and wish me luck on my Lowrider II.

[ld-dmaker]

finally, an informative video done by someone reputable with research behind it, thank you so much for this, as there's lots of very bad videos on YouTube that misinform

[IamVlanOne]

Thank you for the detailed video. I went the UART route and wanted to keep the bigger heatsinks. I modified the heatsinks by removing the last fin with a mini hacksaw and filed the edge to make it smooth. Now the heatsink fits with the modified side facing the two pins soldered to the top of the board.

[ChazBword]

OMG Michael comes through again. Needed to understand what UART mode means and this was what I needed. Thank you

[johnbelsham]

This was an awesome video. I have say that in defense of the lv8729, I spend 2 weeks and probably close to 50 hours trying to get my mks upgrade to ender 3 working after following your video and it would do everything but print the model, great purges, fantastic quiet skirts and brims, but everytime I got to the actual model, the 2208 caused the extruder stop dead or went imperceptibly slow. No matter what I tried (changes to marlin, different files that worked great right before, etc). I swaped the extruder to an LV8729 and immediately my extruder started working again perfectly. I should also mention that I had it setup to run in legacy mode, with out this I followed ruiraptor's guide which set x&a 1.19v and y to 1.26v. It seems crazy torquey and now I finally know why. Thanks again.

[arminth]

Great video! Special thanks to the last comment on using 2208 on extruder! Works just fine since months on my Ender even at high speeds using Klipper.

[CraigBogun]

If you are having a problem with the z axis screw at that low height you could always flip the screw upside down because who really uses that very top part of the print volume.

[drfootleg]

The information here about setting the stepper driver Vref was so helpful. Thank you!

[BitcoinOutLoud]

Wow. You do an exceptionally good job here. Thanks for putting in the time to make such a streamlined, clear, and well thought out video.

[chloemcholoe]

a fine sharp soldering tip makes this 100x esier. i did it on my first try. also pro tip: bridge the two connectros and pull them when holding the soldering iron between them. not only does this makes pulling the pins out quicker but also lets you empty the holes easier!

[deceitive]

Excellent video Michael, and thanks for the shout out!
I really want to give UART a try now, looks like the best of both worlds. Standalone mode is still working great but might as well get the most out of these, really happy with my purchase.
In Marlin I made one change you didn't show, I replaced all of the A4988 for x/y/z/e with TMC2208_Standalone for Driver Type (14:10 in the video). I guess it's not necessary if you didn't change it, I saw it mentioned in another video but there doesn't seem to be any difference, so meh...
Thanks again for all your hard work, this series is very well done, you've got a new patron! :)

[PhilipSteinerYVR]

Perfect timing, Michael! I just finished wiring up an MKS Gen L + TMC2208s on all 4 axes, this will help a lot with the Marlin config!

[Thomllama]

Can only say THANK YOU! all these stepper videos as well as the MKS GenLone were a massive help in getting my latest project printer up and running.!! keep up the great work!

[JeanLucCoulon]

The chip UNDER the board is the correct way to setup the board as far as thermal dissipation is concerned. The chip has a thermal dissipation surface underneath it and if mounted under the board, there is a copper part of the board surface exposed which allow to mount a heatsink. When mounted on top of the board, the dissipator is mounted on the case and not, by far, as efficient.

Thank you for all the tricks.

[jasonflt]

thank you for the break down, having more information and detail is a great help to understand what is needed. I don't mind seeing this style of video a little longer as it is need to get all that info in. looking forward to a conclusion video on what you feel is the best/simplest upgrade for the step driver. I do like having a quieter printer.

[foxabilo]

got 4 x 2130's and a 1.4 arriving this week, so I look forward to the new guide, keep up the good work

[giro]

I would really like to know where you got the 1.77 in your formula @4:05. I just couldn't verify the 1.77 according to the data sheet provided by trinamic.

[DanielKreimendahl]

This is how that difficult soldering job is made super easy. Take about 8 inches of bare signal wire guage stranded. Dip one end of it in silver bearing solder paste ( I used SOLDER-IT, manufactured in Pleasantville, NY, purchased in a small syringe tube from Home Depot ). Set that end across the pads and touch it with your hot iron. Pull away the iron and wait a few seconds. Now twirl the excess wire, the stress will break the excess off leaving a pair of perfectly jumped solder pads. Done in seconds, easy and peasy.

[spikekent]

Fantastically detailed guide, thanks Michael. Only just had time to watch, on the plus side, I'm now going to watch the TMC2130 video.