<p>Most Stepper drivers will have lots of energy passing through them so it is crucial to having a moderately sized heatsink to cool them off otherwise they will get too hot. Most stepper drivers found online come with heatsinks but you could search online for mini heatsinks.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-04T07:30:54.653Z
I also own a Anycubic Kossel Linear Plus (driven by TMC2130) and a Tevo little monster with duet board (driven by TMC2660). On both machines the stepper drivers do not get hotter than 40°C. So obviously silent stepping is possible without massive amounts of heat.
user406482
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-02T04:18:42.510Z
2019-04-02T04:18:42.510Z
Krutav
<p>What constitutes too hot? A Hybrid stepper motor operating at 80 degrees is normal. They dissipate heat via their mounting plate (which should not be plastic), otherwise you may need to use active cooling. Now if the motors are dying from the heat then you have a problem.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-04T07:26:00.400Z
The mounting plate _is_ plastic. Rather I would use the old loud stepper drivers instead of some (also noisy) active cooling fans.
user406482
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-02T15:54:59.203Z
2019-04-02T15:54:59.203Z
user77232
<p>Using stealth chopping and Klipper &quot;interpolation&quot; reduces torque (According to the Klipper configuration documentation). If you turn off both of these options for x and y steppers regardless of what firmware you are using, you may be able to reduce the current and get the same results (avoid layer shifting and get the same torque).</p>
<p>However, see user77232's answer since your motors can likely operate rather hot and be within the normal operating range of the motors. If your current temperature is within range, you may be able to keep stealth chopping on and keep the current you are using. Regarding your concerns for plastic parts, the glass transition temperature of ABS is around 105 degrees C (<a href="https://www.lorric.com/en/WhyLORRIC/Material/material-chemical-resistance-chart-ABS#:%7E:text=Acrylonitrile%20butadiene%20styrene%20(ABS)%20is,has%20no%20true%20melting%20point." rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.lorric.com/en/WhyLORRIC/Material/material-chemical-resistance-chart-ABS#:~:text=Acrylonitrile%20butadiene%20styrene%20(ABS)%20is,has%20no%20true%20melting%20point.</a>) so you're probably OK on that front. If you're concerned that the temperature is higher than 80 C, consider getting a laser thermometer and check the temperature while the printer is operating (and after it has been going for a while).</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-05-30T18:36:56.070Z
2023-05-30T18:36:56.070Z
Poikilos
<p>I equipped my Makerbot Replicator 2x with <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Makerbot-Replicator-2-3D-Printer-Part-Makerbot-TMC2100-V1-0-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Module-With-Heatsink/32870918354.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">silent stepper drivers TMC2100</a>. According to the product page I reduced V<sub>ref</sub> from 127 (factory default) to 25 in the printer settings as well as in my start G-code.</p>

<p>With this I get horrible layer shifting (a few millimeters!), even if I reduce print- and travel-acceleration to 300. The layer shifting is mostly happening on the Y-axis, but also on X-axis. Not only layer shifting was happening, also the extruder-motors lost many steps.</p>

<p>To fight this problem I increased the V<sub>ref</sub> little by little. At around 70 for X and Y axis (and 50 for extruders) all layer shift- and extrusion problems were gone. Also I had to install a dedicated fan for the stepper drivers, because they got very hot. </p>

<p>I was happy with this solution for about 10 minutes, then I noticed that the stepper motors are getting so hot I burned my fingertips by touching them. My guess for the motor temperature would be 80~90&nbsp;°C.</p>

<p>So my question is: Are those TMC2100 stepper driver unsuitable for my usecase somehow or am I missing something? Is there a way to get the 3D printer silent while not overheating?</p>

<hr>

<p>On behalf of advice in the comments, I mounted some <a href="https://www.amazon.de/Schwarz-Aluminium-K%C3%BChlk%C3%B6rper-Heizk%C3%B6rper-Heatsink/dp/B07C7SJHTH" rel="nofollow noreferrer">heat sinks</a> and measured the temperature via an <a href="https://www.amazon.de/Thermometer-ber%C3%BChrungslos-Temperaturmessger%C3%A4t-Temperaturmesser-Beleuchtung/dp/B01I4TB2IM/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">IR-thermometer</a>. With the old original stepper drivers I get 60&nbsp;°C for the Y-axis and 66&nbsp;°C for the X-axis. With TMC2100 it is 86&nbsp;°C for both. (Each temperature measured at the heatsink)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T13:16:39.007Z
Did you mount the heatsinks?
Trish
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-03-21T13:55:13.063Z
There are a couple recent questions on stepper temperature. First thing: check the specs on your motors to see what temp range they are rated for.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-07-24T03:15:38.377Z
I have also found the given TMC21000 settings too low. Measuring Vref current seems to be around 250mA and 500mA would be ideal. So your values seem appropriate. I am also getting mightyboard power-loss (resets?) soon after printing starts on the first layer. Any progress in the past year?
guru_florida
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-10-30T15:54:35.320Z
@guru_florida I gave up on the Mightyboard. The printer is getting a trigorilla-board now. Mainly because I have this board and no other use for it at the moment. Maybe I will go for a Duet clone in the future.
user406482
<makerbot><stepper-driver><heat-management><makerbot-replicator2>
Replicator 2x getting too hot with silent stepper drivers
user406482
# Replicator 2x getting too hot with silent stepper drivers

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-03-21)

I equipped my Makerbot Replicator 2x with [silent stepper drivers TMC2100](https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Makerbot-Replicator-2-3D-Printer-Part-Makerbot-TMC2100-V1-0-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Module-With-Heatsink/32870918354.html). According to the product page I reduced Vref from 127 (factory default) to 25 in the printer settings as well as in my start G-code.

With this I get horrible layer shifting (a few millimeters!), even if I reduce print- and travel-acceleration to 300. The layer shifting is mostly happening on the Y-axis, but also on X-axis. Not only layer shifting was happening, also the extruder-motors lost many steps.

To fight this problem I increased the Vref little by little. At around 70 for X and Y axis (and 50 for extruders) all layer shift- and extrusion problems were gone. Also I had to install a dedicated fan for the stepper drivers, because they got very hot.

I was happy with this solution for about 10 minutes, then I noticed that the stepper motors are getting so hot I burned my fingertips by touching them. My guess for the motor temperature would be 80~90 °C.

So my question is: Are those TMC2100 stepper driver unsuitable for my usecase somehow or am I missing something? Is there a way to get the 3D printer silent while not overheating?

---

On behalf of advice in the comments, I mounted some [heat sinks](https://www.amazon.de/Schwarz-Aluminium-K%C3%BChlk%C3%B6rper-Heizk%C3%B6rper-Heatsink/dp/B07C7SJHTH) and measured the temperature via an [IR-thermometer](https://www.amazon.de/Thermometer-ber%C3%BChrungslos-Temperaturmessger%C3%A4t-Temperaturmesser-Beleuchtung/dp/B01I4TB2IM/). With the old original stepper drivers I get 60 °C for the Y-axis and 66 °C for the X-axis. With TMC2100 it is 86 °C for both. (Each temperature measured at the heatsink)

**Tags:** makerbot, stepper-driver, heat-management, makerbot-replicator2
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Did you mount the heatsinks?  
> **username_2**: There are a couple recent questions on stepper temperature. First thing: check the specs on your motors to see what temp range they are rated for.  
> **username_3**: I have also found the given TMC21000 settings too low. Measuring Vref current seems to be around 250mA and 500mA would be ideal. So your values seem appropriate. I am also getting mightyboard power-loss (resets?) soon after printing starts on the first layer. Any progress in the past year?  
> **username_0**: @guru_florida I gave up on the Mightyboard. The printer is getting a trigorilla-board now. Mainly because I have this board and no other use for it at the moment. Maybe I will go for a Duet clone in the future.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2019-04-02. Score: 1

Most Stepper drivers will have lots of energy passing through them so it is crucial to having a moderately sized heatsink to cool them off otherwise they will get too hot. Most stepper drivers found online come with heatsinks but you could search online for mini heatsinks.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I also own a Anycubic Kossel Linear Plus (driven by TMC2130) and a Tevo little monster with duet board (driven by TMC2660). On both machines the stepper drivers do not get hotter than 40°C. So obviously silent stepping is possible without massive amounts of heat.  

---

### Answer by username_5 on 2019-04-02. Score: 0

What constitutes too hot? A Hybrid stepper motor operating at 80 degrees is normal. They dissipate heat via their mounting plate (which should not be plastic), otherwise you may need to use active cooling. Now if the motors are dying from the heat then you have a problem.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: The mounting plate _is_ plastic. Rather I would use the old loud stepper drivers instead of some (also noisy) active cooling fans.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2023-05-30. Score: 0

Using stealth chopping and Klipper "interpolation" reduces torque (According to the Klipper configuration documentation). If you turn off both of these options for x and y steppers regardless of what firmware you are using, you may be able to reduce the current and get the same results (avoid layer shifting and get the same torque).

However, see user77232's answer since your motors can likely operate rather hot and be within the normal operating range of the motors. If your current temperature is within range, you may be able to keep stealth chopping on and keep the current you are using. Regarding your concerns for plastic parts, the glass transition temperature of ABS is around 105 degrees C ([https://www.lorric.com/en/WhyLORRIC/Material/material-chemical-resistance-chart-ABS#:~:text=Acrylonitrile%20butadiene%20styrene%20(ABS)%20is,has%20no%20true%20melting%20point.](https://www.lorric.com/en/WhyLORRIC/Material/material-chemical-resistance-chart-ABS#:%7E:text=Acrylonitrile%20butadiene%20styrene%20(ABS)%20is,has%20no%20true%20melting%20point.)) so you're probably OK on that front. If you're concerned that the temperature is higher than 80 C, consider getting a laser thermometer and check the temperature while the printer is operating (and after it has been going for a while).


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