Troubleshooting Forum - Please Read Before Posting

[mhackney]

I'd like to streamline the process to help folks with problems by making a few suggestions:

1. Before posting your problem, try the forum's Search feature to see if an answer already exists!
2. If you can't find an answer to your problem, create a new thread in the Troubleshooting forum. DO NOT POST YOUR QUESTION IN ThIS THREAD!
3. Make sure to list your complete hardware, electronics and software configuration - at a minimum, the components that are relevant to your problem. It's especially important to know which firmware (if you are running an Arduino based system) you are running and where you got it. A number of folks here have created pre-configured firmware to help other users. Each of these is slightly different so knowing what you have is important for us to help.
4. The more information you can provide, the better help we can provide.

If we keep these suggestions in mind when posting problems, it will help the community provide support and answers.

cheers,
Michael

[JohnStack]

Thanks!

[kbob]

Thanks for the gentle reminder, Michael.

But Google will get better results than the internal search most of the time. To search the forum, just add "site:forum.seemecnc.com" to Google's search box.

For example, if you want to know about the LCD, give Google a query like this.

LCD does not light site:forum.seemecnc.com

[JohnStack]

I would like to troubleshoot this forum!

I can't get View Active Topics or View Recent Posts or search to work from within this forum!

I also can't get _anything_ with search.php

[Batteau62]

Me either John. Sent a PM to the siteadmin, no response. Guess we'll have to wait and see?

[JohnStack]

Unintended "Let's everyone take a deep breath, ok?" LOL

[joseph]

This was (and is) originally published in the "what's up with fans" thread. It seemed appropriate then.
The machine is a completely stock Maxx, arduino/matermaker, and I'm slowly destroying the hot end as I rummage around in it.

I test printed both fan shrouds in ABS successfully. Elmers white all-purpose glue stick provided excellent traction. Head temp was 228; bed temp 80.
After I installed the peek fan and re-calibrated the temp control algorythm, I started trying to print files obtained from "Thingaverse". Right away it was obvious that things had changed for the worse. The extrusion now emerges from the extruder with a little curlique, and the ABS seems to have hardened significantly the minute it hits the air (fan on). I tried extruding material to clear the pipe and to release fresh ABS, but it hardens quickly and refuses to stick to the platform. I have raised platform temp to 90-95 c and it still won't stick. It winds up being pushed around by the extruder eventually winding up in a knot. I have raised the hot end temp to 235 c, and the same thing happens. I have tried various amounts of glue on the glass. My best newby observation is that the ABS is extruding at too low a temp and setting up before it sticks to the job. Here are some issues that have stumped me:
1)bed temp doesn't want to go over about 93-94 c. I don't know where to juice it up.
2)The all-purpose Elmersglue stick (not blue) is wimpy. Any better stuff around? Can it all be down to the stickum?
3)Should the peek fan run with ABS and other high temp material? Can the peek fan be disabled in software? Is it a good idea? Would it require recalibration?
4)How does one clean up the extruder if it gets clogged? How much disassembly is required? Is there a solvent, or is some boring tool required? The extrusion hole does seem to be running slower. PS: It full stopped.

[Earthbound]

@joseph

1) Any chance that when you re-calibrated PID for hot end that you accidentally made that change in the heated bed values? Could also be a power supply issue, which are common.

2) Elmers disappearing purple glue stick is the one. Certain hairsprays work well, too.

3) PEEK fan should run automatically if installed per instructions. Should turn on when hot end is turned on, and remain on after turning hot end off until temp drops below 50C. Use it for all materials. It is there to protect the heatbreak (PEEK section) and reduce jams by stopping melt creep. PEEK fan should be running during PID tuning.

4) A pin or fine music wire can be used to clear the nozzle. Most clearing needs to be done hot.

[joseph]

thanks for answering. Sofar:
#1 PID was the right one
#2 trying the super plastic 12 " sheet now
#3 melt-creep occurred...i ran the temp up to compensate for the extrusion going hard before it would stick....the fan seems to cool the extrusion as well as the barrel
#4 acetone cleaned up the jam
I'm thinking of switching the peek fan mechanically to see if the problem goes away....haven't looked too hard to find the software switch, but I'll try that first.
Thanks again!

[HumanLiberty]

Hi All,

I've got a stock machine/software, except it came with the different stepper motors, where you had to adjust the BAUD rate (I think)
Tricklaser's 325mm FC arms http://www.tricklaser.com/325-MM-Carbon ... FTX325.htm
and my bed is elevated on 2" stainless steel circuitboard spacers (explanation here: http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php ... 393#p73393 - the 325mm arms have rendered this mod obsolete, but I haven't bothered to remove it yet.)

Here's what's up:


I recently installed those 325mms, and did a calibration using RollieRowland's killer .html calculator http://forum.seemecnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=8698 and a depth gauge mounted in place of the hot end.

Before I could print more than a calibration tester, my stock power supply blew a capacitor.

Replaced it with a 4-year-old Antec Earthwatts 650W yesterday (oh, so that's another mod...)

This has a thicker gauge wire, and I added an extra set of yellow and blacks to each hot-end port to allow it to draw more amperage if
need be (perhaps that's the problem, though I can't figure why it would be...)

Anyway, suddenly my nozzle seems to be leaking PLA around its base, which eventually drips down and fouls the print.

PLA accumulating around the nozzle base - for some reason the forum is rotating it 90 deg counter-clockwise.

The PEEK fan is going full tilt. Could the leak be from a flaw in the nozzle? Do I need to replace it?

Thanks a ton for any help!

[geneb]

You've greatly exceeded the maximum hot-end temperature of 247C and have destroyed the PEEK section in the hot end.

g.

[HumanLiberty]

Thanks Geneb!
Weird - the thermistor was reading 209-211 the whole time when this happened.
Guess I need to get a thermocouple to correct/check the thermistor reading from now on...?
And a new hot end?
Do you think that was due to wiring to allow for extra on-demand amperage draw from the power supply?
But if so, why wouldn't the thermistor have read the increased temp...?

[Polygonhell]

The usual cause of this is the thermistor creeping out of the hole in the hotend. The Silicon is not intended to secure it in the hole.
What happens is it works its way loose and as it does so reads progressively lower temperatures relative to the actual, you can't tell at room temperature, because it reads correctly there.
It's how I lost my first hot-end several years ago.

[HumanLiberty]

Thanks Polygonhell!
Time for a Prometheus v2 upgrade I guess...

[geneb]

This is why I have builders tape the thermistor leads to one of the power leads on the hot end as well has wrap the hot end heater block in Kapton. The only 100% sure fire way I've seen to guarantee that the thermistor will never come out is to install a threaded unit like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Modular-Screw-I ... 19fb5489f2

While you're at it, you can replace the two resistors with a single 6mm heater cartridge like this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5pcs-Reprap-Cer ... 4d2a9151cb
(I'd try to find the 15mm long version)

Here's a video I did that shows the upgrade process:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvXKt3xDt4E

You can replace the PEEK section without much trouble.

g.

[HumanLiberty]

Oh cool, thanks again Gene, it would be nice to avoid the expense of an upgrade.

I actually did tape the thermistor leads to a power lead too - I think I probably loosened it while
repeatedly fuddling with installing/uninstalling the depth probe for Rollie's html calibration script.
I have a supply of 10 thermistors I got for $5 on ebay last time one crapped out on me,
so will have to exhaust them before going to the cartridge.

Do you know of any tutorials/directions on how to swap out the PEEK section?

Thanks,

-E

[geneb]

It just unscrews. You'll probably want to get a tap of the right size (I don't know what that is) in order clean the slagged PEEK out of the heater block's threads, just make sure you're chasing the threads and not trying to cut new ones.

g.

[HumanLiberty]

LOL, no cutting new threads, thanks Gene, got it.

We'll here's a new development:

I was having problems with Rollie's HTML script crashing my hotend into the bed after I reset to defaults.
It even persisted when I set Z height at about 1cm below the end-stops.

So figured I'd clear/restore the EEPROM to defaults through Arduino.

Got this error message:

Arduino Error trying to run eeprom_clear (if too hard to read, I can PM it to you.)

Then I noticed only the upper-left green LED is on on my RAMBo - the others that usually
are flickering away are all off. Also the print time and filament used fields appear to be stuck in loops.

All the printer's control functions seem to work though (the ones I can test w/o a nozzle, anyway.)

Any idea what's happening - do I have to replace the RAMBo?

-Eric

[Eric]

Looks like the instructions should have included an instruction to start a new post for your issues rather than replying to this one.

Anyway, your program failed to load to the Rambo because the usb/serial port was busy, which means nothing got changed. Perhaps you still had the host program running when you tried this?

If your eeprom clear HAD worked, then nothing would have worked anymore, as you would have successfully overwritten the Rambo firmware. You have to follow up by reloading your firmware to get it to work again. Make sure you're prepared to do this!

[HumanLiberty]

Looks like the instructions should have included an instruction to start a new post for your issues rather than replying to this one.

Anyway, your program failed to load to the Rambo because the usb/serial port was busy, which means nothing got changed. Perhaps you still had the host program running when you tried this?

If your eeprom clear HAD worked, then nothing would have worked anymore, as you would have successfully overwritten the Rambo firmware. You have to follow up by reloading your firmware to get it to work again. Make sure you're prepared to do this!

Thanks Eric.
Not sure I follow you about the importance of starting a new post vs. replying.
Anyway, I'll try the clear again w MatterControl off and see is that frees up the port.

Yes, I'm prepped to reload the firmware.

Thanks again,

-Also an Eric

[geneb]

Ewww! He's using a Mac! Run Away! Run Away! *shrieks*



Yeah, if you've got MC connected to the printer, the Arduino IDE isn't going to be able to use the port.


Leave it up to MacOS to identify a regular serial port as a "usbmodem". *rolls eyes*

Protip: Never buy a computer from a vendor that won't trust their users with a two button mouse.

g.

[HumanLiberty]

Ewww! He's using a Mac! Run Away! Run Away! *shrieks*



Yeah, if you've got MC connected to the printer, the Arduino IDE isn't going to be able to use the port.


Leave it up to MacOS to identify a regular serial port as a "usbmodem". *rolls eyes*

Protip: Never buy a computer from a vendor that won't trust their users with a two button mouse.

g.

LOL - I'm very tempted to go pure Linux on my next laptop - have yet to take the plunge.
Mac certainly has strayed far from their original hacker ethos....

[geneb]

If I didn't have such a strong need for high-performing graphics, I'd be tempted to use Linux on the desktop myself. I do use it on all my servers.

g.

[jstone33065]

i am trying to post a problem on the board ...but as it turns out...lol, i am having difficulties doing that as well...
is there an issue with that lately?

when i click the add file button in the editor it goes to a blank page and never loads.
if i then hit back it goes back to the editor for the post i wrote with the file i was going to add(but still not uploaded)
and then if i dismiss the add file thing and just go to submit it does the same....= blank page doesnt go anywhere?
im surprised i can even reply to a post honestly....
is there anything you can tell me about this problem
i appreciate it
jstone

[Eric]

What's the nature of the file you're trying to upload? How big is it?