Lots of initial trouble  

Is there any electronic drift in the system so that the Live Z needs to be recalibrated periodically?

Not electronic but as the nozzle wears in use the Z setting changes...

Cheerio,

RE: Lots of initial trouble

The detection/triggering distance is temperature dependent.  However beyond that it is VERY stable.  Some of us position the extruder a bit above the build plate and then preheat/ soak heat it for ~10 minutes to get the same temperature each time.  That allows the bed to thermally expand and equalise the temp across its full surface and it warms the pinda sensor up at the same time.  Then when the mesh levelling is done its consistent.  

Basically the techniques mentioned in Bob's site https://projects.ttlexceeded.com/3dprinting_prusaslicer_start_gcode_mk3.html   his examples should be more than enough if you want to do the same.

The older PINDA (non super) had a thermistor built in so you could actually read back the temp at the probe and add commands to the start gcode so that it reached a specific temperature before proceeding.  Thats what I have on my old Mk3 printer and it is very very repeatable.  In winter when its colder it results in a longer wait time but whats a few minutes at start for getting a great first layer that you know is going to stick and not ruin a multi hour/day print.

RE: Lots of initial trouble

However beyond that it is VERY stable.

Agreed. One of my printers is pretty much cranking the same thing out over and over again, and I hardly ever have to adjust anything on it. On the other hand, you change nozzles, make other modifications to the extruder, use different sheets (even of the same type), more likely than not you'll have to adjust the Live Z, even if just slightly. There's also a common opinion that PETG "likes" less squish, so Live Z should be backed up a bit, but I for one don't really see that consistently.

I think it's good practice to watch your first layer go down and adjust live Z on the fly as needed— on the Mk3S, from the main screen press and hold the knob for a few seconds to access the Live adjust Z option.

RE: Lots of initial trouble

I've heard of the concerns about temperature drift in the Pinda, and I guess that's one of the things that the new Super Pinda is supposed to be more immune to, but I've never, personally, had a case where I think temperature has resulted in a bad print.

The one thing I do regularly, however, when I do ABS prints, is to preheat the machine and let it sit 15-20 minutes or so and stabilize.

The Pinda is one of those things that just seems to work first time and every time.