LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
This is a partial repost from Original Prusa i3 MK3 (I accidentaly posted in there originally instead of in here):
Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
My printer has been giving me calibration problems since I bought it used and preassembled nearly 6 months ago. I haven't gotten out more than a handful of successful prints since.
Essentially, the printer refuses to perform an XYZ calibration successfully, claiming it is unable to find the first calibration point, even though in the past it passed the XYZ calibration and the skew was accounted for. Nothing about the printer mechanically has changed since then - it's all in the software, which for me is very finicky and glitchy - occasionally, after a new firmware flash or stroke of luck, the printer works fine - but normally it fails to pass XYZ calibration, and meshbed leveling results in it crashing into the bed on its 4th calibration point.
This has prevented me from printing even though there is nothing obviously incorrect about the assembly of the printer. In fact I have completely assembled and dissassembled it and that didn't 'fix' it. The closest I got to fixing it was when I reflashed the firmware, and by a stroke of luck, it worked. However, after a few successful prints, I tried to perfect the calibration with Z calibration and the whole printer 'relapsed' - began to hit the bed during the 4th meshbed leveling point and fail XYZ calibration on the first point.
It hasn't worked since (about 2 weeks ago).
It definetely seems like a problem with the software or firmware, something to do with the RamboMini board.
So at this point I have tried reseting the firmware / board with the button on the top of the Rambomini board, and reseting All Data through the series of button commands (performing a Factory Reset). Even after this, the XYZ calibration fails on the first point and meshbed leveling fails at the 4th point.
I have some videos of the failiures on my youtube channel, however you can ignore what I'm saying during those videos as I hadn't really figured out the problem totally since nowish ( I still don't know the problem totally lol).
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX5QbQ-LAqwLDmqSpQ9pCog/videos?view_as=subscriber
If you have any help or advice I would greatly appreciate it!!! Otherwise, would my best bet be to ask prusa for / buy a new RamboMini Board?
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
What I looked for and could not see in your video was the vertical distance between the tip of the nozzle and the bottom of the PINDA. That distance should initially be set at around 0.7mm using a zip tie or credit card. in a similar way, when you introduced the spatula to test the PINDA it appeared to be 10 or 15mm away and may have been out of range. Can you clarify on these two points?
Thanks,
Bill
Tagaytay City, Philippines
Founder member of Philippines Prusa Printer Owners FB Group
Sponsor Pillars of God Academy in Bacoor
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Hi Bill,
I have been talking with the Prusa support (unfortunately it usually takes them a while to get back, but no worries 😀 ). We have worked through the PINDA tests. It doesn't show it in the video, but I reran the tests with more apropriate heights after some advice at Prusa support, and my printer passed all of the endstop PINDA tests.
Additionally, I usually can't keep that much of a distance between my nozzle and pinda (I'd love to) because my nozzle 'rubs' against the bed and moves the paper around during XYZ calibration otherwise. And I do XYZ calibration so often that I don't adjust that height difference between the nozzle and PINDA.
I hope those answer your questions man!
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Personally I think that if you are having issues with calibration, you should basically start again.
So to get an initial "calibration" and just to make sure that your hardware is OK, set the probe LOWER than the nozzle. That will ensure it can "see" all the calibration points.
Once you have that working (and there are various reasons why it won't) then set the probe level with the nozzle, calibrate again and then finally, set the probe higher than the nozzle. If calibration then fails, gradually lower the probe until you get a pass.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Hi Peter, I'll try that and let you know how it goes. Good idea dude!
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Personally I think that if you are having issues with calibration, you should basically start again.
So to get an initial "calibration" and just to make sure that your hardware is OK, set the probe LOWER than the nozzle. That will ensure it can "see" all the calibration points.
Once you have that working (and there are various reasons why it won't) then set the probe level with the nozzle, calibrate again and then finally, set the probe higher than the nozzle. If calibration then fails, gradually lower the probe until you get a pass.
Peter
Hi peter, I tried your method. When I lowered the PINDA probe lower than the nozzle, it passed the XYZ calibration and said skew was accounted for, which is a good sign!
When I raised the height of the PINDA probe to approximately the height of the nozzle, or very slightly above, it seemed to be working. XYZ calibration passed and tried printing a benchy. Because the PINDA probe was quite low during this print, it knocked the print off and the print 'failed' about halfway through - no worries, that is what I expected wtih such a low PINDA.
However, here is the good part - I raised the PINDA slightly above the nozzle, maybe .5mm max, I can attatch a picture if you'd like, and tried my XYZ calibration again. This time it failed and said Calibration point was not found at the second point. Interesting.
Could it be a faulty PINDA probe?? I doubt it would be a faulty bed. This test appears to show that my PINDA probe has a 'limited' range of accurate functionality, perhaps? Wierd! Or could it be a known firmware / software issue? Anyone got any advice or ideas?
Thanks!
Aditya
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
That's not good. But at least you are getting somewhere...
The probe could be weak or have a cable problem.
I think the best thing to do is have a chat with "Live Support" on the shop page. Give them a link to this thread and they may even decide to send you a replacement probe.
The other possibility is that the bed is badly warped and that point is too low to be reachable with the probe in a "normal" position.
Before you speak with support, can I suggest that you post a photo here of the edge of the bed where the problem is, a straight edge across the bed (metal ruler) and a light source at the back so any bed warp can be easily seen.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
That's not good. But at least you are getting somewhere...
The probe could be weak or have a cable problem.
I think the best thing to do is have a chat with "Live Support" on the shop page. Give them a link to this thread and they may even decide to send you a replacement probe.
The other possibility is that the bed is badly warped and that point is too low to be reachable with the probe in a "normal" position.
Before you speak with support, can I suggest that you post a photo here of the edge of the bed where the problem is, a straight edge across the bed (metal ruler) and a light source at the back so any bed warp can be easily seen.
Peter
Hi Peter. I just wanted to thank you again for always being so helpful and responding to all my posts so fast. You're the best!
I was able to reach out to Prusa's Live chat and purchased a brand new Pinda Probe. I was very excited... and it didn't work. Same problem as last time.
When I raise the probe too high, it konks out on the second calibration point.
However, I decided to follow through on your advice and take pictures of my bed. It doesn't look terribly level to me...
https://photos.app.goo.gl/9d7ikeSAwk25LAge6
The first is a pic to show the height of the PINDA probe when XYZ calibration said it couldn't find the second calibration point.
The second, third and 4th are pics of the a level placed on the bed x axis.
The 5th 6th and 7th are pics of the level placed on the bed y axis.
As we can see in the pictures, the bed's y axis looks off and corresponds to where XYZ calibration fails / scrapes against the bed. However it doesn't seem terribly easy to adjust - is there any way to manually adjust it?
Thank you so much everyone for your help, I hope to get this MK2 working soon!
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Leave it with me, I will see what I can do.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Hi,
failure in calibration with missing points is mostly caused because of the faulty P.I.N.D.A. sensor, if you already tried new one and it still fails, I suggest trying a factory reset: https://help.prusa3d.com/l/en/article/SYvbQ66IXF-factory-reset
If not, please contact our support again. It might be either the bed/y-carriage is warped or the RAMBo board.
/ Knowledge Base
The guy behind Prusa assembly manuals...
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Hi,
failure in calibration with missing points is mostly caused because of the faulty P.I.N.D.A. sensor, if you already tried new one and it still fails, I suggest trying a factory reset: https://help.prusa3d.com/l/en/article/SYvbQ66IXF-factory-reset
If not, please contact our support again. It might be either the bed/y-carriage is warped or the RAMBo board.
I have already tried a factory reset (it was unsuccessful in fixing the problems), and after replacing the PINDA probe with a new one sent to me by Prusa, none of the problems were fixed.
Earlier in this post I have included pictures of the bed with a level - it didn't appear warped or totally unleveled. It may be a somehow faulty RAMBO board or warped carraige (though the carraige doesn't look to be warped).
Alternatively, is there a way I could manually calibrate the machine, perhaps bypassing the PINDA probe / mesh bed leveling?
Re: LOTS of problems i3 MK2 (firmware / software related)(partial repost)
Hi,
unfortunately mesh bed levelling is a core feature of the Original Prusa i3 printer and it is done before every print. I will tell my colleagues from support to get in touch with you about the possibly warped y-carriage / heatbed.
/ Knowledge Base
The guy behind Prusa assembly manuals...