Sudden inability to get first layer down
Hi all,
I have a Prusa i3 MK3S (at this time running firmware v3.9.3-3556) that I have been printing on for just about a year now. After my last successful print, which is now over a week ago, I had an issue I just can't seem to solve. Initially, I thought it was a clogged nozzle. I tried doing cold pulls and changing nozzles. When I tried to calibrate my first layer, the filament was sticking to the nozzle when lifting from the prime which it never does. Trying to adjust Z has been impossible since the extrusion is inconsistent (really thick after the prime, then immediately goes quite thin) and intermittently curls dragging and sticking the entire print to the nozzle. The calibration turns now all of a sudden don't seem to adhere and corners stick a bit to the nozzle. I tried adjusting Z down even to the point where the nozzle was just not extruding anymore and tried higher to no avail. I print in a basement where the ambient temp fluctuates between 20-21c and tried moving to an area that is a steady 21c because this had caused me some issues before. None of it eliminated the issue.
I'm stuck. Any advice on how I should proceed?
Brent
Best Answer by Matt:
I had this happen a few weeks into owning my MK3S, where after near-constant use without problems suddenly nothing would stick, and I was still using the same filament as when I started. Not even cleaning it with isopropyl alcohol helped. It turned out that the filament had been laying down imperceptible traces of material that needed a light scrub down with warm water and washing up liquid. As the textured plate is supposedly attacked by water, I made sure I was quick and then dried it down with paper towels, finally heating it on the heatbed to get it completely dry. This solved my adhesion problems immediately.
RE: Sudden inability to get first layer down
I had this happen a few weeks into owning my MK3S, where after near-constant use without problems suddenly nothing would stick, and I was still using the same filament as when I started. Not even cleaning it with isopropyl alcohol helped. It turned out that the filament had been laying down imperceptible traces of material that needed a light scrub down with warm water and washing up liquid. As the textured plate is supposedly attacked by water, I made sure I was quick and then dried it down with paper towels, finally heating it on the heatbed to get it completely dry. This solved my adhesion problems immediately.
RE: Sudden inability to get first layer down
i have the same problem i can load filament and you get a nice extrude but as soon as i try setting the z its as if the nozzle is blocked 3 years of printing and no problems mk3 first model bond tech extruder brilliant now i cannot print any thing i thought it was the extruder stepper changed that have replaced all the ptfe tubes all cut to correct length the nozzle is clear nozzle X could it be the pinda its the black type not super or the hot end thermistor i must say that the problem manifested over the course of 3 days gradually getting to the point were it prints little wisps of filament almost like blocked nozzle but as i said its scweeky clean thanks
RE: Sudden inability to get first layer down
@matt-14
I was attempting to print on the PEI steel sheet, not the textured sheet. However, after giving your suggestion a try I was able to successfully perform a first layer calibration again. This was surprising. Like I said, I have been printing for quite some time using 99% isopropyl and the performance didn't seem to degrade at all. It just suddenly stopped completely.
Thank you for your help!
RE: Sudden inability to get first layer down
sorted my problem was the E steps for some reason they went back to prusa setting instead of bondtech reset them brilliant now