The next disaster: weak filament loading  

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

It looks like you are using non-standard equipment, so it's hard to say specifically, but there is a tension adjustment in the extruder that controls the lateral pressure that is applied to the filament as it's passing between the idler gear and the extruder drive gear.

Looking at your post history it seems like you are experiencing a lot of problems firstly because you do not fundamentally understand how the printer functions. Then secondly because you are using non-standard parts. I would really recommend downloading the manual, disassembling and then rebuilding the printer with mk3s+ parts so you can have a clear understanding of how it functions with known good parts, rather than trying to learn by triaging one problem after another.

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@darkknight

That sounds like a huge time and financial investment, especially when this printer has printed decently before, and only recently experienced a bit of layer shifting which resulted in a cascade effect of issues. Sometimes you need a bit of love when statistics reports your print time as 1,260 days long. I do lament not having assembled a Prusa myself, having bought used, especially with so much maintenance, and some day if Prusa comes out with some fancy new printer, perhaps like a Mk4 with a super large print bed, I'll drop the dollars to buy new unassembled and really get smart on it. 

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

I suspect when I updated the firmware, I erased the e-stepping configuration the previous owner set after installing the BondTech. I contacted their customer support and they said: "it sounds like you did not set the e-step value correctly, due to the gearing the e-step value needs to be updated to 415 for 16 bit microstepping"

After googling how to do that, I got an article that said Prusa's default is 280, and I need to make a gcode in notepad that says: "M92 E415 M500" save it on an SD card, and tell my printer to print it which will magically configure the system. I tried that, and the system asked if I wanted to print even though the file was incomplete. I said heck yeah, and it just kind of sat there for a few minutes "printing." Eventually I canceled the print, hoping it changed the e-stepping, but based off my results, I wasn't able to change the setting.

So now I just need to figure out how to adjust e-stepping. 

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@paulhostettler

To change parts of settings in firmware I would recommend you to use Prontercace. Using this you can connect your printer using a USB-cable and you don´t have to change SD-cards and get warnings of incomplete programs and so on.

Then for finding out how to change settings I would check these two links:

https://reprap.org/wiki/G-code

This explains the commands and shows how it is implemented in different printers

also helpful can be this link:

https://marlinfw.org/meta/gcode/

Best regards, Clemens

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

Yes, of course you have to adjust the esteps. You can find the step-by-step instructions for installing the extruder and updating the firmware on Bondtech’s website.

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@fuchsr

Of course : )

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@paulhostettler

3D printing, IMHO, is not exactly a casual hobby time wise.

I’m happy that you have a direction to go with your troubleshooting. I stand by my personal recommendation that if you want a less ‘disastrous’ experience, stick as close as possible to the benchmark that they build/develop against which for the time being is the MK3S+.

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@clemens-m

Hm, I installed Prontercace, connected it to my printer, inputted the codes, but I don't get the sense there was any configuration actually taking place. And according to BondTech's guide, the correct number for a Mk3 is 830, not 415, so I went ahead and adjusted that (also tried sending a new gcode, but that didn't work either).

Pronterface is telling me I'm connected, but none of it's commands seem to make my printer do anything, so I doubt the M92 command is going through.

After it's all said and done, my extruder is still weak and unmotivated. I need to figure out how to make this e-step work ><

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

Here's a short video of what's going on presently.

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

I have my MK2.5 still printing, so I can't connect via Pronterface. I don't know if Prusa supports M503 (report settings) - if yes, you will find also e-steps for the different axes. Try it.

Best regards, Clemens

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@clemens-m

Tried inputting that command, 5 minutes later, this is all I see:

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

Setting up a command via Pronterface does immediately create a reaction. So Prusa doesn't allow a M503 - shit. So I have to wait until my Prusa has finished.

Best regards, Clemens

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

@clemens-m

I really appreciate your assistance

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

When I connect via Pronterface to my MK2.5 and perform M503 - that is the result I get:

So just an idea: Close Pronterface (PF), connect printer with USB-cable to your computer, start PF and connect - should be 115200 baud.

Then M503 and you should get something similar to mine.

When you go to your printer and go from main ==> support: Which firmware is installed?

Next from there which board: RAMBo13a? (That is my result as I only own a MK2.5 - don't know what a MK3 has in it)

Best regards, Clemens

RE: The next disaster: weak filament loading

Funny: 10m of USB-cable from printer to Raspberry Pi 4 4Gb works without any problem 🙂

Best regards, Clemens