Walled Garden  

Walled Garden

I'm livid, can you guess why???

Roughly 2 months into being an mk3s++ owner I received my first error message: err: MINTEMP BED. Very easy to extrapolate that the heat sensor had a possible open in the circuit. A quick websearch validated my hypothesis. Come to find out the wire strands had fatigued within the insulation from normal operation and was providing an intermittent connection. I bet you're thinking that I'm mad that after only 2 months of use the sensor wire(s) prematurely broke and I'm left without a printer. If you are, you're wrong, I accept the fact that repetitive motion will degrade wire integrity, I simply had a bit of bad luck in that department.

I removed the plastic sleeve that loomed over the hot bed wires and while the machine was still on, it provided real time response to the sensor information. By wiggling and pinching the thermistor wires, I was able to determine that there was an internal open in the circuit within the wire. I took the heat bed off to see if I needed to replace the entire bed or if the thermistor could solely be replaced. It appeared that the faulty sensor could be removed and easily replaced. If you're guessing that I'm enraged over the fact that I had to take components apart to troubleshoot so that I could pinpoint the problem, well.... you're wrong.

I then turned to the web to source a new part and was able to quickly find it in the prusa parts store for roughly $5. When I went to check out, It prompted a script saying that parts are only for original prusa customers, please log in.... OK... I log in, none of my information of purchase is there, I guess I hadn't registered my original prusa mk3s+... How do I go about doing that??? You'd figure that the prompted message would have a hyperlink to instructions on how to do so... "You'd think wrong dude!" After spending ample time trying to figure it out and every passing moment builds to frustration for the simple fact that all I wanted to do was purchase a $5 component that somehow requires me to prove that I have an original mk3s+. If you think that this is where I blow my top... you're right!!! 

This whole business decision for a walled garden in fear of competitors having original prusa parts, or possibly to prevent other stores to carry original parts in fear of losing that walled garden control is what really irks me! Coupled by the fact that registration isn't straight forward. I've perused the books that came with the printer and haven't found how to register my printer. 

Here's there real kicker, I just received my 2nd mk3s+ kit from prusa and part of me wished that this entire ordeal happened before ordering a 2nd printer. There needs to be some sort of rectification on prusa's side to make this whole process easier. Although I don't agree with the walled garden approach, I can accept it as none of my business if it didn't directly effect my experience of being an original prusa owner. I personally have given up on purchasing parts for this problem, I will spend the next year [if I have to] with this printer down to ensure that this is all covered under warranty.

Rant over. 

Now if you're still reading, please point this irate customer to the proper page for printer registration so that I can get my feces coagulated.

-Jimmy