First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

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Eggroll
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Joined: June 17th, 2016, 8:07 am
3D Printer(s): HICTOP Reprap Prusa I3 MK8

First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

Post by Eggroll »

HEY GUYs!

Just want to say thanks for being here for me. This build has been super fun up until the end and I'm almost printing but then hit a brick wall. Support from China is a nightmare with emails addressing one question per night with absolutely no resolution. I'm not the type of person to bash a product until I know for sure that it's not a user error on my part and then still, I probably wouldn't even go there. All I want to do is get printing and try to learn more about these machines and be able to trouble shoot errors with success and I'm super excited. I'm going to list my issues up to this point and If you feel like chiming in, I'd love to hear what you guys know. Thanks in advance!

PROBLEM #1:
EXTRUDER motor does not work when manually moving it via LCD. However, when i change the wires to plug into the x axis port it's ok and works fine. My opinion is wire is ok and motor is ok. Extruder connection on board NOT ok. When extruder motor is connected to x axis and using the both wires motor is ok. So i think the connection to the board is bad. I think i may need to flash the firmware on the board or install a new board?

PROBLEM #2:
When I heat up the nozzle, the nozzle gets very hot but does not read temperature on the LCD screen. My set temperature is displayed but current temperature is NOT displayed. Reading remains at 25/0 degrees on LCD screen main menu.

PROBLEM #3
When I attempt to print, the printer will say "bed heating" but the bed never gets hot. I've tried yellow + and black (-) as well as black (+) and yellow (-) with the 2 red wires in the A14 HOT RESISTANCE port.

PROBLEM#4
NOW, Err: MINTEMP has showed up. Nozzle thermistor plug is pluged into A13-EO and bed thermistor is plugged into A14-BED
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Chip Luck
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Re: First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

Post by Chip Luck »

I'm no expert on the matter you mentioned, however I would:

- double check proper connections to all thermistors, motors etc.
- do the axis motors properly move?
- have you checked your current settings for the motors on the control board?
- what type of control board RAMPS 1.3, 1.4?
- is the extruder thermistor properly inserted and seated in the hot end? Use high temp silicone RTV to secure or you will get invalid temp readings.
- assume a stock HIC i3?
- stock factory installed firmware?

Highly suggested your download Repetier Host program here: https://www.repetier.com/, and connect to your printer. It gives complete manual control from your desktop instead of LCD, graphs for temp's, move axis and extruder, reads current EEPROM settings, etc. Take one issue at a time and troubleshoot. You can also read through and post here: http://forums.reprap.org/list.php?406 as they have a lot more hardware guru's on-line there. Let us know how it goes.
Eggroll
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Joined: June 17th, 2016, 8:07 am
3D Printer(s): HICTOP Reprap Prusa I3 MK8

Re: First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

Post by Eggroll »

Thanks Chip Luck! I'll try to address these issues one at a time and give updates. I like the idea of the Repetier Host program. Super cool. thanks again~!
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Roberts_Clif
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Location: Washington, State USA
3D Printer(s): Hictop 3DP11/12

Re: First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

Post by Roberts_Clif »

Eggroll wrote:HEY GUYs!

Just want to say thanks for being here for me. This build has been super fun up until the end and I'm almost printing but then hit a brick wall. Support from China is a nightmare with emails addressing one question per night with absolutely no resolution. I'm not the type of person to bash a product until I know for sure that it's not a user error on my part and then still, I probably wouldn't even go there. All I want to do is get printing and try to learn more about these machines and be able to trouble shoot errors with success and I'm super excited. I'm going to list my issues up to this point and If you feel like chiming in, I'd love to hear what you guys know. Thanks in advance!

PROBLEM #1:
EXTRUDER motor does not work when manually moving it via LCD. However, when i change the wires to plug into the x axis port it's ok and works fine. My opinion is wire is ok and motor is ok. Extruder connection on board NOT ok. When extruder motor is connected to x axis and using the both wires motor is ok. So i think the connection to the board is bad. I think i may need to flash the firmware on the board or install a new board?

PROBLEM #2:
When I heat up the nozzle, the nozzle gets very hot but does not read temperature on the LCD screen. My set temperature is displayed but current temperature is NOT displayed. Reading remains at 25/0 degrees on LCD screen main menu.

PROBLEM #3
When I attempt to print, the printer will say "bed heating" but the bed never gets hot. I've tried yellow + and black (-) as well as black (+) and yellow (-) with the 2 red wires in the A14 HOT RESISTANCE port.

PROBLEM#4
NOW, Err: MINTEMP has showed up. Nozzle thermistor plug is pluged into A13-EO and bed thermistor is plugged into A14-BED
This is an old post thou someone else may have similar problems.

1. The LCD control will not move the Extruder until the nozzle is up to temp about above 170-180 degrees Celsius depending on software settings.

2. This could be because of the solder connection between the thermistor and wires. A More probable answer is that the thermistor is defective.

3. Bad hotbed, measure resistance of he hotbed it should appear to be almost a short circuit as the resistance is low about 1 ohm.
your hotbed driver may be damaged this is one of the Driver Mosfets by the hotbed connector pins.
The Mosfets can be checked with a simple multi-meter, disconnect hotbed or nozzle and measure between the 3 pins if shorted then replace.
for those who do not know how to measure Mosfets check YouTube Videos.
No luck Change the Controller Board, I for one keep a spare controller just in case.

4. When Mentemp shows up you may not have adjusted the nozzle temp above Minimum temperature.
Thermistor not accurately measuring temp measure with multi-meter replace defective thermistor.

** Note harbor Freight has free multi-meters coupons with any purchase.
*** For those who desire "Rambo1-1-schematic.png"can be found with google search "REPRAP SchematiC - Image Results" may help you trouble shoot.
**** These are only suggestions before following anyones advise scan internet for other options and then make the best possible decision.

One last bit of important information, When I assembled my 3DP11 the power wires were so small that I could only get 8.5 volts to the controller when I heating the Hotbed and nozzle. The only wire I had on hand was some #10 house wiring so I wired with that and am still using the Stiff wire and getting full voltage to the Controller.

I had always planed to replace it but why mess with what works.

Have a video showing how the voltage drops when I turn on the hotbed and the nozzle though to large to upload here. So never forget to measure your power supply voltage on the controller board before starting any other troubleshooting low voltage can cause the most problems.
Last edited by Roberts_Clif on March 27th, 2017, 9:55 pm, edited 1 time in total.
shocksofmighty
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3D Printer(s): FFCP, HICTOP i3

Re: First Build and Almost There But Need Help - PLZ

Post by shocksofmighty »

Roberts_Clif wrote:This is an old post thou someone else may have similar problems.

1. The LCD control will not move the Extruder until the nozzle is up to temp about above 170-180 degrees Celsius depending on software settings.

2. This could be because of the solder connection between the thermistor and wires. A More probable answer is that the thermistor is defective.
This is a feature, not a bug.

See the firmware:

#define PREVENT_COLD_EXTRUSION
#define EXTRUDE_MINTEMP 170
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