Build problem for an i3 Zrib

[Kallen_Williams]

I am very new to 3d printer building. I bought a kit from a Canadian business who sold me a kit for the Prusa i3 Zrib.

Background on my experience leading to my question:

After building it without any real manual from the business, I got it to start extruding and printing. On my first attempt i got halfway through a small test print and it stalled. Since that point It always shifted the print after 30 minutes or so and I’ve scrapped about 15+ attempts. I researched and discovered this is caused by improperly set trimpots.

The original control board

[img]http://i.imgur.com/ha9BZbw.jpg\[/img\]

which has no label as to a model or manufacturer has super small trimpots and small heat-sinks glued on the driver chips, some overlapping the trimpot connector to test voltage. I could not look up and DIY learn the preferred method of tuning and as i was testing my micrometer shorted the not-modular driver chip and left my machine with no Y axis…

The company i bought from, I feel, has ripped me off, but I’d rather put my energy into getting this machine to work properly than bash a crappy kit purveyor.

I bought a replacement board, the MKS Gen v1.4 board off ebay for fifty bucks but it will not show anything but blocks on the LED. I had to cut notches in the LED display plugs on the board as the pins are backwards…

[img]http://i.imgur.com/h9AQDWD.jpg\[/img\]

I don’t mind DIY, but I like having some kind of way to find my next plan of attack. I’ve had this Prusa i3 Zrib sit in my workspace for 3 months now untouched because buying the kit was a nightmare experience. I would have bought from Prusa direct but i wanted to buy in my own country. I now regret trying to support a local 3d printing business.

Regardless, I got the kit for a learning experience and I’ve learned a tonne through this, but now I’d like to move forward.

Can someone help me determine if this MKS Gen v1.4 card will work with the rest of a Prusa 13 ZRib kit and if not, tell me the exact board that came with my kit so i can source and buy it. I’d truly like to keep learning and enjoy 3d printing. Close to a year now and still not one successful print. Not a successful solo venture.

[tpalagyi]

Sorry to hear your story…but its quite typical with these kits. You should made your post to here much earlier, it would save you from a lot of headaches.

You “factory” board is a unknown to me but its a Chinese board variant , but you can use the MKS board also it will work. The reason the LCD didn’t worked with MKS is I think due to firmware setting after you even flipped the LCD cables.

Did you upload the firmware to the MKS board with the correct settings for your machine?

I have found a basic installation instruction for you:

http://osoyoo.com/2016/06/30/mks-1-4-3d-printer-board-marlin-firmware-installation-guide/

And setting the motor currents:

http://reprap.org/wiki/Pololu_stepper_driver_board#Tuning_motor_current

T.

[broncosis]

First off the kit looks pretty decent from the pic I don’t recognize the board but with a bit of work most boards are compatible at least the basic stuff lcd connectors may need adapters etc etc Next where abouts are you located you said you bought this in Canada but your profile says Amsterdam I am also in Canada and if close by maybe I can help in person if not I could help over skype or phone probably wouldn’t take long to get you going in the right direction

[broncosis]

I found the marlin firmware for the original board you could download that and it should drive your mks board as both are ramps based boards

[Kallen_Williams]

I’m in the Vancouver area. Totally appreciate the offer of help. I found a zrib board through a recommendation via imgur. I will wait for that to arrive and see how it goes. I’ll save the MKS board for another printer I guess.

[broncosis]

Well by Vancouver area that’s not a small space but I live in the valley work in Surrey so if you need a had getting it tuned up let me know