CTC printer Heated Bed will not heat up

[Tony1170]

Hello,

I have just bought a ctc printer off ebay two weeks ago and it prints PLA fine.

Wanting to try ABS I sent for a roll of filament but, when trying to use ABS I noticed that the printer bed will not heat up it just displays very high temperatures even though the bed is stone cold.

Tried preheating also but, still the printer thinks the plate is at 310C and above.

I have changed the firmware to sailfish 7.6 and replaced the tabel thermistor with 100K NTC 3950 thermistor to no avail. I followed the step by step guide on you tube to install sailfish and the display went blank the buttons would not work and the heat bed started to get hot all this was what should have happened according to the instructions I followed.

My point is that at this stage surely the heating element is working.

I hope I have given enough information for anyone to help. I am totally mystified as to why everything seems fine except the heated bed. I have checked all wires leading to and from the tabel to the main board all seems well.

Can anyone please help. Total beginner here never owed a 3d printing machine.

Thank you in advance Hope someone can help.

Tony

[cobnut]

Hi @Tony1170 I can’t speak for your specific case, but it seems that almost all these type of problems with these machines is down to the wiring. I’ve seen lots of different issues crop up here and they all seem to come down to a loose or broken cable somewhere. In my own Flashforge Pro I’ve had to rewire one of the cooling fans because the original broke. So, I’d start by checking all the cabling for the bed…

[Tony1170]

Thank you so much for youre reply. I have checked the wiring from the bed to the motherboard for continuity and this is fine, I am wondering if it could possibly be the other components on the heated bed but dont know how to check them.

I printed a part last night using the Pla and this printed fine whilst turning off the heated bed within Utilities / general settings / HBP installed menu set to NO.

If I set this to HBP ON the display shows a start temperture of 195C and if you continue to print eventually a message comes up with an alarm stating :- Platform Failure

Temperature limit reached shutdown or restart.

At this point all buttons fail to work and I am forced to turn off by the power switch.

Totally flumixed !!!

I have read some of the other posts on this site and found one which described the same problem. the comments suggested that it was the HBT itself and this should be replaced if so, where can one be obtained? Any ideas? Im not very good at finding my way around forums as I have never had to do this before. Again thank you for your response will keep hoping for a solution to this problem. Seems this could be a common fault just not enough information out there about it. I have still not had any reply from CTC support.

Thank you and Regards Tony

[Suggy]

I orded one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/130W-24V-Silicone-Heater-MakerBot-3D-Printer-Heatbed-w-3M-PSA-Thermistor-/281398221154?hash=item4184a41962

Take some time to get upto 120 but worth the wait.

and made my own out of some aluminium plate I had in my garage. Print area is now 300mm x 140mm x 140mm

[slippyr4]

Did it ever work? Before you changed the thermistor?

[Tony1170]

Hello Jon,

No to my recollection I never felt any heat from the bed at all except when following the instructions for the upgrade firmware when the bed did indeed heat up.

I must admit that I had noticed high readings on the display for the HBP when printing PLA but, being a complete novice to 3D printing I did not give this a second thought until my reel of ABS turned up. That was when my problem reared its ugly head. This was before upgrading the firmware, I only upgraded because I thought the upgrade to sailfish 7.6 would cure the problem. I did not !

At this point in time I have emailled CTC direct (NO REPLY) A guy from the listing on ebay where I purchased it from (amiejill@ctc.com) again NO REPLY Ive emailed a chap on ebay offering help (tilly69) again no reply although in fairness to the latter why should he. Lastly Ive contacted the seller through Ebay and had the reply Check the wiring all of which I have already done! Relayed this back to them still waiting for answer, not very hopeful at this stage.

CTC seem to have terrible customer support if any at all.

I am still unable to get the printer to give correct temperature readings for the HBP.

Since the sailfish upgrade the temperature starts about the 190s then climbs until it reaches 200s - 230`s then I get a warning stating Platform Failure Temperature Limit Reached Shutdown or Restart.

This happens even though the HBP temperature is stone cold or I should say room temp ( Checked with a laser temperature gun, no increase in bed temp at all).

Where are the increase in readings coming from?

Still mystified!!!

[slippyr4]

At what point do they start to increase? as soon as you power on? or is it when you start a print or preheat an extruder?

Unplug the heated bed, and then power on the printer. Does it behave any differently?

[Tony1170]

If I try to print the HBP start temp is about 190C then starts climbing if I remove the plug from the bed I get NC at the display ( whilst printer is still on) If I turn off the printer then remove the HBP plug from the bed then power on and start a print the extruder heats normally but, the platform shows alternating NC, NA 255C and sometimes 000C. Hope this helps

[Tony1170]

Wow!

Love you`re upgrades hope to emulate you, if I ever get things put right!

Will have to see what my problem is main board or HBP before continuing upgrading mine.

Thanks for the info will purchase the new heat bed if my problem turns out to be the platform.

Cheers Tony

[Suggy]

The aluminium arms on the side of the plastic support arm are home made too but you can get them of the bay aswell

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/381360135076?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I also added max end stops to all axis. Added extra moffit for the PLA cooling fan. LED lights run on a separate power supply (12v) as are the cooling fans I fitted to the X and Y axis. Extractor fan fitted to\the hood also runs on the 12v supply.

Igus polimar bearings all round aswell.

I did have LED lights around the print heads but they failed due to the heat and aint got round to sorting them.

Will be doing this very soon as I have just had a jam so it due some TLC

[Suggy]

Have you try going back to the stock fireware? If you have uploaded the wrong firmware of sailfish this may be your problem!

[Suggy]

Another worthwhile upgrade if you can afford it

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/252323800992?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

And this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/232027350132?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

And this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3D-Printer-Feed-Device-Left-Right-Hand-for-Makerbot-MK8-MK9-Dual-Extruder-UK-/291885927599?var=&hash=item43f5c1ccaf:m:mA4tBrCd20Lyt3St-rkM9xA

Some more

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:33839

Y Axis Bearing 11mm x 5mm M4 for CTC Replicator Flashforge by 3DWorkhorse

[Tony1170]

At this point I am willing to give anything a try, Can you give details of how to go about this STEP BY STEP.

I know this might seem ridiculous but, I even tried blowing with a hairdryer between the HBP and support platform both cold then hot air. Seemed to be a rise in temperature in the display when blowing hot but. not by much and blowing in cold air did nothing either. The problem existed before upgrading firmware so cant see what reverting back will do but, hey ho Id give it a go.

Desperate or what!!! LOL!

Thank you for your suggestion would need instruction to carry out this operation as I have said I know nothing about these matters really and its all an experience right now.

After firmware upgrade Version Information display shows:-

SAILFISH REPLICATOR1 (cannot see if any other characters are on this line or is it complete?)

Free SRAM 800 ( This line seems to flicker )

Thing 32084 r1220M

Firmware Version 7.6

This could well be my problem! Willing to accept a blunder on my part; the above information would mean more to the kind people trying to help than me. Lets hope this solves the problem.

Cheers for all you`re comments and advice.

If I have somehow selected the wrong firmware I`m sure someone will assist.

[Suggy]

Sorry cannot help with uploading the firmware as I had someone else do mine for me

[Tony1170]

No problem was not even sure you can go back to original firmware. Maybe someone else could help.

Thanks for your input anyway good to see people having an interest.

[slippyr4]

Can you measure the voltage at TP27 when the HBP is at room temperature? that’s a tiny copper spot just next to R65, which is next to where the HBP plugs in to mightboard. Put the other end of your meter on one of the ground pads on the ATMEGA 1280 IO just below that.

[Tony1170]

Hi Jon,

Thank you for youre instructions here are the results. Now to make sure im telling you the right information Ive included photos as Im not an electronic`s wiz as you know by now!!!

I have access to a meter but, only use it for continuity testing so that said details are as follows:

Room temp:- 77.5F

Meter set at 20v DC. Reading taken at points TP27 as you`re photo to ground on ATMEGA 1280 this gives a reading of: 0.47-0.49v.

Also took picture of board showing three small red LEDs light dont know if this is relevant but, to much information may be better than none. Hope this helps.

[slippyr4]

and the screen said that was around 200 degrees i expect? That suggests your mightyboard is fine, and the problem is elsewhere.

can you take a photo of the component side of your HBP? you’ll need to take it off for that.

[Tony1170]

Some great enhancements, already planned to upgrade parts as viewed on you tube.

I have only printed out parts from thingyverse using Pla on a cold platform due to iissues with the HBP but, this seemed to work didnt know I had a fault till trying some ABS when I discovered cold and ABS dont mix. Printed load of bits but found I needed to print on a raft ( until recently thought that was something that floated on water! but, thanks to people like yourself I hope I`m starting to learn a thing or two. Just need to get things up and running properly before sending for more bits such as the extruder feed device which I ordered.

Thanks

[Tony1170]

Hello again,

Here are the pictures as requested gather you meant the side showing the solder tracks hence taking it of the mounts?

If Ive given wrong pictures then Ill retake later.

Thank you your efforts are appreciated!!

Just realised the pictures you wanted are of the HBP (Fool I should learn to read properly!!)

Here are the correct images I hope.