Pegasus 8" 3D Printer

[OneEarWillie]

I've been following 3D printers for a couple of years now... yearning for the day when I'd be able to build/purchase my own. I'd had my eye on MakerFarm's Prusa i3v line for more than a year (just dreaming... and drooling). However, this new Pegasus 8" was just the "deal" I was looking for to get me started. I ordered mine (with the Aluminum Heat Bed and LCD Panel)... and received it a couple of days ago.

Sadly... the excitement has started to dwindle. So far, I'm a little disappointed in the results. It seems to be a VERY nice, sturdy, smooth design. I'm sure that if I could get past several (probably minor) issues, it would be a FINE first 3D printer. The problem is that while the price suggests that this printer would be good for a beginner such as myself... the supporting information does not.

Here's some things to note:

• The printer did not include documentation of any kind... not even a "look on our website for build instructions"
• The website has build instructions for MOST of their products... but NOT the Pegasus 8"
• When I finally found documentation (thanks to the article mentioned above)... it was incomplete, incorrect, and out of order
  
  • Incomplete: because it does not include everything a beginner needs (and it often links you to other similar, but different, instructions that are not applicable to the Pegasus 8")
  • Incorrect: because it contains a few instructions that I later learned to be wrong... such as how to connect Z motor connectors to RAMPS
  • Out of Order: because it jumps around and has you complete tasks that are not possible without first completing actions that occur much later in the instructions

Luckily, I'm a tinkerer at heart (otherwise I wouldn't have even made this purchase)... so I was able to fumble my way through most of these issues, with a little trial and error.

Right now... I have a very sturdy and smooth operating 3D printer. I've got my motions working perfectly... and my bed leveling is looking GREAT!

BUT when I get to the part about testing the heat-bed and the hot-end... I'm stuck!! It doesn't matter if I try to use the optional LCD or the PronterFace software. When I set a temp is doesn't stick?? I select bed... and set it to 100. Then go to monitor it... and the setting returns to 0. I try the same with the extruder... and get similar results. nothing warms up... I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?

Can anyone point to the information I need to get printing?

Thanks!

Paul Riggs

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UPDATE: IT'S WORKING!!

Today, I contacted Colin of MakerFarm via Google Chat... he was VERY helpful! He talked me through some simple diagnostics... and within 20 minutes isolated my problem to a shorted thermistor (my fault). I was easily able to correct the situation... and now I'm printing!! YAY!