# Specific 3D Printers, Scanners, & Hardware > Other 3D Printers / Scanners / Hardware > Printrbot Forum >  Help!!!!!!!!!!

## Schmitty117

I have a printrbot simple metal. The z stop has been causing all sorts of problems. I bought a new probe thinking the old one was bad and the thing went up but not down. So I got a new board after frying the old one and now I figured, let's see if a limit switch would work and.... Nothing. I have had this thing for a year and fooling with it on and off has got me nowhere. If you have any sort of help I'm willing to consider trying it.

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## LambdaFF

Hi, you fried your board, you changed the Z probe, you modified the firmware ... It seems this machine has had a lot of history, huh ?

Did you do this on your own or based on PB Support help ?

Can you describe what you mean by "nothing " ? The head doesn't move or the z probe doesn't trigger when close to metal or the probe triggers but the head doesn't stop moving ?

Regarding head going in the wrong direction, it has nothing to do with the sensor, more to do with the board, how the Z motor is connected to it, the firmware and your inputs in the control software (repetier ?). Can you detail if you had any interaction with any of those ?

Regards

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## Schmitty117

Yes this machine has had a history, I used the pb support(not the support I was looking for, for say a live call department) as well as some experimentation. The z stop dosnt trigger or stop the y axis when touched to metal, so I tried a limit switch and as I said before the limit switch didn't work. I am using cura because I had problems with repetier in the past. Other from the z stop in general not "working" or stopping the head. It has a full range of movement, the extruder motor, hot end, and the x and y stop both work as advertised.

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## LambdaFF

So you replaced the Z sensor and it still didn't work. You can check it's functioning by putting a screwdriver underneath and then the small led on it lightens up.
If it doesn't lit up, then either it's not powered (and so you must check its connection), or the board has an issue, you can try to flash the firmware first.
Was that before or after you fried your board ? You still have the metal bed, right ? Is your harness routing ok and stress free ?

Yes, it is written all over that PB support works by mail : it has the advantage you can send a detailed description with photos and videos. I find they do answer fast though. But I guess it's a US thing that people expect a voice over the phone. In my company we have 20 subsidiaries providing support all over the world and only the US one has a call center.

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## Schmitty117

I still have the metal bed, I read on another forum that it is easy to fry these probes. What do you mean by stress free wiring harness?

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## LambdaFF

There is no reason to fry the probe on printrbot, it was designed in from the start. 

However if your cable routing is not correct, chaffing and the stress generated by the moving carriage will damage the wire and cause all kinds of mayhem. Have you changed the wiring ? Have you made a sensible and stress free routing ?

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## Schmitty117

I got the limit switch to work and got a print or 2 but extremely low quality do you know how to fix this

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## LambdaFF

Without details and pictures, NO.

But please post a picture or 2 and some details like material and settings and I'd gladly help.

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## Schmitty117

IMG_0826.jpg The printer is pushing the extruder down into the layed plastic. So I figured raise the layer height. I stressed it a 1mm and that didn't seem to do anything. Then I thought, now I will change the extrusion speed. So I lowered it to 85% and that didn't do anything. I ended up lowering it down to 50% and that still didn't fix it.

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## LambdaFF

Hi
Just a photo isn't much to help you troubleshoot. I really want to help you, but anyone would need a little more to go on. I would recommend to indicate : temperature, material (PLA, ABS) print speed, layer height, ...

Just a few comments anyhow :
- don't print at layer heights that are bigger than 70% of your nozzle diameter. It may work, but it won't be pretty. So with a 0,4mm standard nozzle, I wouldn't print layers over 0,3mm. That is true of any printer. You mention 1mm, I didn't think it was even possible.
- what is the real measured diameter of your filament. If it is not consistent or if it is over 1,75mm, it may create this issue.
- you can't raise the layer height and solve your issue because it may "just" be the initial height setting. Have you performed the Z offset setting according to the printrbot video as recommended ?
- The print speed is also very important and could be linked to this issue. If you print over 40mm/s then set it at 40mm/s *at most.
*- Have you modified the extrusion rate setting ? It is set at 1 on printrbot usually. I always found it to work fine for me. Unless you modifed the extruder, no reason to change it.

You can find a very useful troubleshooting guideline here : https://www.simplify3d.com/support/p...oubleshooting/

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## Schmitty117

I didnt even know the program let me either but any setting I input dosnt work
Layer height=1
shell thickness=.8mm
Bottom top thickness=.6mm
fill density=12%
print speed=40mm/s
printing temp=205
filament diameter. 1.75(PLA)
flow= 40%
The layer height I have played with .1mm at a time and it has built to 1, not effecting anything. The flow we figured was too much because it made a mess of the print. Shouldn't that lay a bead of plastic?
I have not done the z offset but I will try that tonight. I will look into that simplify 3d website and see what I can do with that.

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## LambdaFF

I don't know how it is possible that you print 1mm layers with 0,4mm nozzle at flow 40%. It seems like a highly unlikely combination.

The Z offset is something that should be made after unpacking before any print, as stated in the getting started guideline.

Have you made modifications to the firmware after you fried the board ?

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## Schmitty117

I haven't made any modifications to the firmware but I am going to re flash the firmware

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## carrentalpakistan

last week i bought 3d printer but i don`t how start and run the page of Rent A car Islamabad can you please help me out with this thank you in advance

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