FFCX stops printing. freezes. won't print.

[fyrebug]

Hi everyone, new member here. I've had my flashforge creator X for a year, no real issues, couple clogs, but nothing major, till now.

not sure what's going on, the machine as of yesterday is having nothing but problems. printing from usb is what I usually do via makerware, for the last year, zero issues, again, now, I'm lucky if it gets the first layer printed. it just freezes. The menu works fine, I can move around it in, check temp, cancel print, etc, makerware just says "print of sliced file failed". see log file and the machine stops.

I tried printing via SD card, and the print went nuts after a few layers. jumbled text and the layers were all misaligned.
also noticing the main axis skipping, not sure if it's x or y, it's the left and right is now skipping. again, all this is new. it finished a print yesterday fine, then the second print I started it just started all this weird behavior.. not sure what to do.
I've greased the rods and tightened the pulley bolts but I don't think it's mechanical, I also don't think it's the second print head hitting anything, I may have to remove it, but skipping is the least of my worries right now, it's the entire not printing part of the problem.

anyone seen this behavior before?

Thanks

[EagleSeven]

I have read about a similar problem and it was caused by a intermittent Power-supply Failure.
Do you have a volt-meter to monitor voltage levels, out of power-supply, while printing ?

Also check to see if the cooling-Fan in power-supply is still operating ?
It may be overheating.

[fyrebug]

Thanks EagleSeven. Checked the psu, it seems fine. I've been looking all over, seems I Might have found the issue, it's the stepper cable maybe?
while it was losing steps I jiggled the x-axis stepper cable. it stopped losing steps. seems the constant bending has damaged it.
this page describes it, then says it can also cause the print to stop mid print...
https://depts.washington.edu/open3dp...rness-failure/

not sure.
I'm in canada so ordering any parts will take weeks, so it could be months before the thing is running again unless I order every possible part that could be an issue

[fyrebug]

Flashforge USA wants $110 to ship the $8 stepper cable to canada....

[curious aardvark]

If this is the stepper power cable, you can re-use the existing plugs and substitute any thin wires.

And there is most likely a rep-rap dealer in canada who could send you a similiar cable for a lot less.

$110 is ridiculous - it should a small jiffy bag and about $10.

[fyrebug]

Thanks curious aardvark. Agreed. I'm now in the process of remaking the wire.
no way I'm paying that. But I'm completely unsurprissed. shipping from the usa to canada is usually this bad and ridiculous. the worst part is IF I actually paid the $100 for UPS, they charge brokerage once it crosses the border and a second shipment fee. the $100 only gets it as far as the border, it would be atleast another $50 before it got to me... and I live in toronto, a city of 5 million, it's not like I'm in the middle of nowhere. infuriating.