Preliminary Troubleshooting Steps
Intro
When you are chasing down an issue with your printer that is not something that is clear (like a mechanical or wiring issue) here are some 1st steps you should do to rule out a software problem or basic mechanical issue with the printer.
Reset your EEPROM
Your printer has memory called the “EEPROM”. This has settings that can change as you tune and use the printer. This can also have lingering or even corrupt settings from a previous flash or crash of the software. Common settings like probe offsets, steps/mm, acceleration, jerk, driver settings, and more are stored in the EEPROM. Resetting it will bring you back to the firmware defaults (which are usually correct for your machine).
LCD Reset
To reset the EEPROM you can usually do it from the printer LCD under the Configuration menu. It is called “Reset EEPROM” in our Unified 2 firmware and in Marlin it is called “Initialize EEPROM”.
GCode Reset
To reset the EEPROM via a Gcode command, you can connect to the printer board over USB and then with a GCode sender program you can send M502 followed by M500. This will load the defaults and then save them to EEPROM.
Update your Firmware
If the EEPROM reset does not work. you should update to the latest firmware that is available for your printer model. If you have a custom build of firmware for your printer, you should re-flash it with the latest firmware base and your settings. Follow up the flash with an EEPROM reset.
Change your SD Card
If you are using an SD card in the printer, try a new one and make sure it is under 32GB as well as FAT32 formatted. Failing or fake SD cards (capacity faked) will cause issues with printing and even just using the printer. You can even test your SD card with our guide below
Check your Belts
Go over the belts on your printer and make sure they are not over tightened OR too loose. Belts that are not tensioned properly can skew the printer frame and cause odd results in your printer.
Adjust your Eccentric Nuts
Most V-slot type printers that use extrusion and wheels for motion have eccentric nuts on them to adjust the tension. These need to be set so that they have enough tension on them against the aluminum extrusion to make contact but loose enough that you can turn them with slight force if you grab them with your fingers.