3D Printing Forum

Hi guys,
I have a HIC Prusa i3 3DP-12. This is my first time working with a 3d printer, and it's fun! After assembly, I printed 2 parts with no problem and was very pleased with the quality. However, the 3rd part was estimated to take 5 hours, so I started it and left it. I could have sworn I heard some clicking while I was gone, but it didn't register in my mind, and I honestly may have made it up. When I came back, the print was only half finished, and the printer was off, even though the power switch was still on. Now, no matter how many times I unplug it and flip the switch, there is no response at all. One thing that was interesting was that afterwards, I was manually turning the screws for the Z-axis and the left one made a snapping sound before turning in my hand as it normally would. I'm not sure if a stepper motor blew out and fried something, or if my control board or power supply went dead. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Any blown fuses?

The first two switches (the original and a replacement I bought)I had on my 3DP-12 melted. They were simply undersized. HICTOP eventually sent me a new control board cover with a beefier switch. Give a sniff around the switch and see if smells like melted plastic.

Ok, finally got a voltmeter and poked a bit. Turns out, the signal stops right after the power switch on the control board! Nothing melted though, so not sure what happened. I'm hoping HIC will replace the switch. In the meantime, can I simply just bypass the switch and wire the power supply right into where the switch would connect?

TheOrvinator wrote:Ok, finally got a voltmeter and poked a bit. Turns out, the signal stops right after the power switch on the control board! Nothing melted though, so not sure what happened. I'm hoping HIC will replace the switch. In the meantime, can I simply just bypass the switch and wire the power supply right into where the switch would connect?

Yes. That's what I did with some wire nuts. Just anecdotally, my power supply eventually fried. I really don't know for sure why that was, but I suspect that along with the burnt switch, one of the wires connecting the switch to the controller had a short. Or it could have just been the cheap power supply. HICTOP sent me a new power supply at the same time they sent me the switch housing. Lots of hours printing on those now with no trouble.

I'll give that a shot. Not much experience with this kind of electronics, so everything is generally my first try at something.

I spoke too soon. My new, beefier switch has now pooped out as well. Didn't melt has obviously as the smaller switches, but it is definitely the switch.

Hey guys,
To update, after waiting for 4 weeks for a replacement switch (embedded in the cage) from HICTOP, I finally received it, installed it, and found that it completely solved the problem! Thanks for the help.

Just a note, the power switches that Hictop uses are AC rated, not DC rated. See http://www.mouser.com/blog/which-switch ... s-ac-or-dc for a more technical explanation.

I replaced mine with a DC switch from an auto parts store (same physical dimensions, so fit in the Hictop housing w/o issue). No problems since.

Did not receive a switch for either 3DP11 or the 3DP12, the only switches I had in my parts bins were not rated for high current DC.
Using current switches on hand a DPST on the AC side of the Power supply where it's AC rating is correct. Placing Hot on one pole and neutral the other.

Leaving only Earth Ground Connected when off. There is about a 1 to 2 second delay after powering off before the Printers actually shut down.