Shout out to any new folks that may be here!!!

[Tech Gorilla]

There is a ton of information on this site and I am sure that with a little searching or a polite question, you can gain information on your Hictop printer issues. I know I have!

Give a shout out if you're new here!

[Roberts_Clif]

Or a Shout if you are Older Here and who have Hictop 3D Printers wanting to make them print better / or just look better...

My STL Models
If they are not here now they soon will be.
This link shows or will show all the models I have used on my Hictop 3D Printers.
Some are my own designs some i remodeled some are Original models found on the many STL Share sites located using Google Search.

[WrongTurnWalter]

Hi!! I am new here!! I Think I have a Hictop 3DP17 printer. It has the filament monitor and an auto-level unit SN04-N.
This was inherited from my brother-in-law. I am learning a lot about 3D printing and having fun, but it is also a bit frustrating at times.
Does anyone still use these Hictop printers? When it printed, it worked great. I ran into issues and am now at a dead stop, so I have a decent amount of questions and issues to work through.

Excited to be here and meet you all!

[Roberts_Clif]

I still use two of my Hictop 3DP12 3D Printers, Mine too have been modified for both filament monitor and an auto-leveling TL-W3MC2 Proximity sensor. This TL-W3MC2 Proximity sensor was upgraded from original design, as it can be placed closer to nozzle.

3D Printing using older 3D Printers can be very frustrating at times. I feel for you though I went threw it all finally upgrading the firmware to Marlin 2.0.9.2, by the way my firmware is almost 100% compatible with your 3D P3DP17 firmware.

Shown here on Hictop Web site if you downloaded the 3DP12 firmware and the 3DP17 you would find the only difference is filament run-out sensor code.

We are always here to answer questions especially about my 1st 3DP12 3D Printers.

So post away, and search this thread to see everything I have ever posted.

[WrongTurnWalter]

Thanks for your reply. Frustrating is a good word to start with. I think I ruined the controller board. I was trying things, unplugging and plugging in the stepper motors. Now the bed vibrates all over the place rather than moving smoothly like it used to. I consistently have issues with the prints sticking to the bed so I took it apart to reset it up and that was that. I hear people really like the Ender 3 Pro printer and am considering getting one of them to remove the frustration factor. I still want to learn more about the ins and outs of 3D Printing hardware though.

Is it possible to "talk" to the printer like using telnet or ssh or some other command line method? A way to query the device and look at settings, etc.

[Roberts_Clif]

Lets start with checking the controller post a picture of your controller board.
It will require a simple Digital Volt Meter
Then we will check the V-Ref to see if the controller itself is correctly adjusted.

After we can determine test the stepper motors to see if they are in working order.
showing a simple test circuit

[WrongTurnWalter]

Wow!!! Thank you for the help!!
I have a multimeter.

I have the picture of the controller board. If you want me to remove the wires I can.

[Roberts_Clif]

Well that is a Hictop 3DP controller board.

Below is my modified controller ("Added a strip heat sink")
I purchased at ACE Hardware store piece of 3/4 inch Aluminum Flat Bar. Drilled hole for Transistor mounting hardware
This controller can be replaced with a Arduino mega 2560 and Ramps 1.6 easily with no changes to firmware.

I covered this in the forum showing all three controllers Hictop used that I seen.

I have programed 50 + version of Marlin firmware for these controllers.

[WrongTurnWalter]

Oh cool!! Putting a heat sink on it is that easy? Is it necessary? Do those power devices get that hot where they would need a heat sink?
I am really new at these forum websites, each one seems so different to navigate. I will look for the other postings you mentioned.

You are saying that I can replace this controller card using a Arduino Mega 2560 board and a Ramps 1.6 board? The Hictop 3DP controller board alone does the job of the two boards? Do they not make this controller board anymore?

[Roberts_Clif]

I felt it was necessary for me to add the heat sink to all three of my Hictops controller boards.
I purchased my last Hictop 3DP12 about 3 years ago and it has been setting for most of time until restarting 3D Printing.

When I starter out I kill a stepper motor driver, tried to replace the chip but still could not repair.
However this board has a spare stepper driver, so copied the spare code into the original driver code and plugged it into the spare port.
Determined that this was a part the required spares so purchased a couple.

Though in the year I have run the 3D Printers I have killed both spare motherboards. all printers still work though.
If I kill another motherboard I will have to upgrade to A Arduino mega 2560 and Ramps 1.6 ("an why the 1.6, in my opinion it is the best you could choose any ramp you like.

Actually they get quite hot though but why take a chance.
Hictop dose not list the board on its website anymore, though there are many controller boards that could be used to replace this controller.
I would assume that most boards could be used because once you select the Mother board in Marlin the new board pin-out is selected.
You still may have to tweak code a little to get to function correctly though this to should be easy enough.

I purchased a BIGTREETECH Octopus V1.1 Control Board as my next replacement though have not killed the Hictop controllers so never tested my configured Marlin code, Have tested the Arduino mega 2560 and Ramps 1.6 work great

[Roberts_Clif]

What a 3D Printer should not should like.
After Cleaning, lubricating and adjusting belts. Using a Kobra 3 Smooth Bed

After posting i decided this also shows another thing what your video should should look like