"Z Switch broken" Error Message

[reibuehl 42]

Hello,

my Ultimaker 2 today stopped in the middle of a print job with the error message:

Is there another/faster way to get the printer back to work other than the mail to Ultimaker Support?

Reiner

 

[gr5 2,167]

Did you look at the z switch? Often something falls down into that hole. There is a screw sticking out the bottom of your bed that sticks down into the hole where the z switch is. It's probably stuck.

Anyway you can turn of power and test the resistance of the z switch with the switch pushed and not pushed.

 

[reibuehl 42]

The hole is free. Nothing blocking it. I will then try to measure the switch.

 

[rob_hoffman2003 0]

hi reibuehl,

did you got solve to your problem?

we also have some problem.

i just start using ultimaker2 but in my first run wizard.

i got error in step 3, the z switch was broken.

would you share if you have got the solve.?

thanks

 

[reibuehl 42]

I am still waiting for a response from Ultimaker support. I did not even get a ticket number yet :-(

 

[korneel 176]

question;

when you start a print, does the build platform go all the way down and then starts "skipping" / making weird noises? if that's the case, it's something obstructing the sensor.

do you get this error when it just turns on?

 

[reibuehl 42]

The error happened in the middle of a print. I haven't used the printer since. I still wait for Ultimaker support to answer :( I only checked that the little hole that leads to the switch is unobstructed as gr5 suggested.

 

[korneel 176]

can you turn it back on and report what is happening? while I understand you want to wait for UM2 support this will take a while.. and honestly, there isn;t much that you can break

 

[rob_hoffman2003 0]

dear korneel,

may I share my problem here?

my problem the z switch broken.

I just started first run wizard, in the step 3 the display show " z switch was broken"

could you help me to find the best solution. I just bought and not yet using this printer.

it was so deep condolence. :sad:

 

[gr5 2,167]

rob - I recommend you take the bottom cover off - you have to raise the bed with power off by lifting firmly to access the 2 screws under the bed that let you take the bottom cover off. It's all quite easy to do.

Then hook up a multimeter to the z switch under your printer and measure that it is open and then push the lever and make sure it is shorted (switch is "on").

 

[gr5 2,167]

@reibuehl - Would you consider downgrading your firmware to 14.12? You can get it by loading Cura from here:

http://software.ultimaker.com/old/

Install Cura 14.12 (it will not affect your other copies of Cura - Cura is strange in that you can have many versions installed at the same time) then connect computer to printer through USB cable and the Cura wizard should hopefully prompt you to load the correct firmware (UM2 firmware).

I have this theory (that may be wrong) and if I'm right, your limit switch problems (all of you possibly) may go away in version 14.12 or older.

 

[reibuehl 42]

I followed korneel's advice and restarted the printer. It seems to work okay now. No further Z switch broken messages up to now.

@gr5: I would like to avoid that since I use the filament change in 15.02.1. But if the error comes back, I will do so.

 

[gr5 2,167]

I just learned that version 14.09 doesn't check the X,Y endstop switches. lol. So certainly you won't get the error there.

I also learned the XY error message has been removed from version 15.02 (and 15.02RC2 and 15.02.1 but message is in 15.02RC1). So you might want to upgrade your firmware to 15.02. The Z message is still there.

I learned just now from tech support that usually this error means you have a loose pulley and the X,Y or Z axis is drifting towards the 0 position (left or front depending on axis) and eventually the endstop switch gets hit. So the error usually means "loose pulley".

If you have a loose pulley it's more obvious by looking at the part because each layer is moved over a bit (or a lot).

If you are printing a part that is the full 230mm wide for example you also could get this error sporadically as the head comes within .2mm of hitting the switch while printing. So removing this test might be best.

 

[rob_hoffman2003 0]

hi gr5,

i just checked all motor and switch is fine.

there isn't any shorted

and now i don't know, what should i do right now.

 

[pbol 0]

Hello,

I received an Ultiamker2 last week. The printer has printed 2 parts and is giving the same error.

How can I fix it?

If the firmware is the problem then I suggest Ultimaker should release a firmware update ASAP as this is unacceptable.

 

[gr5 2,167]

It's fixed in 15.02.1 and newer. It's part of cura:

http://software.ultimaker.com/

Install cura 15.02.1, make sure you select ultimaker2 for your "machine", connect a USB cable between your printer and your computer and then go to "machine" "install default firmware". Again, when you click "machine" make sure the correct printer type is chosen.

 

[rob_hoffman2003 0]

hi gr5,

my pc can't detect the ultimaker.

there isn't any new hardware detect after I plug the usb cable.

how to solve this.

I try using in pc with windows 8.1, still same there isn't any detected new hardware.

 

[3DSKULT 1]

I had the same issues just after converting Z-axis stepper motor from 1/8th step to 1/16th steps. In fact this is a SOFTWARE problem into the firmware.

In order to solve this, I have checked my Z HOME offset (M206 command in pronterface) and it was tooooo huge ! So the printer did not know where was the Z when trying to home and defined so that the endstop was stuck or broken.

The procedure I did was to reset the Z home offset (M206 Z0) followed by a EEPROM save (M500). Then I have done the buildplate procedure and everything went fine.

Is your problem solved this way ?

Regards,

Aurelien

[herman-wouters 1]

On 6/14/2015 at 4:52 AM, 3DSKULT said:

I had the same issues just after converting Z-axis stepper motor from 1/8th step to 1/16th steps. In fact this is a SOFTWARE problem into the firmware.

In order to solve this, I have checked my Z HOME offset (M206 command in pronterface) and it was tooooo huge ! So the printer did not know where was the Z when trying to home and defined so that the endstop was stuck or broken.

The procedure I did was to reset the Z home offset (M206 Z0) followed by a EEPROM save (M500). Then I have done the buildplate procedure and everything went fine.

Is your problem solved this way ?

Regards,

Aurelien

Can you explain me how to do this?

where do you check: "Z HOME offset (M206 command in pronterface)"

How do you reset: "the Z home offset (M206 Z0) followed by a EEPROM save (M500)"

 

[herman-wouters 1]

Can you explain me how to do this?

where do you check: "Z HOME offset (M206 command in pronterface)"

How do you reset: "the Z home offset (M206 Z0) followed by a EEPROM save (M500)"