Geeetech

WARNING TO ALL! PLEASE READ: The A30 generally has very good reviews and is relatively low priced, but I have had nothing but issues with this thing

PREFACE
I originally had an Anet A8 which I spent a ton more time working on than actually getting decent prints - I also spent about half as much as I did on the original price for upgrades and replacement parts... so I wanted something better I could just unbox, throw together, calibrate quickly and be off on decent quality prints for a reasonable price. "Just work" out of the box - I thought the A30 was it. At first it was (although I did have a minor issue of the bed glass lifting off the plate on one corner - but I did not feel like dealing with returns and waiting, so a binder clip solved the issue). This lasted for about a month, and then I had to take a break due to other obligations.

ISSUES
After sitting for about a month and a half, I decided to start printing again. I got one or two good prints and decided to install my auto-level sensor that I had purchased on amazon a while back. The sensor itself seemed to be working fine, but when probing the center of the bed in setup, it seemed to sense fine the few times it probes, but then decided to slam into the bed and proceed to drag a nice thick scratch. So angrily I gave up on that idea and just keep printing...

I got about 1 more decent print and it started under extruding. So I cleaned the nozzle and re-leveled the bed - got a little better, but still not as good as the beginning. I would get 1 or 2 decent prints, then terrible under-extrusion again... repeat process. This got old quickly, so I did a full "atomic" clean, replaced the bowden tube (the end was not flat in the extruder), and replaced the feeder mech with an Al one I had bought as a future upgrade - no significant change.

Cleaned everything again, leveled, start a test print, but forgot to push the filament all the way back in so I stop the print, and it then starts freaking out and slamming all axes continuously into the home switches... I turn it off and back on, push the filament through, and try to print again. It now decides to GOUGE the bed with the nozzle, so I stopped it as quickly as I could. I wasn't sure if this would affect adhesion, but it's at least an eyesore to look at now.. the nozzle seemed to also get damaged from this, so...

I did an atomic clean AGAIN, and changed the nozzle with the spare that came with it - heated to 240° and tightened both block and nozzle. Test print, still under extruding... After some research I decided that maybe my extruder motor needed calibration. I used the Smarto tool to check the the motors and indeed it was not extruding enough, so I changed the steps/mm to what was needed. The fact that this wasn't a problem in the beginning leads me to believe there is another issue (motor, electrical?)... whatever.

So I thought, finally I would be back in business... NOPE! I start a test print and it is STILL under extruding - I then noticed gobs dripping as well and realized the nozzle was leaking filament - horribly. So I disassemble AGAIN - PLA all over the inside and outside of the nozzle, heatblock and heatbreak, and threads. This obviously cannot be reliably reassembled like this, so I tried the usual cleaning methods. After a couple hours of this, I decided I needed a better method, or I need to buy a full replacement to save time. I could not find any replacements on amazon that would fit... and do not want to shell out for a real E3D, so I ordered (and purposely paid more for Prime One Day items) new insulation, kapton, and cleaning tools, which just arrived today, as I was in a rush. When I got home from work, I used a torch to burn off all the remaining plastic, planning to completely re-assemble and install. Apparently the quality of metal is garbage as well because it melted the heatblock beyond use, and a couple of the fins on the heatsink warped as well. I have used this same torch on small Al parts for much longer before with no issue. I was not planning to separate the heatbreak and heatsink, as I do not have the thermal compound - this has now loosened as well. I intentionally paid extra to get items shipped faster which I now cannot even use for who knows how long. I also cannot buy any of the generic E3D clones because the mounting is different and I cannot print a new mount... another option would be to buy the thermal compound and re-use my A8 heatblock if possible, OR I would assume/hope I could buy a replacement directly from Geeetech but I did not have time for this because I was planning to give some 3d printed gadgets (some partially done already) as xmas gifts - this obviously is not happening now either and we will need make other plans...

This is completely unacceptable - it's quickly just become a larger, more expensive A8... I'm pretty much just fed up with it at this point and hoping I can just pawn this off for 70-80% of what I paid.. doubtful though and anything less is not worth the return for me.

An Ender 3 probably would've been a better option and saved a lot more money. Hell, my A8 probably gave me as much useful printing time in the beginning as this thing, but I spent so much time working on it that it was overshadowed... I cannot justify the waste of time and money to bring this thing back to life - I regret buying it in the first place. if I had been using this thing for a year and getting a lot out of it, I wouldn't mind, but I have had this thing for like 3 months and less than a week of printing time on it. IMHO, look for a cheaper option if you are looking for something budget/entry-level, knowing you will need to spend more time fussing anyway, or just save for a real Prusa, Ultimaker, etc and save the headaches and unforeseen costs.

/endrant

Hi rydm,

I feel with you due to had some of this issues too.
Firmware update issues, a damaged internal Micro SD card reader on the LCD PCB, not working Capaciticve bed level sensor, hit and scratch the glass bed, to less filament extruding, wrong setting for X0/Y0, nozzle leaking....

Now I have good print results, only the glass bed is very bad, either the surface coating is gone with the often cleaning or it was never good. It works perfect for PLA but that was it. ABS will not stick, PETG also not.

But what did I?

1. updated to the last available firmware for the board and LCD (smartto-upgrador), also update the image folder on the Micro SD card for the LCD screen. (Windows file Explorer)
Badly the Micro SD Card reader seems to be damaged since them. It is frickeling to get out the Micro SD card without removing the LCD PCB, especially with fat fingers I have work around this now with duck tap and a spring wich enforce on the back of the reader. Now. In the most cases the card will be read if I switch on the printer.

2. Adjust on all stepper drivers in the Control box the VRef for all stepper motors.X and Y stepper driver at 0,7V, Z stepper driver on 1.1V (due to 2 stepper Motors in parallel), Extruder at 0,7V
Non of the stepper motors gets more warm than 40°C even the print lasts 10 hours.Mostly they are ‚hand warm‘.

3. Exchanged the extruder with a completely new one due to the old had a leaking nozzle. I bought an original spare part from eBay, but I was wondering, due to this one had an 12V heater instead an 24V. So I needed to use the old one.

4. Optimized with smartto-motor tools the steps/mm settings for X/ Y and extruder. For example, if I feed 100 mm filament in reality only 91 mm came out (you need to check it without extruder. Put out the PTFE from the extruder and feed 100mm filament with sending gcode G92 E0 and G1 E100), use a Caliper and adjust the step settings.

Than I print out a 20mm calibration box, used a caliper and adjusted the X and Y steps per mm to get exact the for X and Y. Z was ok.

5. Auto leveling is currently not used. I found a comparison video for the different bed level sensor and there is a huge issue with capacitive bed level sensors, they change the settings if the get warm which is not useable du to they get always warm or change the temperature while printing. This ended with total chaos! Often the sensor meant to recognize the bed even it was 10 cm away from it. That results In wrong Z numbers and the Z axe drove in the wrong direction and hit into the upper metal bar.
I ordered now an inductive sensor and also a 3Dtouch (BLtouch) Sensor to do additional tests.

Currently I preheat the bed to the temperation I would use (maybe 60°C for PLA) and Level with a sheet paper between nozzle and glass bed the 4 corners and check it least with the middle position (5). My corners has always a less gap than the middle position. Maybe the glass bed or the Aluminium bed are not even.

6. Print out new end stop holder for the X and Y end stop to adjust X0/Y0 to be on the left/front corner on the glass bed. Also I shorten a screw of the extruder carriage to get the full way of the X rail (carriage hit with the screw the enforcement plate on the right side of the rail)
Now I get the fully 320 mm X 320 mm build room on the glass bed.

The open issues are currently:
1. MicromSD card reader on the LCD PCB - use a duck tape work around.
2. Not useable capacitive bed level sensor due to heat-sensitive. -> ordered inductive and BLtouch sensor
3. Non sticking build plate (glass bed -> wanr´t to Order either Buildtak plate or any other plate
4. Non even glass bed or Aluminium plate -> maybe exchange with new routed/milled Aluminium plate which is thicker than the currently used and use it with a thin Buildtak sheet, it depends on point 3

P_Rhodan

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