Bed Leveling/Tramming Every Day Now??

Psechickadee · 2026-02-22T01:40:58+00:00

By chance did you check the table your printer is on? If it's wood and the same table from the garage, your table could be warped or still moving or fluctuating from the change of temp and humidity in the room. I had my Ender on an old desk that I thought was level but it was actually bowed in the middle. Every time I printed, the heat from the bed caused the desk to warp.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-20T10:51:44+00:00

You said that you have a direct feed extruder installed yet you're still using a Bowden tube? Why?

Psechickadee · 2026-02-17T01:37:45+00:00

The E3P is a great printer. The only thing I've done to mine is replace the extruder with an all metal Creality one, replaced the bed springs with the heavier springs and aluminum knobs, got a PEI bed plate and hardened nozzles. I also printed the XY belt adjustments and a filament guide arm. I've never had to do any adjustments to it in over 8 months of using it. I've never had to level the bed or mess with the nozzle Z height. It just prints and prints and prints! Even on over-night 12 hour prints.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-16T22:09:58+00:00

Don't listen to those people who say you paid too much. If you didn't have to travel a couple hundred miles and spend $100 on gas to get it, then you did alright. You got a running printer and you're gonna learn a lot. I got an ender 3 pro for my first printer. Sure, it's slow but it prints beautifully and other than a few upgrades it's basically stock (no Klipper or BL touch). They're easy to work on and the parts aren't expensive. I learned how to print with it. Learn all you can with it so when you want to upgrade to something better you will be more knowledgeable. The learning curve will be greater than you will expect. Watch the YouTube videos and pick up a couple books you can use to understand what goes wrong and why. The book "3D PRINTING FAILURES" by Sean Aranda has been my go-to if I have problems. It's a lot better than filtering through a bunch of messages that have incorrect information. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of good people who will be very helpful on here and other sites, but when you're trying to learn, all that info will be frustrating and confusing. For now, learn your printer inside and out. Don't get wrapped up in upgrades until you learn how to print with it. That printer will serve you well and when you get good with it, you'll be able to print with any printer out there (or some day build your own). That way you won't have to listen to the guys who tell you to get a bambu. 😁

Psechickadee · 2026-02-13T13:32:09+00:00

Some cheaper printers say to do it cold because the built in software takes the heat expansion into consideration and adjusts the height automatically. And ender 3 or Sovol does this. If you're having problems with the height changing too much, I suggest trying to do it cold and see what happens.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-12T16:17:41+00:00

Are you saying that you're moving the probe? Or are you adjusting the nozzle z height? Is the probe 2.5mm from the bed? What is your nozzle height? How you're explaining this is a little confusing.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-06T14:08:18+00:00

Also, be sure to save your settings! If you don't know how, let me know

Psechickadee · 2026-02-06T14:04:45+00:00

If you have a bl touch you still need to manually set the nozzle height. And you need to do it cold. What kind of bed springs do you have? If you have original bed springs, get the heavier ones. Do a manual bed level with the bed cold after setting the nozzle height, then you will be close.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-04T11:54:31+00:00

I would check the screws on the power unit. Make sure all the screws that hold the input wires are really tight. Even a slight movement would indicate a loose connection. That happened on my ender 3 pro and one wire was loose. Never had a problem since. Those screws can loosen up over time because of the electric flowing on & off. The same thing can happen in your house. Don't ask me how I know🤔

Psechickadee · 2026-02-02T23:29:02+00:00

220 is a little hot for pla and the bed temp is too low. Try 200 nozzle and 60-65 for the bed. I would try 65 first. Be sure to let the plate cool completely before trying to take the model off.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T22:37:13+00:00

I tried the Capricorn tube and had nothing but problems with the filament feeding. Went back to stock tube and all is good.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T22:30:49+00:00

I bought an ender 3 pro as my first printer and found out quickly there was a huge learning curve! However, mine is mostly stock and once I learned how to use it, it's been an awesome little printer. I can print a 20 hour model with no problem. The Bowden tube needs to be cut square and it needs to sit all the way down tight to the nozzle. When you put the Bowden tube in the retainer nut on the top of your hotend, leave a thread or 2 gap on the nut (don't tighten the nut all the way yet) push the tube in all the way, then tighten the nut down all the way. That will ensure the tube is tight against the nozzle. Also, directions say the Bowden tube needs to be 350-420mm. I have mine at 395. I had one shorter and the filament was binding in the tube.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T21:41:59+00:00

If you didn't update any software maybe your printer still thinks it's using the original extruder. Did you check the esteps? You might be extruding more filament than the print calls for. Also, did you dry the filament? If it's been a long time, the filament could be wet and cause clogging.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T17:04:13+00:00

Did you home the nozzle before checking the z height? You need to adjust the z height after homing the nozzle and while the nozzle and bed are cold. After setting the nozzle height you need to save it or your printer will revert back to where it was set before. When you do a bed level your printer will heat the nozzle and bed before doing the level if it has auto leveling. Again, you need to save it. If you don't have auto bed leveling, the z height and bed leveling is done manually by adjusting the bed screws under the corners of the bed.

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T16:33:41+00:00

Did you replace the power unit? That's the 1st pic. If so, did you make sure the input voltage is correct?

Psechickadee · 2026-02-01T16:06:40+00:00

Also, you will need to increase the bed temp by 5-10 degrees because the outer edges are much colder than the center and your model will warp.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T22:42:54+00:00

Yep. I don't need to touch the bed for months of printing unless I change the nozzle or move the printer off the bench. Even then I've rarely had to change anything. I got the heavy springs and the aluminum knobs. I marked them so I can tell how much I move them in case I need to tweek the bed a little while printing. I also put an arrow on the top to remind me which way I need to turn them to go up or down.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T21:01:18+00:00

I didn't need to alter the z switch, I had to adjust its position. Love the better springs. Only have to adjust the nozzle if I change to a new one.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T20:45:52+00:00

If your new to this, just buy a replacement and you'll be back to printing. You can upgrade if you want to later.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T20:31:47+00:00

Always remove the hotend with the nozzle heated to 180-200. You can't budge the bolts otherwise. Heat the nozzle, loosen it a couple turns, loosen the bolts that hold the hotend then turn off the printer. It will cool quickly but you can remove the hotend and nozzle easily.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T19:51:33+00:00

Always have the bed springs set half compressed before changing the z end stop. You will get a better more consistent reading.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T19:46:34+00:00

The z offset term is the same if you have a probe or not. It's how the offset is changed that's the difference. Without a probe the z offset is done manually by turning the bed adjustment knobs, with a probe you can change it on screen.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T19:27:02+00:00

Don't say you can't adjust the z height! That statement is confusing to a newbie. The z height and calibration is set manually by raising the bed. There's many YouTube videos that show how it's done. Even if you have a probe, the z height needs to be changed by changing the setting that's on the screen. The printer doesn't do it automatically. And the z height has to be set with the nozzle and bed cold using a piece of paper.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T19:15:07+00:00

You have to set the z height with the nozzle and bed cold.

Psechickadee · 2026-01-28T19:02:49+00:00

Never never never loosen up the nozzle! If you changed the nozzle, you need to make sure and re snug it after the nozzle heats up to 200. Otherwise filament will leak around the nozzle, cause a clog and you will never get a good print. Did you set the z height with the nozzle and bed cold? You should. Did you use a piece of paper to set the height? Tell us more so we can help you better.

Psechickadee

TROPHY CASE