Fixing Your Limit Switches
Testing and Fixing your limit switches
If any part of your printer will only move in one direction, the usual suspect is a break in the end-stop (limit switch) circuit. The 3 main causes are:
- A connector not being seated properly on the motherboard
- A wiring issue in the connector for the motherboard.
- A bad/broken limit switch (very unlikely)
Before doing any testing, make sure all of your limit switches are properly seated on the motherboard. If one limit switch, usually X or Z is situated improperly, replace switch in
Properly Seated
Improperly Seated
If you've got a multimeter, follow the directions in the next section. Otherwise scroll down to "Testing Without a Multimeter."
Multimeter Testing
- Grab your your multimeter and set it to the diode symbol. This setting tests whether a circuit is open or closed.
- Disconnect the offending limit switch from the motherboard
- Using the probes from your multimeter, test the outer contact points on the connector.
- If you read an open circuit (no response from multimeter readout), press wires back into connector with a small flat heat screwdriver.
- Test for closed circuit again. If the multimeter reads a closed circuit, reconnect the limit switch to your motherboard and test all directions again. If you are still having issues, or the multimeter is still reading open circuit, contact moc.eldoodilos|troppus#moc.eldoodilos|troppus.
Testing Without a Multimeter
- On the motherboard, swap the limit switches from offending direction with limit switch from a working direction. e.g. If you can only move one direction in X, disconnect the X limit switch and connect the Y limit switch to the X location. Now try moving X in both directions, but DO NOT PRESS HOME!
- Disconnect offending limit switch from motherboard and press wire back into connector with a small flat heat screwdriver.
- Replace all limit switches and test all directions again. If you still cannot move in all directions, contact moc.eldoodilos|troppus#moc.eldoodilos|troppus.