autolevel setup help

wizzle111

I have an I3 clone and am trying to setup auto leveling but cant get it to work for the life of me.

Here is my setup:
ramps 1.4
latest repetier firmware (works with no issue without autolevel) built using the configuration tool
capacitive probe that works, connected on z max pins, set in firmware
z min endstop

when i try and auto level, i get a red text dialog that pops up and says something went wrong. using g31 the probe moves up like it should and acts like i think its supposed to.

Any guidance is greatly appreciated

heres my config file:

(i currently have the probe turned off due to it not working correctly)

// ################ Endstop configuration #####################

#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_X_MIN true
#define ENDSTOP_X_MIN_INVERTING true
#define MIN_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_X true
#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_Y_MIN true
#define ENDSTOP_Y_MIN_INVERTING true
#define MIN_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_Y true
#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_Z_MIN true
#define ENDSTOP_Z_MIN_INVERTING true
#define MIN_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_Z true
#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_X_MAX true
#define ENDSTOP_X_MAX_INVERTING false
#define MAX_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_X false
#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_Y_MAX true
#define ENDSTOP_Y_MAX_INVERTING false
#define MAX_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_Y false
#define ENDSTOP_PULLUP_Z_MAX true
#define ENDSTOP_Z_MAX_INVERTING true
#define MAX_HARDWARE_ENDSTOP_Z true
#define max_software_endstop_r true

#define min_software_endstop_x false
#define min_software_endstop_y false
#define min_software_endstop_z false
#define max_software_endstop_x true
#define max_software_endstop_y true
#define max_software_endstop_z true
#define ENDSTOP_X_BACK_MOVE 5
#define ENDSTOP_Y_BACK_MOVE 5
#define ENDSTOP_Z_BACK_MOVE 5
#define ENDSTOP_X_RETEST_REDUCTION_FACTOR 3
#define ENDSTOP_Y_RETEST_REDUCTION_FACTOR 3
#define ENDSTOP_Z_RETEST_REDUCTION_FACTOR 3
#define ENDSTOP_X_BACK_ON_HOME 2
#define ENDSTOP_Y_BACK_ON_HOME 1
#define ENDSTOP_Z_BACK_ON_HOME 1
#define ALWAYS_CHECK_ENDSTOPS 0

/ #################### Z-Probing #####################

#define Z_PROBE_Z_OFFSET 2
#define Z_PROBE_Z_OFFSET_MODE 0
#define UI_BED_COATING 1
#define FEATURE_Z_PROBE 0
#define Z_PROBE_BED_DISTANCE 10
#define Z_PROBE_PIN ORIG_Z_MAX_PIN
#define Z_PROBE_PULLUP 1
#define Z_PROBE_ON_HIGH 0
#define Z_PROBE_X_OFFSET 0
#define Z_PROBE_Y_OFFSET 0
#define Z_PROBE_WAIT_BEFORE_TEST 0
#define Z_PROBE_SPEED 2
#define Z_PROBE_XY_SPEED 100
#define Z_PROBE_SWITCHING_DISTANCE 1
#define Z_PROBE_REPETITIONS 1
#define Z_PROBE_HEIGHT 4
#define Z_PROBE_START_SCRIPT ""
#define Z_PROBE_FINISHED_SCRIPT ""
#define Z_PROBE_REQUIRES_HEATING 0
#define Z_PROBE_MIN_TEMPERATURE 181
#define FEATURE_AUTOLEVEL 1
#define Z_PROBE_X1 20
#define Z_PROBE_Y1 20
#define Z_PROBE_X2 160
#define Z_PROBE_Y2 20
#define Z_PROBE_X3 100
#define Z_PROBE_Y3 160
#define BED_LEVELING_METHOD 0
#define BED_CORRECTION_METHOD 0
#define BED_LEVELING_GRID_SIZE 5
#define BED_LEVELING_REPETITIONS 5
#define BED_MOTOR_1_X 0
#define BED_MOTOR_1_Y 0
#define BED_MOTOR_2_X 200
#define BED_MOTOR_2_Y 0
#define BED_MOTOR_3_X 100
#define BED_MOTOR_3_Y 200
#define BENDING_CORRECTION_A 0
#define BENDING_CORRECTION_B 0
#define BENDING_CORRECTION_C 0
#define FEATURE_AXISCOMP 0
#define AXISCOMP_TANXY 0
#define AXISCOMP_TANYZ 0
#define AXISCOMP_TANXZ 0

Repetier

You should not set max hardware endstops true if that is only the z probe. z probe is not per definition a endstop it can used on endstop pins but that does not mean it is a endstop.

Also if you have a real z min endstop that will not work with autoleveling. For autoleveling it is best to have a real z max endstop instead and home to z max.

wizzle111

so basically, i should put the probe on the zmin, and the endstop on the max and physically move the endstop.

what do i set the endstop to if its going to be used as a probe? electronic?

do the other settings for the probing look fine?

does autolevel need to be turned on, on the lcd for it to work?

Repetier

Yes, but the z probe has only pull up and on level. So pull up off and high level you need to test what is working. Do NOT define a z min endstop. Set that to not installed. For z probe pin select then z min pin.

You should also set ENDSTOP_Z_BACK_ON_HOME 2 so it does not touch endstop when moving at z max as from autoleveling it might try to go up a bit.

Once you have run G32 S2 it stays on until you explicitly turn it off.

wizzle111

so i got autolevel to work, sort of. Pullup on high needed to be off to trigger the probe as it basically shorts the connection, so its a low resistance stop.

Now, when i issue g32 (without the s2, it probes, but slams into the x axis min endstop. This is after running homing on x and y.

When i run m114, it says its probing at x20 y20, when it should be probing at x40 y40. It is basically ignoring the coordinates i set, regardless of where i set them.

any ideas?

wizzle111

I managed to get it to read the new probe coordinates by running m502 (reset to default in firmware) and then m500 (save), but its still trying to exceed the x endstop. Not sure why. any ideas on that would be awesome.

at least one headache is gone/mitigated.

Repetier

I guess you have some x offset for z probe and it is to right. So if you want to measure x=20 it goes physically to 20-xoffset so it measures the height when extruder would be there. Therefor it is importnant that the probe points are reachable including offsets. This often means that 2 borders are not fully reachable but that is no problem. Just make coordinates go as close as it would work.

wizzle111

That seems to have worked as it doesnt seem to be slamming into the endstops.I printed something yesterday and it had text on the front, but it printed in reverse. no idea why as everything was correct except the print. shortly after the x motor stopped working, but i think that was unrelated to the software (stepper driver fail and a heatsink fell off and shorted out the mega and the stepper driver).

The auto level stopped working while printing. So its not moving up and down, but the probe is working and it goes to all points.

Repetier

"The auto level stopped working while printing."

what does that mean? You are printing OR autoleveling and when autleveling fails why? What does it say? You know it has a similar problem with reachable area as height map.

wizzle111

what its doing now, when i print, the z height is not moving up and down, meaning its not adjusting height with the bed. i try and get my bed level, but its not that perfectly level to not have any z movement when its printing.

the probe is probing all points on the bed, saves, and then it acts like its not using the map it made when it goes to print. autolevel is turned on in the firmware, and in the lcd screen.

wizzle111

seems i may have fixed it.

i reset the positions to a mostly default position, and then cleared the memory and ran g32 s2. the z axis is not moving (barely, which is good and means my bed is mostly level).

i appreciate the attempt at help and understand troubleshooting over forums isnt as productive as being there.

its great to know you guys are here to help us when we have head scratchers like this.