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u/Curious-Clod

r/ElegooNeptune3
▲ 2 r/ElegooNeptune3

Extruder motor clicks once then stops on Load — not a jam, motor already replaced, hotend at temp

Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro, firmware v1.1.5.1b. Extruder issue that's stumping me:

  • Took the extruder apart, reconnected everything, and swapped in a new stepper motor
  • No jam anywhere — confirmed by fully disassembling and inspecting
  • When I turn the gear by hand, filament extrudes fine
  • Grub screw on the new motor's shaft is tight, haven't needed to adjust it
  • Hotend reaches temp fine (200°C) before I hit Load, so it's not cold-extrusion protection
  • When I hit "Load," the gear moves maybe one click, then stops completely — even though the hotend is at temp and there's no jam
  • I recently swapped the mainboard/PCB and that fix worked (printer ran successfully after that)
  • Machine printed successfully before, then sat unused for about a week — now this issue on the next attempt

Since I've ruled out a jam, cold extrusion protection, a loose grub screw, and the motor itself (already replaced), I'm trying to figure out where to look next:

  • Could this be a stepper driver issue on the new board specifically for this motor's axis?
  • Wiring/connector problem between the board and extruder motor (intermittent connection that lets one pulse through)?
  • Firmware setting related to extruder steps/current that could've reset or gotten corrupted, especially after the board swap?
  • Anything specific to it sitting idle for a week that could cause this (e.g. moisture, connector oxidation)?

At this point I'm leaning toward board/wiring/firmware rather than the extruder mechanism itself, since I've replaced the motor and can drive filament through by hand. Any diagnostic steps to narrow this down further would be appreciated. Should I just order another extruder or use this printer for parts?

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u/Curious-Clod — 6 days ago
▲ 2 r/ElegooNeptune3

Neptune 3 Pro – First Print Help (PETG)

I'm completely new to 3D printing and could use some help troubleshooting my first print. I picked up a second-hand Neptune 3 Pro for $100 and I'm trying to get it working.

I'm attempting to print a Benchy, but I'm having trouble getting the filament to print properly.

A few things I've checked:

  • The bed leveling seems to be working correctly.
  • The extruder is heating up.
  • I don't think there's a clog because if I manually push filament through, it comes out of the nozzle.
  • I'm currently using PETG.
  • I'm wondering if my temperature might be too low, although I'm just using the default settings right now.

I've also seen people mention doing a "cold pull" to clear the nozzle, but I'm not really sure what that is or whether it's something I need to do.

Would PETG be a bad filament to use for a first test print? Should I try PLA instead?

I've attached a video of what it's doing. Any advice on what I should check first would be greatly appreciated. I'm definitely still learning, so please assume I know basically nothing about 3D printing.

Edit: figured out the issue. It was that the gears in the extruder were misaligned so the filament wasn’t being brought into the extruder. Took the extruder apart to fix. Was able to print out a test Buddha. Thanks for everyone’s help.

u/Curious-Clod — 15 days ago