r/ElegooNeptune4

Ok so I've had my printer since it came out about 2 years ago, and love it. Been pretty flawless, had a blob of death but just replaced the entire extruder system for $50. Easy peasy. I bought another one to streamline my printing since now I get quite a few commissions. Fast forward to about 2-3 weeks ago...

FIlament got stuck, tried everything and it did not budge so reached out to support... took forever so ended up overnighting a replacement nozzle. Easy. But somehow I messed up my proximity sensor when I tried to level it was triggering even when it wasn't touching... went to Elegoo again, they asked for full video, serial number, invoice order... blah blah... I just amazon'ed the proximity sensor for $27. Got it and fixed it... STILL ERROR!!!

I then decided, screw it let me just replace the whole housing... how much was it again? And the damn thing was $50 for the entire extruder system. (i had forgot since it happened when I first got my printer. I've given up asking for their help. But man this was super frustrating.

Probably going to just buy the whole extruder and see what happens, worse come to worse, I'll have a spare like I have a spare proximity sensor now. Question: Has anyone else e ver had this headache situation before? When it works its awesome, and zero complaints but thats why I got rid of my Ender 5+, always gotta tinker and troubleshoot.

Hello all. My Neptune 4 Plus bed keeps getting way off level every print. So I want to use the printable bed screw locks I found a file on Printable, but no instructions for how they work. Anyone use these and can walk me through or point me to a video or document explaining how to use them? Thank you!!

Printer:
Elegoo Neptune 4 Max (Type-C version)
Firmware Version: V1.4.1.2
UI Version: 1.2.21

I’m brand new to 3D printing. Like less than a month. I’ve been using a lot of ChatGPT to help me learn, but at this point I feel like the touchscreen lag issue is overshadowing everything else. I’m hoping if I fix the lag, the rest of my troubleshooting will actually make sense.

0.4 nozzle + Cura = mostly okay. Not amazing, but usable.
1.0 nozzle + Cura = disaster.
0.8 nozzle = still struggling.

I had failed prints constantly, so I bought a dial gauge and manually trammed the bed as flat as I realistically can. The bed mesh honestly looks pretty decent now.
I’ve gotten a few okay prints, but medium/large prints are still a mess.
Bed adhesion is perfect
First couple of layers actually often looks great.

The weirdest issue:
I opened Fluidd ONE time. That’s it. I didn’t change settings or update anything. Ever since then, the touchscreen has lagged horribly.

Examples:
I tap something, it beeps immediately, but nothing happens.
I can tap 3-5 more times and still nothing. I wait 30-40 seconds between each press, no change.
Not until I spam the touch screen does it finally start to repeatedly do the action.

Happens with EVERYTHING:
nozzle temp
bed temp
WiFi toggle
movement controls

Even after:
closing Fluidd
printing from USB instead
rebooting
…the lag remains.

Print issues:
A lot of my prints look like:
walls printing higher than the infill
infill looking stringy or under-extruded

Switched to OrcaSlicer:
tried a Gridfinity 4x5 base
failed badly
nozzle somehow got knocked off the print (print fixed firm to the bed) and started printing at the opposite side of the bed
Also noticed Orca default profiles seem INSANELY fast for the first couple layers. It starts printing like a bat out of hell and it seems like the nozzle can’t keep up with extrusion.

I tried slower profiles and still had:
patchy/stringy first layers
needed to increase flow/extrusion
lower Z offset more than expected before it would behave

I don’t THINK it’s a clog because:
manual extrusion comes out straight and smooth
no curling
no obvious blockage
I’ve don’t several cold pulls and all seems fine.

At this point I figured firmware update was worth trying, but the Type-C version on Elegoo’s website is confusing. The download page just says:
“Recommend upgrade the firmware via OTA”
…but doesn’t actually explain where the OTA update menu is or provide Type-C firmware downloads.
Can anyone help with:
Proper firmware update process for Neptune 4 Max Type-C
Whether the touchscreen lag sounds firmware-related
Whether opening Fluidd could somehow have caused this
Any thoughts on the extrusion/infill weirdness with larger nozzles
Appreciate any help before I back over my printer with a steam roller…

as the title states im looking for shelf ideas, kinda in a pickle bc my current shelf is going away sometime this summer

my current "shelf" is a tool box that is my younger brother's bc my printer lives in my garage and my current front runner is a 450$ tool chest

I bought a N4Max a couple months ago and upgraded it with X & Y linear rails. I did not want to adjust the POM wheels but the following procedures are applicable without upgrading.

I replaced all screw springs and center standoff's with urethane spacers. I mod'd a dial indicator mount model to fit the X linear carriage and my dial indicator (I put my model on Printables.com). I believe you can find a dial ind mount for a standard POM configuration. I compressed the two center mount spacers to ~50%, tightening the same number of turns for each. I then used the dial indicator to get the center area zeroed and worked my way out to tram in the rest of the plate. Takes maybe 10 minutes to get within a couple thousands of an inch everywhere the dial ind can reach. The bed was heated to 60C during the process. IF YOU DO THIS, YOU'RE GOLDEN until the bed slinging shakes the screws loose; it's been running a LOT and I haven't had to go back to the bed plate screws tramming yet.** After this you just have to do the next steps as described.

Before printing I soak the bed at the print temp for 20-30 minutes (longer is better); it is interesting to run screws_tilt_calculate a few times while soaking, it gives a good indication how much the plate changes from heating, it gets all taco'd then levels out. If screws_tilt_calculate requires adjusting after heat soaking, check Z-offset, set if necessary then run auto leveling to probe and create a mesh. I find I only need to run screws_tilt_calculate & reset Z-height when changing bed/nozzle printing temperatures drastically, ie. it's been printing PETG at 260C/80C for however many days or weeks, then I switch to TPU at 225C/35C or vice-versa.

I could NEVER get good 1st layer/adhesion with a little N4Pro until I started doing this, after success with this I was not intimidated with buying my used Max and I am consistently getting good prints.

** This has worked so well that if I ever need to re-tram the plate, I'm going to Loctite the two center screws and will likely never have to re-tram, just screws_tilt_calculate.

https://preview.redd.it/9ymoxqyfx50h1.jpg?width=1467&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=806530eb2f75065900f7f174ed686d4cc460cdb7

https://preview.redd.it/jcdxu1bix50h1.jpg?width=1430&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11b63fb9722df07d1f2f820a6c82589f7c6a288c

I am at a complete loss at this point my printer was on a janky table I made myself and I finally got something sturdy to put it on so I put it on that figuring it would help print quality considering its sturdier. To my surprise not a single print has worked since. I didn't use my printer for maybe a month before the swap but before that it was working flawlessly. I have an Elegoo Neptune 4 Plus using Orca Slicer, and regular PLA all different kinds thinking maybe filament issues idk. I have tried cleaning the nozzle I have tried cleaning the build plate I've tried putting glue on the build plate I've tried leveling it automatically I've tried leveling it manually. nothing will work it just doesn't seem to stick to the build plate. the trial strip it does before the print sticks just fine and at one point the print was at some level sticking but maybe a minute in it would just fall apart. I have orca set to 0.4mm nozzle and I have a 0.4mm nozzle all settings for prints are default for my printer which has always worked before. At this point I'm honestly thinking I need a new printer because what else do I do. I can try buying a brand new build plate and nozzle but I have a suspicious none of that will work. Here is a timelapse of a random print I tried using Polylite PLA plus I think. Please I beg for something to fix this I love 3D Printing its such a useful thing. Thank You for any help !

This is a timelapse not actual speed.

hii

So, I need to buy a new motherboard for my Neptune 4 MAX

but importing from outside is too expensive thanks to Brazil taxes 💔

So I am trying to find a motherboard on the second hand market

But I just found one for Neptune 4 PLUS

Does anyone know I can replace mine for the PLUS one? I heard some people telling that yes, but I need to do some more steps for it

Hi everyone, just got the Neptune 4 Max. Everything seemed to go together easily enough. Though when I'm trying to heat the bed for PETG it takes forever. Upwards of about 20-30 minutes just to get to 60-70C. I assume this isn't normal, but can anyone point me in the direction of what to check?

I do plan on reaching out to Elegoo, but was hoping someone else had the same issue and had a quick fix

Thanks

Been having problems for about 2 days now. Before we get into anyone saying you need to watch the first layer.... I did. First layer perfect. Second layer....destroyed. I have spent the whole day leveling and releveling the bed. 10 different filaments. Yes they were in a dehydrator for at least 6 hours. I'm at my witts end with it. Any ideas?

https://preview.redd.it/9fvas2orb20h1.jpg?width=1834&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12d8f0925e4171d46f2547c38131896b5c5bb8be

https://preview.redd.it/znf573orb20h1.jpg?width=2070&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e1dc0e24b90ce2870226378dc0f152a0071e677