How to Fix Mesh Bed Leveling Not Working – Marlin, Prusa & More
Mesh bed leveling is a simple method used to correct an uneven print surface so it can be troublesome when the function stops working.
That’s why I wrote this article, to teach you how to fix mesh bed leveling not working on different printers and firmware.
How to Use Mesh Bed Leveling – Ender 3 & Marlin
Here’s how to fix mesh bed leveling not working:
- Try a larger mesh
- Check if X-Gantry is fixed properly
- Respool your filament
- Clear the EEPROM
- Replace the axis belts
1. Try a Larger Mesh
One way to fix your mesh bed leveling not working is to try a larger mesh. Sometimes the smaller meshes and the interpolated points will cause mesh bed leveling to fail.
This can be especially useful if you’re just starting with mesh bed leveling and have not managed to get it working for the first time.
Users recommend trying a larger mesh in the beginning as one user started with a 25 x 25 mesh until he got a good idea of the bed and then started working up from 5 x 5 until landing on 13 x 13 – which ended up being his best option.
2. Check if X-Gantry is Fixed Properly
Another method to solve your mesh bed leveling not working is checking if the X-Gantry is straight.
The X-Gantry is the frame structure that supports the X-Axis and if that structure is not properly tightened then your mesh bed leveling can fail or not work correctly. That’s why users recommend checking if the X-Gantry is fixed properly and tightening it in case it is not.
Check out the video below for more information on how to properly fix your X-Gantry.
3. Respool your Filament
One of the fixes you can try when your mesh bed leveling is not working is to unspool and respool your filament.
The filament can get loose and overlap itself, creating a knot when you re-wound it. The knot can generate problems with your extruder and cause a failed mesh bed leveling.
One user who was printing PLA on his Ender 3 solved his problem by following this method. His extruder was skipping causing it to fail the manual mesh bed leveling.
Turns out his filament had gotten loose and generated a knot. He fixed it by unspooling the filament while still keeping it tight and respooling it carefully.
After doing it, he was able to successfully run his mesh bed leveling without any issues.
4. Clear the EEPROM
Another recommended fix for anyone experiencing problems with mesh bed leveling is to clear the EEPROM.
The EEPROM is a flash drive memory device on your firmware made to save the data it contains even when the power is off.
To successfully clear the EEPROM it is recommended you restore settings to default. You can do that through the LCD screen by going to the option “Restore failsafe” and then “Init EEPROM” which will restore the settings to default and then save them at the EEPROM.
You can find both these options in the “Control” sub-menu on the main menu screen.
Another way to clear your EEPROM is to send your 3D printer a M502 command (reset), along with a M500 command to save the settings.
M502 ; reset
M500 ; saved
This helped one user fix his problems with mesh bed leveling as his bed leveling data was not being correctly updated generating constant issues with his bed level.
After clearing his EEPROM memory and resetting his firmware, everything came back to normal.
5. Replace the Axis Belts
A fix you can try when your mesh bed leveling is not working is to replace both the Y-axis and the X-axis belts. That’s because if they end up snapping, the X-carriage can become loose causing the mesh bed leveling to fail.
One user was experiencing this problem for over a month and tried several fixes until he finally noticed that one of his Y-axis belts had snapped and his X-carriage was quite loose.
After replacing the belt and adjusting the various carriage wheels, everything was working perfectly.
For replacing your 3D printer belts, you can get something like the Creality Ender 3 Rubber Belt from Amazon.
How to Fix Mesh Bed Leveling – Prusa
Here’s how to fix mesh bed leveling not working on Prusa printers:
- Downgrade your firmware
- Make sure the Z-Axis is not inclined
- Replace your PINDA sensor
1. Downgrade your Firmware
A potential fix for when your mesh bed leveling is not working is to downgrade your firmware. One user experienced issues with a specific firmware version, which was V3.11.0-4955, and it caused failed mesh bed leveling.
This issue caused problems when running mesh bed leveling and would print the first layer way too high as a few users experienced. He managed to fix this problem by downgrading his firmware to V3.10.1 after speaking with Prusa support to find out a solution.
He said his prints look perfect after downgrading his firmware and he was able to successfully run his mesh bed leveling and get nice prints afterwards.
2. Make Sure the Z-Axis is not Inclined
Another possible method to fix mesh bed leveling not working on a Prusa 3D printer is making sure the Z-axis is not uneven.
If the Z-axis is inclined just a little bit off the 90-degree angle it should have with the bed, it can cause error messages when trying to run mesh bed leveling.
One user was experiencing problems with his mesh bed leveling on his Prusa and even contacted support to try to find out a fix.
He finally managed to fix his issue by first loosening the three screws securing the Z-axis to the base and inserting a thick piece of paper between the lower portion of the electronics box and the base rail, and then tightening the screws once more.
That made his bed from a nearly perfect 90-degree angle with the Z-axis which solved his problem.
3. Replace your PINDA Sensor
If you’re experiencing problems with mesh bed leveling on a Prusa machine, you should consider replacing your PINDA sensor as a possible fix.
That’s because a lot of times, stores will sell cheap PINDA clones that have a really poor thermal drift, sometimes varying ± 0.3mm between probes. The PINDA sensor is an auto-leveling sensor that is present in most Prusa 3D printers out there and without an accurate thermal drift, mesh bed leveling can fail.
One user was experiencing problems when running mesh bed leveling, having his front left section not corrected enough.
He finally fixed his issue when he ordered a genuine PINDA sensor as he was using a $6 clone that had a lot of thermal drift variation, which was causing his mesh bed leveling to fail.
Users recommend getting the High-Quality PINDA V2 Sensor from Amazon as it features great reviews stating that it works perfectly as it is made of high-quality materials and can serve as a nice replacement for your original PINDA sensor.
Check out the video below for more information on replacing your PINDA sensor.