Print bed homes properly, but drops to begin printing

[Raddiver]

Hello wise ones out there.
Looking to overcome stumbling block number 1.
I just inherited an M2 and I'm a complete newb in the thing world.
after getting it home and setup, i can't start a print without a huge mess. (have only tried tallthin and tinythin so far, but each with the same results)
I adjusted the level and z-stop. I'm pretty close to .3 around the bed with z homed.
Now if i go to print something the bed drops roughly 5-6mm and the print starts. But of course, no adhesion, big birds nest, deflated hopes, etc.
z-offset is 0.0. So shouldn't it start at .3mm from the nozzle?
I started with 123d and slic3r, thought it was might be that, so i then purchased s3d. Same outcome with either.
I understand PLC to some degree, i definitely get Arduino(built a hydroponics system out of one) but this is kicking my butt.
Any help greatly appreciated. I don't know what i don't know, so I'm sure i haven't given you enough detail to help, just let me know what you need.

[insta]

I think you have a firmware offset set. Is this a rev E?

[Raddiver]

I'm not sure Insta.
I don't know how the quick start app reacts with previous revisions. If it does not communicate at all with previous revisions, then yes. If it does, I'm back to I'm not sure.
And as an aside, i went back and re-measured the Z-stop and it's .10 to .13. Not .3. Not that it matters in this instance.
Is there an easy way to tell revision?
Thanks

[Josh]

Raddiver - look at the rear Z smooth rod: is there a bracket with a microswitch at the top, or bottom, of the printer? If it's at the top, you have a Rev D or earlier printer, so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0Cz6jPPECM and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53wWwktH0s should help.

If the Z endstop is at the bottom, you have a Rev E printer (or a heavily customized Rev D or earlier...), so https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L85goRYoSQE applies.

If you post some pictures and your serial number, we can probably provide more information.

[Jules]

Alternatively....all you have to do is lift the heated bed plate and look at the spider to determine what version of machine you have:

The four point spider on the M2 Rev.E is solid. Earlier models use a cutout frame spider with a triangular support plate underneath.

Once you have determined which version of the machine you have, come back and tell the group, so they can give you the correct steps to take. It's different for the two kinds of machines.

[Raddiver]

Thank you for the quick responses. So it is a Rev D.

[Jules]

Excellent!

First thing is to read through the Beginner's Guide for your machine here:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3342

(It's going to tell you how to set the Z-Stop, Perform your calibrations and set your Z-Offset correctly.)

Second thing is to determine which nozzle style you have, because when the switch-over happened to the V4 nozzle styles from the V3B, the exact problem you are describing occurred for a handful of people who were trying to print the sample files directly from the SD card. Those files were originally created using a V3B style nozzle and saved that way, and the V4 nozzles sit higher. So the machine thinks the starting point is lower than it actually is....but only when it's trying to print those particular sample files.

The way to check that is to print something over USB connection from inside Simplify3D. Try printing the little calibration square below, over USB. See if it works any better.

calibration.stl

(10.04 KiB) Downloaded 294 times

If that still doesn't work, then insta is right and there's an offset somewhere in there that needs to be addressed.

[insta]

Wouldn't the Z endstop bolt be compensating for the height difference of the V3b vs V4 already? It just sits the 5-6mm higher.

[Raddiver]

It is a V4 nozzle. That i do know.
I'm at work at the moment, but when i get home i will download that test print and give it a go, and report back.
I appreciate the help very much.
Considering the mods are moderating posts, I'm assuming i wont be able to get any responses this weekend?

[insta]

You grossly overestimate how much of a personal life I have