In short we have 2 options now. We can get a refund and get $80 for a new printer on top of that. Or we keep what we have, wait on the heatbed, change it out, chance losing the warranty due to screwing up the fix, and we get $120.
Note they even said at the end
“Also note that in some countries, due to regulations, this self-replacement of the bed by the customer may not be an option and in this case, the only solution is to return the printer for a refund.”
There is no option for them to swap our printer with a working one. Oh and my printer is one of the effected ones and they never asked for it back.
Anyways IMO this discount isn’t really that good IMO. Like on both ends. I know there is a group in here that will beat their chest and say it’s an easy fix. But some of them are trolls, some don’t look at skill levels, and some pull (you shouldn’t be in 3d printing if you don’t want to get your hands dirty or how another company did x we should lower our standards).
Note idk for the refund we get the discount after the 15 days when they get it back or not. So it’s possible we would be out of a printer for a full month if we want to go that way
I know there is a group in here that will beat their chest and say it’s an easy fix.
This shouldn’t be relevant for Bambu Lab, as their products are marketed as “it just works and beginner-friendly.” And also, there are people here with multiple printers who say things like, Oh well, at least I have other painters. That is not the case for everyone.
I bought this as my first 3D printer since I thought it was an easy start to the hobby and a printer that requires less maintenance than other brands. And less than a week after I bought this, I am now struggling through forums and youtube videos to understand what the course of action should be for someone who bought it through a reseller and if I am comfortable with changing the heatbed by myself.
To be honest, I was having a great time with my A1 but right now I am disappointed and confused. I hope @BambuLab solves this issue without further hassle and considers people who bought their products through a reseller.
I have Parkinson’s, for me it’s a disaster, no way can I take the A1 apart to replace the heat bed. I had a blob filament happen which I am still waiting on a replacement hotend heating assembly as that bust.
I agree ppl will say well you should not be printing if you can’t tinker, but screw then it’s a hobby, I enjoy.
I just really do not know what to do.
Easy option is just to
Keep the A1 as I do not have the box and the $120 is a better option.
I wish they would just let you order a new printer and you just pay the difference minus the discount than have to send things back, wait for refunds, reorder etc etc.
So here’s the thing. What else is unsafe on this printer? If they really want to alleviate concerns They would send these printers to people who are in electronics industry and allow them to completely dismantle them and analyze everything and publish an independent report online of their findings.
This goes beyond the issue now It just shows that they cannot be trusted to make a safe product anymore. They lost this trust And I’m trying to hide things in the early stages made it so you cannot trust them. So going forward they need to get these things to independent engineers for analysis. I know electrical engineers who will do this. Hell out me in contact with Bambu engineers who will actually answer technical questions I’ll help just send me pictures and be open with answers I’m an principal optomechnical engineer. I know they love getting there YouTube views why not send bigclivedotcom a unit to check out? He’s got more subs and views then 99% of 3d printing channels. He’s an electrical engineer with a PhD. Why not send him a unit? Why not send any actual engineers units? It seems like they are scared of what they would find out. Things like this.
Bambu has to restore trust in there name. And this is the only way. The damaged is done and it is permanent and now it is just about doing damage control and for that they must change how they been conducting business and be honest and transparent. This is there Anet moment.
Going the refund route is not really a deal at all. The $80 basically is covering the original shipping and the shipping on a new printer and the $35 I spent on nozzles. So its a break even.
Then I still have to wait for them to do the refund before they give the credit so I cant order a replacement now to reduce down time.
The second option is probably the best financially but by the time part is actually shipped it could be a really long wait. Since this is my only printer and I had a bunch of projects planned not sure what to do.
shipping is covered in the refund. It it should be. But ya I spent $50 in nozzles, gears, etc. Much of it is unopened. I’m going to see if they can at least refund the unopened stuff. Otherwise I got to sell it on ebay.
The problem IMO is will they still honor the warranty after this. And what happens if you unknowingly screwed something up and a few months it comes back and bites you.
Oh and then there is an unknown time when a fix will be ready. So there is also that.
Personally I’m going to look at doing a refund. I hoped for a better deal. But I guess it’s better than nothing.
As for the warranty, they do state “We would also want to mention that the warranty period in this case is increased with an additional 6 months of coverage.”
I’m leaning towards option 2, and exchange the bed myself.
Yes, but this missed the point. An extended warranty isn’t going to help if they say well you screwed up in this repair, and therefore you lost out on your warranty.
I would not recommend anyone to attempt repairing anything connected to mains voltage without the appropriate expertise. Mains voltage is life-threatening. A faulty connection or a displaced cable can expose the conductive parts of the machine to voltage, posing a danger not only to the person working on it but also to anyone who comes into contact with it, even days, weeks, or months later. Additionally, it can be a fire hazard. It carries significant responsibility. The safest option is to return it.
After the warning from Bambu, if you continue to use it and there is injury or financial damage as a result (someone gets shocked or the house catches fire), you are solely responsible, even if it appears flawless now and deteriorates a week later.
I completely agree with @NPeter. A faulty connection or a displaced cable can expose conductive parts of the printer to the full force of mains voltage, posing a grave danger. In addition to the personal safety risks associated with electric shock, there is the potential for creating a fire hazard.
I also concur with @crua9 that an extended warranty may not hold much value, especially if, a few months down the line, the cable undergoes wear and tear from fatigue or stress, posing again a potential risk of injury or a house fire.
Therefore, the safest course of action, in my opinion, is to return the printer.
Honestly, this is the absolute most sensible option they have available to them. In fact, this is what I first thought they meant, since it’s such a simple solution.
It doesn’t make sense to intentionally A) put people at risk, B) cost themselves more money due to a larger number choosing a full refund, and C) cause further reputation damage.
@kevyn_3D, Opting to swap the lower half appears to be a wiser choice. Sending a replacement cable or bed in March may pose risks when individuals lacking the necessary expertise attempt the installation. Handling mains voltage demands specialized knowledge.
It’s unfortunate, as this issue could have been prevented if they had reinforced that section of the cable, similar to the main power cable, to protect it from kinking.
In fairness to them, as can be seen on the Youtube video guide and the wiki written guide, it’s an extremely simple replacement; it’s literally plug and play.
No expertise required. After you’ve unscrewed the shell, it’s as simple as plugging in a couple of USB cables.
The sensor part in the video is not necessary (as that’s not part of the bed itself).
I agree, if you don’t know what you are doing you shouldn’t do it.
(Personally I do have the knowledge and skills needed for this job, so it is not a problem at all.)
