X1C trips GFCI

Bambu Lab X1 Series Bambu Lab X1C
1

I’ve had the X1C for about 6 months now, and in general it’s been fantastic with very few issues. I recently decided to move it to another room as it’s too loud where it sat. It is now on a GFCI breaker. As soon as I power the device on (flip the on / off switch in the back) it trips the GFCI every single time. I have tried multiple sockets, different outlets, different power cables and the same result each time.

I’ve had several other printers in this location before (from DIY to Prusa MK3S) and none of them have ever tripped the GFCI before.

Is there a short somewhere within it or what? Open to ideas.

Edit: Also there is almost no load on the outlet. Just a few items in standby mode. I use stuff on this circuit fairely often (like charging lawn equipment, power tools, machining tools) and none have ever tripped the GFCI.

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Mine is on a GFCI outlet as well with no issue. You should contact tech support.

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Yeah I did, but on further testing I think it may be something else… I moved to another room on a GFCI breaker and it powers on / works just fine.

Going to go buy another GFCI breaker and install it today.

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There have been reports of users being shocked by their X1C printer. As far as I know, it’s always been tracked down to an improperly wired outlet. Usually it’s a missing ground. The ground prong on the power cord does in fact ground the case but I don’t know why there would be leakage current on the frame of the machine in the first place. It’s this leakage current that is tripping the GFCI. If you really want to use it in this location, you could get an isolation transformer but that’s an expense that you shouldn’t have to incur just to be able to use your printer. You could lift the ground but then you run the risk of being shocked if you touch the printer and something that is grounded. You could try using a UPS, that may act like an isolation transformer and give you protection against power bumps.

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I didn’t see your reply before I typed my long winded one. Sounds like you may be on the right track.

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6

Yesterday I moved my MK4 to the exact same location (plug wise) as my goal was to move both my printers to this area to reduce noise at my desk…

Works fine. Printed a file for 1h 30m and no issues at all.

So today, I decided to swap in a new GFCI and sure enough it powered up without tripping the breaker. So I’ll assume that was the issue.

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GFCI outlets often protect a “leg”, not just the one outlet with the GFCI. For example, I have multiple outlets in my garage. One has a GFCI in it, but the other outlet will trip it. GFCI tripping occurs when there’s more than about 5mA difference in the current going out the Hot lead and coming back on the Neutral lead (the assumption being that missing current has found another path to ground through you). Multiple devices on a shared circuit have a cumulative effect. And everything leaks a little. So the more you have on the circuit the less margin you have for something additional.

Then, power supplies often have large capacitors that need to charge up. While they’re charging, current flows in but does not flow out. This can trip a GFCI even when there is nothing wrong.

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