<p>From a <a href="https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15023/what-is-causing-the-extruder-stepper-on-my-ender-3-to-skip-steps#comment29271_15023">comment</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>the print is done at rate 50 mm/sec with nozzle 0.4 mm. However, this issue started when I replaced the motherboard and the extruder. At the beginning, with stock motherboard and extruder, printer printed even with speed of 60 mm/sec without any issues. I bought a spare extruder motor to check, if the original one is not damaged. Which part of the hotend do you suspect to be faulty? Clogged nozzle? Some other issues maybe?</p>
</blockquote>
<p>we now know that the problem occurred after switching out the main board.</p>
<p>As the OP isn't mentioning is the stepper drivers are well tuned, it could be that the Vref for the extruder should be increased to increase the current and thus the power of the extruder stepper.</p>
<p>We also read that:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Today I replaced the whole heat block (radiator, heater, thermistor and nozzle) to a new one (original, for now) and the motor stopped skipping... However, even having the prior one in hands, I couldn't find the reason, why the motor was skipping - other than the fact, that I couldn't extract the bowden tube from the radiator...</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This may hint to a Bowden tube being faulty causing extra friction to the extrusion path. So while the stepper didn't receive enough current, there may also have been a mechanical issue at play.</p>
<p>Now that it works, you should not be satisfied with the hotend swap alone, but also look into the stepper current.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-28T08:30:58.707Z
2024-12-28T08:30:58.707Z
0scar
<blockquote>
<p>I have a problem most likely very similar to some reported by other users: extruder stepper is visually skipping a step from time to time. It rapidly rotates in the direction opposite to the one it is supposed to rotate.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>These two sentences are saying something totally different, and the latter is not what a skipped step looks like. It sounds like retraction, which is totally normal.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T15:57:24.147Z
Skipping happens regardless of the retraction. Also, retraction is fluid (stepper rotates) and the jump is rapid. Finally, jumps happen during drawing infill (like, in the middle of the line), so I hardly believe this is intentional behavior of the printer.
Spook
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T15:59:52.027Z
@Spook: Can you post a short video clip of it happening? From your question it sounded like the print still comes out ok. Is there underextrusion where the skip happens?
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-29T08:53:16.773Z
I just edited my question. Sorry for the delay. There are two videos: one with regular retraction and one with skipping. You can even clearly hear the "thud" sound when it happens in the second video.
Spook
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-13T18:18:02.713Z
2020-12-13T18:18:02.713Z
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
<p>I had same issue. It is because filament broken inside mostly. If you are not using printer much, filaments effected from humid and broken easily.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-13T05:53:02.060Z
2021-11-13T05:53:02.060Z
Handelika
<p>I have a problem most likely similar to some reported by other users: the extruder stepper is visually skipping a step occasionally. It rapidly rotates in the direction opposite to the one it is supposed to turn.</p>
<p>I noticed the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>The extruder stepper jumps randomly - nothing specific in the pattern printed, position, etc.</li>
<li>Stepper jumps more often on the infill, rarely on the walls.</li>
</ul>
<p>Details about print:</p>
<ul>
<li>PLA (Devil Design - various colors, they don't matter)</li>
<li>Filament guide installed on top, but not yet before the extruder (it is printing right now; I'm waiting for the ball bearings too)</li>
<li>Filament mounted on the top - in the place defined by Creality</li>
<li>The extruder is already replaced with the aluminium one</li>
<li>The mainboard is SKR E3 mini V2 (replaced recently)</li>
<li>95% flow set in Cura</li>
<li>Printing on glass, leveled bed (the jumping occurs on all layers, not only first)</li>
<li>215 °C hotend temperature, 60 °C bed temperature</li>
<li>Stepper motor current settings (from Marlin menu): 580 for X, Y &amp; Z, 650 for E1</li>
</ul>
<p>Other observations:</p>
<ul>
<li>What's interesting is that the extruder motor jumps even if I manually unwind some filament, so the only force it has to overcome is pushing filament into the head.</li>
<li>I made a quick DIY wooden spool holder to feed the filament almost horizontally. This seemed to make things worse - stepper jumped more often. I moved the spool to the top again, reducing jumping a little.</li>
<li>Prints are done beautifully (after changing the motherboard) - no lost lines or layers, walls connected with infill, perfect first layer, etc.</li>
</ul>
<p>What may be the cause of stepper motor jumping? How can I solve it? Does it pose a threat to the motor or stepper? I need to print the filament guide and spool holder with ball bearings to minimize the force required by the extruder motor, but then the stepper will probably jump during the prints. I already damaged the original mainboard because of the stuck filament, and I don't want to destroy another one.</p>
<hr />
<p>This is how regular extruder retraction looks:</p>
<p><div class="youtube-embed"><div>
                <iframe width="640px" height="395px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h0c7APCTKLM?start=0"></iframe>
            </div></div> (10 seconds)</p>
<p>This is how stepper skipping looks:</p>
<p><div class="youtube-embed"><div>
                <iframe width="640px" height="395px" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KCmNs9ixzPQ?start=0"></iframe>
            </div></div> (13 seconds)</p>
<hr />
<p>Today I replaced the whole heat block (radiator, heater, thermistor and nozzle) to a new one (original, for now) and the motor stopped skipping - at least on the calibration cube. I will see, how will it perform on more complex prints.</p>
<p>However, even having the prior one in hands, I couldn't find the reason, why the motor was skipping - other than the fact, that I couldn't extract the bowden tube from the radiator (so maybe some filament was dripping inside?)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-12-14T16:00:46.577Z
How did you damage the mainboard from stuck filament?
R.. GitHub STOP HELPING ICE
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-29T08:46:47.633Z
@R..GitHubSTOPHELPINGICE, stuck filament increased resistance on the extruder - the extruder's gear's teeth became flattened at the level of filament. I suspect, that this might have caused the engine to stop sometimes and this - from what I know - would cause shorts on the engine controller. In the end of original motherboard's life the extruder was barely rotating - even if there was literally no resistance on filament (I was holding it in the air).
Spook
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-01-29T12:53:18.413Z
The bottom video shows that there is too much pressure build up (by compression of filament) for the stepper to handle, once over the tipping point, the stepper rotates back. Probably the initial resistance to overcome the stepper to rotate back is larger than when it has been set in motion, hence skipping back quite a distance. You should check your hotend, your temperature looks already quite high for PLA, or reduce print speed (don't know what that currently is).
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-02T08:12:47.007Z
@0scar, the print is done at rate 50 mm/sec with nozzle 0.4 mm. However, this issue started when I replaced the motherboard and the extruder. At the beginning, with stock motherboard and extruder, printer printed even with speed of 60 mm/sec without any issues. I bought a spare extruder motor to check, if the original one is not damaged.

Which part of the hotend do you suspect to be faulty? Clogged nozzle? Some other issues maybe?
Spook
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-02T08:15:05.023Z
Could be that the stepper doesn't get enough current?
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-02-02T08:48:03.823Z
@0scar, how can I check that and possibly fix?
Spook
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-28T08:07:52.667Z
The non tech way is to feel if the stepper gets warm or hot during printing. The more  heat, the higher the current. You could also measure the Vref and look up your driver's and calculated the current. Turn the potentiometer to increase the Vref. There is lots to find here and on YouTube how to do that
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-12-28T08:32:39.160Z
Factually, your answer/fix, should be in an answer, not a section of the question, could you please post a separate answer?
0scar
<creality-ender-3><stepper>
What is causing the extruder stepper on my Ender 3 to skip steps?
Spook
# What is causing the extruder stepper on my Ender 3 to skip steps?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-12-12)

I have a problem most likely similar to some reported by other users: the extruder stepper is visually skipping a step occasionally. It rapidly rotates in the direction opposite to the one it is supposed to turn.

I noticed the following:

* The extruder stepper jumps randomly - nothing specific in the pattern printed, position, etc.
* Stepper jumps more often on the infill, rarely on the walls.

Details about print:

* PLA (Devil Design - various colors, they don't matter)
* Filament guide installed on top, but not yet before the extruder (it is printing right now; I'm waiting for the ball bearings too)
* Filament mounted on the top - in the place defined by Creality
* The extruder is already replaced with the aluminium one
* The mainboard is SKR E3 mini V2 (replaced recently)
* 95% flow set in Cura
* Printing on glass, leveled bed (the jumping occurs on all layers, not only first)
* 215 °C hotend temperature, 60 °C bed temperature
* Stepper motor current settings (from Marlin menu): 580 for X, Y & Z, 650 for E1

Other observations:

* What's interesting is that the extruder motor jumps even if I manually unwind some filament, so the only force it has to overcome is pushing filament into the head.
* I made a quick DIY wooden spool holder to feed the filament almost horizontally. This seemed to make things worse - stepper jumped more often. I moved the spool to the top again, reducing jumping a little.
* Prints are done beautifully (after changing the motherboard) - no lost lines or layers, walls connected with infill, perfect first layer, etc.

What may be the cause of stepper motor jumping? How can I solve it? Does it pose a threat to the motor or stepper? I need to print the filament guide and spool holder with ball bearings to minimize the force required by the extruder motor, but then the stepper will probably jump during the prints. I already damaged the original mainboard because of the stuck filament, and I don't want to destroy another one.

---

This is how regular extruder retraction looks:

(10 seconds)

This is how stepper skipping looks:

(13 seconds)

---

Today I replaced the whole heat block (radiator, heater, thermistor and nozzle) to a new one (original, for now) and the motor stopped skipping - at least on the calibration cube. I will see, how will it perform on more complex prints.

However, even having the prior one in hands, I couldn't find the reason, why the motor was skipping - other than the fact, that I couldn't extract the bowden tube from the radiator (so maybe some filament was dripping inside?)

**Tags:** creality-ender-3, stepper

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: How did you damage the mainboard from stuck filament?  
> **username_0**: @username_1, stuck filament increased resistance on the extruder - the extruder's gear's teeth became flattened at the level of filament. I suspect, that this might have caused the engine to stop sometimes and this - from what I know - would cause shorts on the engine controller. In the end of original motherboard's life the extruder was barely rotating - even if there was literally no resistance on filament (I was holding it in the air).  
> **username_2**: The bottom video shows that there is too much pressure build up (by compression of filament) for the stepper to handle, once over the tipping point, the stepper rotates back. Probably the initial resistance to overcome the stepper to rotate back is larger than when it has been set in motion, hence skipping back quite a distance. You should check your hotend, your temperature looks already quite high for PLA, or reduce print speed (don't know what that currently is).  
> **username_0**: @username_2, the print is done at rate 50 mm/sec with nozzle 0.4 mm. However, this issue started when I replaced the motherboard and the extruder. At the beginning, with stock motherboard and extruder, printer printed even with speed of 60 mm/sec without any issues. I bought a spare extruder motor to check, if the original one is not damaged.  Which part of the hotend do you suspect to be faulty? Clogged nozzle? Some other issues maybe?  
> **username_2**: Could be that the stepper doesn't get enough current?  
> **username_0**: @username_2, how can I check that and possibly fix?  
> **username_2**: The non tech way is to feel if the stepper gets warm or hot during printing. The more  heat, the higher the current. You could also measure the Vref and look up your driver's and calculated the current. Turn the potentiometer to increase the Vref. There is lots to find here and on YouTube how to do that  
> **username_2**: Factually, your answer/fix, should be in an answer, not a section of the question, could you please post a separate answer?  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2024-12-28. Score: 0

From a [comment](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/questions/15023/what-is-causing-the-extruder-stepper-on-my-ender-3-to-skip-steps#comment29271_15023):

> the print is done at rate 50 mm/sec with nozzle 0.4 mm. However, this issue started when I replaced the motherboard and the extruder. At the beginning, with stock motherboard and extruder, printer printed even with speed of 60 mm/sec without any issues. I bought a spare extruder motor to check, if the original one is not damaged. Which part of the hotend do you suspect to be faulty? Clogged nozzle? Some other issues maybe?

we now know that the problem occurred after switching out the main board.

As the OP isn't mentioning is the stepper drivers are well tuned, it could be that the Vref for the extruder should be increased to increase the current and thus the power of the extruder stepper.

We also read that:

> Today I replaced the whole heat block (radiator, heater, thermistor and nozzle) to a new one (original, for now) and the motor stopped skipping... However, even having the prior one in hands, I couldn't find the reason, why the motor was skipping - other than the fact, that I couldn't extract the bowden tube from the radiator...

This may hint to a Bowden tube being faulty causing extra friction to the extrusion path. So while the stepper didn't receive enough current, there may also have been a mechanical issue at play.

Now that it works, you should not be satisfied with the hotend swap alone, but also look into the stepper current.


---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-12-13. Score: 0

> I have a problem most likely very similar to some reported by other users: extruder stepper is visually skipping a step from time to time. It rapidly rotates in the direction opposite to the one it is supposed to rotate.

These two sentences are saying something totally different, and the latter is not what a skipped step looks like. It sounds like retraction, which is totally normal.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Skipping happens regardless of the retraction. Also, retraction is fluid (stepper rotates) and the jump is rapid. Finally, jumps happen during drawing infill (like, in the middle of the line), so I hardly believe this is intentional behavior of the printer.  
> **username_1**: @username_0: Can you post a short video clip of it happening? From your question it sounded like the print still comes out ok. Is there underextrusion where the skip happens?  
> **username_0**: I just edited my question. Sorry for the delay. There are two videos: one with regular retraction and one with skipping. You can even clearly hear the "thud" sound when it happens in the second video.  

---

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-11-13. Score: 0

I had same issue. It is because filament broken inside mostly. If you are not using printer much, filaments effected from humid and broken easily.


---

