<p><sub>A wild guess, due to the lack of info...</sub></p>
<hr />
<h4>Insufficient current</h4>
<p>It is <em>possible</em> that you aren't supplying enough current to the extruder stepper. The humming or rocking of a motor - stepper or otherwise - is <em>symptomatic</em> of insufficient current and can lead to a sharp rise in temperature, i.e. the motor can get hot, very hot.</p>
<p>Basically speaking, the current supplied is less than the <em>stall current</em> of the motor.</p>
<p>I don't know if your board's stepper motor drivers are A4998 or DRV8225 (or something else entirely), however, you may need to adjust the current on the driver for the extruder.</p>
<p>This diagram shows the motor driver for <strong>Extruder 1</strong> as being the second from the bottom:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7d0a8.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7d0a8.jpg" alt="Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board" title="Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board" /></a></p>
<p>So, assuming that you are using the same connections, you need to adjust  the potentiometer on this driver, to increase the current, until the rocking stops and the extruder starts to turn and extrude:</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/EvB2R.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer" title="Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/EvB2R.jpg" alt="Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted" title="Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted" /></a></p>
<p>Even if you bought a new board, and then swapped over the motor drivers, <em>without adjusting the potentiometer</em>, then the same issue will occur. Therefore, it is possible that your first board does not have an issue, either - you just needed to adjust the pots...</p>
<h4>Dead stepper motor</h4>
<p><em><strong>If you have checked the current and the potentiometer, then...</strong></em></p>
<p>It is possible that the stepper has died (especially if the current <em>was</em> too low, and the motor heated and then the windings melted - but that is a lot of supposition).</p>
<p>To check, you could just swap the extruder stepper for one of the other steppers and see if the same low current humming/rocking issue occurs, or if it is indeed the motor that is the problem.</p>
<p>If the motor <em>is</em> faulty, then replacing a stepper motor isn't difficult, so long as you get exactly the <em>same model</em> as a replacement.</p>
<hr />
<h4>References</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Geeetech_prusa_i3_pro_C_building_instruction" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Geeetech prusa i3 pro C building instruction</a></li>
<li><a href="https://forum.arduino.cc/t/another-problem-with-stepper-motor-and-a4998/697709" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Another problem with Stepper Motor and A4998</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-30T22:46:30.220Z
2024-02-01T00:20:57.170Z
2024-02-01T00:20:57.170Z
Greenonline
<p>I have an i3 pro. The extruder motor does not work all. It rocks back and forth and gets really hot. I changed the wires, swapped the pins, changed motor - all it does is hum. I even went through the menu and tried to move it. The motor cuts off so I got a new board. The same thing occurs. It does not work. Is there any way to fix it?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-29T15:03:56.360Z
I'm sorry but your question really is rather difficult to understand - could you check the grammar/spelling and remove any slang or abbreviations? In particular, what does `I even wet throw the menu` mean? Do you mean `I even went through the menu`..? `i3prow` - do you mean `Creality i3 Pro`..? `even bout new one same thing need help` - do you mean `I even bought a new one and the same thing happened. I need help`..? Please [edit] and correct your post - I fear that if you do not do so, then the question may be closed as "very low quality" or "needs details and clarity". Thanks.
Greenonline
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-29T15:10:12.983Z
Please note that I have heavily edited your question. Please re-read and check that which I have written is actually what you want to say. Please [edit] your question, if I have mis-interpreted your original text. Thanks.
Greenonline
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-30T19:05:57.747Z
We will need more details, such as which board, which firmware version? The more details, the more likely you will get an answer. Maybe a video of the issue? Is the driver supplying enough current? A rocking stepper could be indicative of insufficient current to turn the motor, so it just rocks. Please [edit] and add any info in your question (and not in the comments).
Greenonline
<extruder>
Rocking extruder stepper gets hot
Bj Curry
# Rocking extruder stepper gets hot

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-01-28)

I have an i3 pro. The extruder motor does not work all. It rocks back and forth and gets really hot. I changed the wires, swapped the pins, changed motor - all it does is hum. I even went through the menu and tried to move it. The motor cuts off so I got a new board. The same thing occurs. It does not work. Is there any way to fix it?

**Tags:** extruder

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I'm sorry but your question really is rather difficult to understand - could you check the grammar/spelling and remove any slang or abbreviations? In particular, what does `I even wet throw the menu` mean? Do you mean `I even went through the menu`..? `i3prow` - do you mean `Creality i3 Pro`..? `even bout new one same thing need help` - do you mean `I even bought a new one and the same thing happened. I need help`..? Please [edit] and correct your post - I fear that if you do not do so, then the question may be closed as "very low quality" or "needs details and clarity". Thanks.  
> **username_1**: Please note that I have heavily edited your question. Please re-read and check that which I have written is actually what you want to say. Please [edit] your question, if I have mis-interpreted your original text. Thanks.  
> **username_1**: We will need more details, such as which board, which firmware version? The more details, the more likely you will get an answer. Maybe a video of the issue? Is the driver supplying enough current? A rocking stepper could be indicative of insufficient current to turn the motor, so it just rocks. Please [edit] and add any info in your question (and not in the comments).  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2024-01-30. Score: 1

A wild guess, due to the lack of info...

---

#### Insufficient current

It is *possible* that you aren't supplying enough current to the extruder stepper. The humming or rocking of a motor - stepper or otherwise - is *symptomatic* of insufficient current and can lead to a sharp rise in temperature, i.e. the motor can get hot, very hot.

Basically speaking, the current supplied is less than the *stall current* of the motor.

I don't know if your board's stepper motor drivers are A4998 or DRV8225 (or something else entirely), however, you may need to adjust the current on the driver for the extruder.

This diagram shows the motor driver for **Extruder 1** as being the second from the bottom:

[![Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board](https://i.sstatic.net/7d0a8.jpg "Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board")](https://i.sstatic.net/7d0a8.jpg "Diagram of Geetech i3 Pro board")

So, assuming that you are using the same connections, you need to adjust the potentiometer on this driver, to increase the current, until the rocking stops and the extruder starts to turn and extrude:

[![Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted](https://i.sstatic.net/EvB2R.jpg "Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted")](https://i.sstatic.net/EvB2R.jpg "Photo of board showing motor drivers - Extruder 1 is highlighted")

Even if you bought a new board, and then swapped over the motor drivers, *without adjusting the potentiometer*, then the same issue will occur. Therefore, it is possible that your first board does not have an issue, either - you just needed to adjust the pots...

#### Dead stepper motor

***If you have checked the current and the potentiometer, then...***

It is possible that the stepper has died (especially if the current *was* too low, and the motor heated and then the windings melted - but that is a lot of supposition).

To check, you could just swap the extruder stepper for one of the other steppers and see if the same low current humming/rocking issue occurs, or if it is indeed the motor that is the problem.

If the motor *is* faulty, then replacing a stepper motor isn't difficult, so long as you get exactly the *same model* as a replacement.

---

#### References

* [Geeetech prusa i3 pro C building instruction](https://www.geeetech.com/wiki/index.php/Geeetech_prusa_i3_pro_C_building_instruction)
* [Another problem with Stepper Motor and A4998](https://forum.arduino.cc/t/another-problem-with-stepper-motor-and-a4998/697709)


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