Damaged Heated Bed, Advice?

Hello!

I'm getting ready to build my first RepRap Mendel90 and I purchased a red PCB heated bed on eBay. It just arrived and the corner where one of the screw-holes is chipped. I can post pictures, perhaps. Anyway, the seller wants to give me a refund of $2 but I would rather have a full exchange because I don't know if this missing hole will affect my ability to properly adjust the whole thing. My biggest worry is that when this build is complete in 1 to 2 months, if the damaged bed turns out not to work then I won't be able to do anything about it. What do you think? Will it be okay or would you also be asking for an exchange? I'm waiting to hear what the seller says in response but I'm curious as to what you would do.

It looks like only the epoxy PCB is damaged, but to make sure it's OK, you can hook the board up to a volt meter and see if it is taking on the proper load.

Yeah, I'm sure the traces are okay. My main concern was the posts/springs that attach there to level the bed. I have a funny feeling this is going to bite me in the butt later on... But, like I said, this is my first build so i'm not familiar enough with them to know. Thanks for replying!

Get a replacement or refund. Ebay will cover you if the seller won't.

Thanks tmorris9, yeah eBay Buyer Protection is really good.

Just for the sake of argument... Suppose I just keep it and take a 50% refund. Do you think this damage will really affect the bed leveling or anything? Could I slip a washer under the screw there and likely get away with it? I know I'm just making a mountain out of a mole hill, but I just like to think ahead and prepare for what could go wrong. Thanks for playing along

Idea:
Use acetone to clean the surface.
Then sand the surface.
Mix up a batch of epoxy and fill it in.
Use saran wrap as a mold release.
Then drill a new hole.

For this application using an epoxy that has a filler like JB Weld might be better than straight epoxy.
But I'm unsure.

That is a great idea. JB Weld or epoxy in general should be a staple in anyone's workshop but sadly I'm all out. Shame on me!

I'm running one with the same damage(one buggered hole) and it works no problem. As long as 3 out of the 4 holes are ok then you shouldn't have any issues using it with a washer on that broken edge.

If you don't need it at this very moment I would push to get a replacement. You bought and paid for 100% perfect product.

Was the package damaged? if no I would point that fact out to the seller as they "accidentally" shipped you a damaged product and mention your ebay feedback will state that if a replacement is not sent. If you need to send it back to China it's going to cost quite a because you need traceable shipping method to prove it was returned.

If they don't want to replace it or give you a deep discount just go the Paypal protection route.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'll rest easier knowing it's not that big of a deal, but I do have some time so I'll try and push for a replacement.

Quote
CdnReprap
Was the [outer] package damaged?

I hadn't even thought to look but I didn't toss it. Yep, it looks like that corner was abraded on the outer packaging too; must have happened during shipping.

Thanks again everyone

Most people don't know but legally it's up to the seller to protect the package and assure it arrives in tact. Until it's in your hands it's the sellers. and the seller must replace or compensate you for loss (they can't push it off on you to make a claim with the shipper) (Me = High rated power seller on ebay).

I am another one who had damage in the same place.
I noticed that my mounting bolt and spring were red hot. There was a direct short from the circuit board to earth.
I solved the problem by using a small fibre washer (the type used for computer motherboards) under the bolt head.

A quick update for anyone who might encounter this:

Over the past couple days, I've been going back and forth with this eBay seller.

First, they offered $2 to keep it as-is, I declined and asked for a replacement.
Then they offered $5 to keep it as-is. I declined again and asked for a replacement.
Now they are offering me $8 to keep it (I only paid $8.98 for the whole thing to begin with including shipping!).
Oh, and they had the nerve to tell me that if I wanted a replacement, I would have to pay $5 more to ship it! HAHAHA, yeah right...
(they also said a few other things that really annoyed me, but I'm not going to post every dialog, so that's the real reason that I'm doing this on principle now.)
I just responded again, and told them to send me a new one again.

We'll see what happens. I don't like opening disputes on eBay because it delays everything tenfold, but if I have to then I will.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2013 05:40PM by RossWindows.

Quote
tmorris9
Most people don't know but legally it's up to the seller to protect the package and assure it arrives in tact. Until it's in your hands it's the sellers. and the seller must replace or compensate you for loss (they can't push it off on you to make a claim with the shipper) (Me = High rated power seller on ebay).

While that is an ebay policy, in the US it depends on the terms of the sale for transactions outside of ebay. There is no federal law dictating when the transfer takes place. Depending on the state a freight on board ( FOB ) or customer provided shipping transaction can determine where the liability for damaged product lies though it's not always that simple. Regardless, it would require civil action and that's not something that is cost efefctive on many if not most transactions. That part was not packaged properly or shipped damage. As you've filed the ebay claim they will settle it one way or the other in the next week. At the small retail level it's a couple of bucks to package which is why some people don't use good materials. We ship the beds and glass in a stay flat cardboard sleeve in a foldable cardboard mailer with starch packing peanuts.

The OP did the right thing by opening a claim. In most cases ebay seems to settle with the buyer particularly if there is an email trail. If the seller has a no refund policy ebay may require the damaged item to be returned at the sellers expense. In extreme cases where the seiler is unresponsive ebay may just refund your money and allow you to keep the item. That is a new feature of the what they now call "money back guarantee". It used to be called buyer protection but ebay changed a few things, including the name a couple of months back. Most reputable sellers will insure you are pleased with the transaction though they might not always be the least expensive. A bed from most established Reprap suppliers is going to be in the $15 to $20 plus shipping range.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/09/2013 03:10PM by vegasloki.

IMHO, this issue isn't worth a principled stand, and your mountain/molehill concerns seem particularly relevant.

An $8 refund is exceedingly generous. Take it. Use it get a board shipped to you from a different seller, if you like, though I see no reason to do so.

I think your opinion is valid and I would be doing exactly that under any other circumstances. I simply took issue with some things the seller tried to say, but I'm not going to post every bit of dialog.
I've accidentally derailed the topic already, sorry about that.

Anyway, my original question was answered long ago, but I believe this thread serves a purpose in showing that these beds are sometimes shipped with inadequate protection, especially on the corners. There are at least two others with the same experience. So, for anyone looking to buy one of these PCBs, it wouldn't hurt to ask the seller beforehand what measures they take to protect the item during shipping.

I've had good luck getting beds, LCDs, ramps, belts and pulleys from RepRapDiscount on ebay. I don't remember but I believe they are in China(or around there), a bed alone would be around $35 ($20+$15 shipping) so it is better to order everything at once and combine shipping but every order with them has arrived in 2 days after shipping. They use some sort of Fedex International...pretty sad I can pay $15 and get an item from China to my door in 2 days but I pay $8 and can't get one from NY to TX in less than 6. Never quite understood logisitics but I am sure there is a reason one of my USPS packages hit 5 sorting facilities in NY before getting to me.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/10/2013 02:36PM by tjb1.

Reprapdiscoount resides in Hong Kong. The OrdBot i ordered from them took only 2 days to get to germany, but it seems it takes another three to get through customs :O . German efficency

---

[www.bonkers.de]
[merlin-hotend.de]
[www.hackerspace-ffm.de]

That must be damaged while shipping ,and because of seller bad packing . I happend once , it broken on the top left corner. But from your picture, I can be sure there is no problem about PCB board, The damage place has no electric circuit. It's okay . Don't worry , it won't influence anything.

---

The manufacturer of 3d printer He3d
website: www.reprap.cn
Email:[email protected]
Skype:reprap.cn

If you didnt want to go the epoxy route you could sandwich the damaged corner with a nut and washer on either side that way it would stay secured to the mounting screws and would not slip off during a print. That is what I am doing with my heat bed and as long as the washers are larger than the damaged area it should hold fine.

sarazhang and josh_mp5
Yeah, that's what I get for buying on the absolute bottom dollar. Sometimes, not only do you have to check the seller's history, but you also have to check on the seller's history for that particular item. Sometimes a seller comes across an item that they just don't know what to do with, so they do a little research and then undercut the market in order to ensure a sale. No problem with that per se, but what you end up with as a buyer, is a seller inexperienced with the item in question and I believe things like this are more likely to happen.

Yes, it's not ideal but it will still work. As others have mentioned. I will simply use a fiber washer on both sides of the screw to add support and avoid further damage in the area. The fiber washer is important as others have noted in that it will not conduct electricity should the washer abrade through the solder mask layer, causing a short circuit.

Thank you all for your help. Sometimes you need firsthand experience from individuals such as yourselves in order to "feel okay" about cutting corners (pun, just works here, sorry).

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/13/2013 12:29AM by RossWindows.