I've printed four or five object since upgrading to marlin 1.1.9 bugfix and increasing the serial buffers from 4 to 16. No issues to report.
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Hi @ld2003 Thanks for the feedback, I am in contact with Creality to get the Marlin 1.1.8 they are running on the Ender 5 v1.1.5 board to only increase the serial buffer, and re-upload if I have no luck with that I will upgrade to 1.1.9 Bugfix. Did you use Teaching Tech's Youtube Vid - Ender 5 bootloader and Marlin update and just updated the the below in Configuration_adv.h from 4 to 16 before upload.
// The ASCII buffer for serial input
#define MAX_CMD_SIZE 96
#define BUFSIZE 4
I used Kersey Fabrications on youtube to guide me with the upgrade. I changed both at the same time, so I'm not 100 sure what solved the issue for me. I can report that I haven't had the issue happen again and I've been running the printer very hard. to answer your question, that was the correct line to change #define BUFSIZE 4 and i changed it from 4 to 16.
I'm having the same issue, but it's with the X axis.
I've got an Ender 5 with the 1.1.5 silent board, and I'm running Marlin 1.1.9.
Mine fails this way using Octoprint, the SD card, or print straight from Cura to the printer using a USB cable.It prints the skirt and the outline of whatever I'm printing fine, but shortly after it starts filling in the outline on the first layer it just starts making a line go back and forth over the same part until I cancel the print. The coordinates on the display keep changing though like it thinks the X axis is still moving, but it's not.
I've tried different SD cards, different models, old gcode that printed fine in the past, re-slicing on different versions of Cura, reflashing the mainboard, reseated every cable/connector, and prayer and none of it has fixed the issue. I'm kind of thinking it's something wrong with the 1.1.5 boards.
I'm suffering the exact same issue.
- Ender 5
- Upgraded to 1.1.5 silent board with Merlin 1.1.8
Various prints are fine when printed directly via SD, but when trying to print via OctoPrint/USB, the problems occur. Works for the first layer or two, then completely loses Y access and I get a horizontal blob like the others have already shown in the photos.
It does sound like it could potentially be the serial buffer size that others have reported. I'm going to have to do some serious YouTubing to find a step-by-step process on how to upgrade Merlin to 1.1.9 and increase the buffer size.
Does anyone have a direct URL to walk me through the process? I've not done any 3d printer board flashing, so will need to start from scratch.
Hi, my first post.
I have just bought the Ender-5 silent, and can confirm that the Y-axis issue has NOTHING to do with the Octopi.
Why do I say this? Because during the very first test print I did printing a stock gcode off the SD card, the Y-axis hooked up. I have never connected the printer to Octopi, although that is part of the plan.
Based on other's experience, I would guess that it hasn't happened while printing from the SD card ....... yet
It is most likely a firmware issue?
I've printed other prints, but did not experience any Y axis freeze.
Hope this helps
AK
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That's what I've been suggesting. The forums out there suggest that this is the Ender itself or its firmware.
Thanks ld2003, I'm going to try the marlin firmware upgrade and increasing the serial buffers. Thanks for sharing.
For anyone landing here because of this issue, I started a reddit (megathread?) on it, hoping to collect more info: https://www.reddit.com/r/ender5/comments/e4q3ry/yaxis_lockup_ender_5_pro_silent_board_115_marlin/
all sort of random comments all over facebook groups as well, which was not conducive to any solution.
I realize it is not an octoprint issue so there is probably some pressure to get the discussion off here 
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I am running Creality 1.1.5 and Klipper Firmware on OctoPrint. I can confirm that it randomly stops midprint. When it stops I move the y motor manually, it does not have any resistance whatsoever. It seems that it had lost power from the board.
Hi.. I have compiled a Marlin version 2.0 firmware for use with the Ender-5. You can download it here: https://github.com/silver65/Ender-5
I have also posted my link on the reddit forum. More info there on thermal runaway protection etc....
I was having lockups using Prus Slic3r. Now that is all behind me.
Good Luck
Just to jump in, and I know I'm late to this. But I created an account to reply exactly this post.
If you're still having problems, it's likely nothing you've done or can fix with configuration changes.
I have an Ender 5 Pro, and just got up and running with OctoPrint, and was having the exact same problems. I'd lose my Y Axis mid print, and Octopi would lose connectivity to my printer. Turns out the issue wasn't Octopi itself, or my printer. Rather, it's the 5v line on the USB cable and the fun that is Raspberry Pi undervolting/browning out.
To see if your printer is drawing power from your Octopi (and if you're watching the logs, to see if you get undervolt warnings) do the following: With your Octopi plugged in to your printer, turn off the power to your printer. Does the control display stay on? If so, it's getting its power from your Raspberry Pi's USB, which in turn is undervolting the USB chip (unless you have a nice and beefy power supply for your printer, and even then...). The simplest way to solve this is to put electrical tape over Pin 1 of the USB cable (staring at the USB A end, the pin on the right). There are other methods out there you can look up. But stopping your printer display from pulling power from your raspberry pi will do wonders for stability.
related:
First, my apology: I am not a user of OctoPrint or Raspberry Pi. I wanted to let everyone know that I have the same issue with a brand new Ender 5 Pro w/ 1.1.8 FW. Also, it doesn't matter if I print from Simpify3D, Pronterface, or the SD card: in all cases I randomly lose the Y axis. Just like all of you, my Y motor seems to be disconnected, because I can move it with very little resistance.
I have gotten a couple of good prints, including the owl that came with the printer.
One other thing I found. When I tried to print 3DBenchy, it came out half height. I tried again and got the same result. So, I scaled the X axis only, and got a 'not too bad' Benchy.
Through Internet research I discovered that it was possible my Z stepper motor steps/mm may be off. It was @ 400, so I changed it to 800, and suddenly my prints are full height. I realize this not strictly on-topic (I apologize for that) but I thought it might be useful to at least 1 person in this thread.
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Thanks for your post
Well folks, got a new one today: my extruder stopped feeding. I was test printing a model that failed yesterday with the Y axis failure we're all experiencing. It was odd to see it was the extruder motor this time.
I've been doing hi-tech for many decades. Over the years I've developed some troubleshooting rules. When dealing with computers & other hi-tech gear my first rule is: connections. My second rule is: connections. My third rule is (see a pattern yet? 
): connections. If those don't resolved the issue, my next rule is: thermal. Look first for something overheating, particularly if the issue appears random. I'm thinking that's what may be going on here. How else to explain the eccentric nature of the failures?
About now I'm wishing I had some thermal testing gear I could connect to the TMC2208 heatsinks an monitor the temps, especially at the point when the Y axis stops moving. Oh, a little research led me to discover that the TMC2208's are not supposed to be used with heatsinks. TMC specifically says so; something I confirmed in a TH3D video. Their EZ Board Lite doesn't have heatsinks and it beat all others in a torture test carried out by TH3D (I know, there's a bias there, but still).
BTW, after a power off & on of the printer, the extruder works just fine.
I hear that. I bought the Ender 5 Pro based on a lot of rave reviews and, I have to say, when it prints properly, it does produce really good results. However, it's also true that the prevalence of 1.1.5 boards is much lower than 1.1.4 boards; at least I assume it must be. As far as I know, 1.1.4 boards have no issues with overheating stepper driver chips, so they may never exhibit what we're all seeing.
Unless I can return the printer for a full refund, I will probably have to spend enough to fix my Ender 5 Pro that I could have bought a Prusa straight off. Caveat Emptor indeed.
Greetings all. I have some potentially FANTASTIC news!!
I was able to successfully flash my Silent 1.1.5 mobo with the TH3D Unified Firmware, ver. U1.B2.R3.
This immediately told me one thing: apparently the Silent 1.1.5 boards DO have an onboard bootloader. I've seen so many conflicting statements (including from TH3D) that I was completely confused what the truth is. So, now we know.
And, looking at the photo, it seems the new firmware may have made all the difference. Now, I realize, scientifically, this is just 1 datapoint; however, it's a very positive one I think.
The proof of overwhelming anecdotal evidence will come if and when many of you also flash U1.B2.R3 onto your printers and have the issue disappear.
I just assembled a brand new Ender 5 Pro. All the prints get stuck on the x-axis (losing the y motion) after a few minutes. The y-motor seems fine - i can get it to move manually after stopping the print.
@snafu, did the firmware update fix the issue for you. I am new to 3D printers so not sure if i should attempt to update the firmware - would i loose any warranty e.g? thanks!