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Solved Filament not extruding even with new extruder

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by Carlos144Green, Apr 12, 2019.

  1. Carlos144Green

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    I recently ran into problems with extruding filament. My printer extruded like it was partially clogged so I replaced the 4mm nozzle with another one I had and it still didn't work. I ran lots of troubleshooting tests and eventually gave up. I went ahead and purchased a whole new C2 Hexagon Hot End Assembly and assumed this would solve all my problems, it did not. The same thing is happening and I don't know what to do. I tried to re-adjust the assembly and the feeding gear and made sure it was properly aligned. Any help would be appreciated.
     
  2. tkoco

    tkoco - -.- --- -.-. ---
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    A little more information please,

    Type of filament? PLA, ABS, PetG? Specialty filament? (like wood or carbon reinforced)

    Temperature which you are using to print with? Some filaments will clog if the temperature is too low. Some filaments will clog if the temperature is too high.

    Remove the Teflon feed tube and try passing the filament through it. Does the filament pass through easily, or is there significant resistance? I had to throw away a spool of filament because it had swelled in diameter and would not pass through easily.

    Did you clean the extruder gear? It can get clogged when the filament is being pushed, but the Hot end is not passing the filament.

    Check the spool of filament for cross-over windings. This situation is where the filament cross over itself on the spool effectively forming a 'half-hitch' knot. To fix that situation, unwind several meters / yards of filament from the spool and carefully rewind the filament onto the spool.
     
  3. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    There is also something called "heat creep" it happens when the heat from the nozzle/heater block gets beyond the heat break and melts the filament before it should be melting.

    This is caused by too little cooling on the finned section of the hotend. Make sure your fans are working correctly. See if leaving the front logo plate off of the extruder helps. If it does then you have a fan issue.
     
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  4. Carlos144Green

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    The type of filament is ordinary Hatchbox pla. I have always printed at the default 190-210 temps. The extruder gear works fine, I cleaned it just in case. I know it works fine because it has a good tug to it when loading filament then it just suddenly can't push any more in once it reaches about 1.5 inches in. I checked for basic tangling and the tube also isn't the problem since it can't print even without it. I don't know if removing the cover plate did anything but I tested it again and its printing but extremely poorly. Both fans work well. Seasoning may fix this but I rather not since this is a new hot end.
     
  5. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Seasoning is normally MOST needed on a new nozzle (not the hotend itself, but in your case sounds like you swapped both).

    If you have a clog up into the heatbreak then that will be an issue (this is what heat creep does). You may need to disassemble it and clean it by baking the heat break clear (you can do this in your oven).
     
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  6. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    In fact the first time I had to do seasoning was the first time I swapped nozzles :)
     
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  7. Carlos144Green

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    I'm a college student living in a dorm without an oven and I just used my last bit of money on the new hot end. I think I heard somewhere that you could just stick the small hex wrench down and try to unclog it? Do you think that would work?
     
  8. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    I think that would be likely to scratch the inside of the bore. If that happens you will need a new hotend.
    There is a reason the bore through the hotend (particularly the heatbreak) is polished. :)

    If you disassemble the hotend the heatbreak can be heated with a lighter or a small torch to melt out the clog.

    Pay attention to how you do the disassembly and assembly, it is not hard, but don't do it wrong.

    This video shows how to assemble a generic one (disassembly is the reverse) and it is close enough to the same as the one the Robo uses that you can sort the minor differences.

     
  9. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    This is the key part to remember:

    correct heat block assembly.jpg
     
  10. Carlos144Green

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    I don't have the proper tools to unscrew the nozzle at the moment. Would it really be possible to clog the nozzle the second I run filament through it? Do you think I can melt it out without removing the nozzle?
     
  11. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Printer should have come with a wrench, but OK.
    Nozzle is 7mm and a 17mm should fit the heater block (but an adjustable works fine too) you have to hold that while you turn the nozzle.

    Yes, that is what seasoning prevents. Ever see an egg on a frying pan? Same idea. The seasoning creates a non-stick coating.

    Maybe. Lift nozzle well off bed and heat the nozzle to 275c

    Let is sit and then cool it down, gravity may help you out. The only way to be sure is to disassemble it.
     
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  12. Carlos144Green

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    The c2 comes with allen wrenches not ordinary wrenches to remove the nozzle. I have my spare extruder with the nozzles I can take off right here so I will do what you have told me with this one instead.
     
  13. Carlos144Green

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    I'm going to test it now.
     
  14. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    There should have been a small 7mm wrench in the box :) Flat, a few inches long.
    No worries, you can find one if need be or use a second adjustable.

    Remember to heat it up to loosen and heat it back up after you reinstall to snug it in place (video should cover that, but just a reminder)
     
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  15. Carlos144Green

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    Did not work :(
     
  16. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    ?
    The seasoning?
    The wrench?
    Life?
     
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  17. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Also, removing the nozzle will not fix a clog up inside the heatbreak (if heat creep is what got you then you are going to need to unclog the heatbreak)
     
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  18. Carlos144Green

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    I completely removed the nozzle and looked down the heatbreak and there was no build up or residue inside. I haven't tried seasoning yet because it will be some time before I can get my hands on any type of oil.
     
  19. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Vegetable oil only.
     
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  20. Carlos144Green

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