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Solved Wire coming loose on hot end?

Discussion in 'Troubleshooting' started by Heimdall, Jun 18, 2019.

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  1. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Hello! It looks like this wire came loose from ... somewhere on the print head, but I'm not sure where, or how to reattach it. It's an r1+ from 2016. The wire looks like it's made from plastic, also, and I'm not sure what that's about. The picture isn't amazing because I can't raise or lower the head from MC, and I really don't want to do it by twisting the screws (I fiddled with them A LOT to get them right), but I will if it needs to be seen more clearly. (I'm counting on one of you wizards knowing immediately what's going on. :))

    So, from this photo, does anyone know ...
    A) what this wire does
    B) why it looks like plastic
    C) where it needs to attach to
    D) how to reattach (if reattachment is even possible, and if it isn't, what do?)

    Thanks in advance![​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  2. BrooklynBay

    BrooklynBay Active Member

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    It's hard to see the photo but it's either the heating element or the thermistor. Try to take a picture of the opposite side.
     
  3. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Heavy gauge red wire is probably the heater core. They are cheap on Amazon, but get a better picture please.

    If that is correct then it is what makes the hotend get hot. Replacable cartridge heater.
     
  4. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    It does look like it connects to the heater core. That's the little metal rod dealie that slides into the block, yes? I *think* these two wires attach to it, and one of those is the one that fell off. Here are some hopefully better pics (the lighting in my print room is godawful so I turned flash on to see if that would help).

    If it is the heater core and needs replacement, is there a particular model number or something I should be searching for?

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  5. BrooklynBay

    BrooklynBay Active Member

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    Heater cores with red wires are 40 watts. You could use any generic 40 watt heater core or upgrade to a 50 watt heater core. The 50 watt has white wires. They get hot faster, and could reach a higher temperature. I've purchased heater cores for under a dollar a piece on EBay and Amazon.
     
  6. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Thank you! Do you know of a tutorial for replacement? Will I need a soldering iron?

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  7. albert3d

    albert3d Member

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  8. WheresWaldo

    WheresWaldo Volunteer ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°)
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    Definitely the thermistor, it is a standard Epcos 100K, It looks like the glass bead is broken off.
     
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  9. BrooklynBay

    BrooklynBay Active Member

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    The original parts are plug & play. Any aftermarket part could be connected to the stock plug with wire caps, crimp connectors, solder or push connectors.
     
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  10. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Awesome, thanks guys. I can't seem to find an in-stock thermistor replacement that looks like mine. Would these work? https://www.amazon.com/Comgrow-Prin...pcos+100K&qid=1560988795&s=industrial&sr=1-21

    Of course, the reason I can't compareI haven't been able to remove the old one, and I'm feeling like a dunce. I know there are screws on the heater block, one for the heat core and one for the thermistor. My heater block has some burned goop on it that I melted with a heat gun and pulled out of the screws, but when I put the allen wrench in them and turn, it seems like the screws are totally stripped. I can feel a slight bit of "clicking" as the hex wrench rotates around freely in the socket. I was trying while the whole block was hot from my heat gun (thinking that there may be plastic up in the screw area also that needs melting). Is the mini allen wrench that came with my robo the wrong size? It seems like it fits in there nicely, though. And if the screws are stripped, A) HOW? B) any ideas on how to remove them?
     
  11. BrooklynBay

    BrooklynBay Active Member

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    Try using a metric allen wrench. A torx bit has teeth to bite into a stripped screw if nothing else works.

    The problem that you're having is related to screws being heated and cooled down. They get seized in place. Use a soldering iron to heat the screw while you remove them.
     
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  12. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    That thermistor has NO information on which type it is. You need an EPCOS type if you want to not have to edit the firmware and if you do edit the firmware you need to know the type :)

    At least this one (heater cores AND thermistors in one bundle) tells you it is a marlin firmware type 11.

    https://smile.amazon.com/Thermistor-Ceramic-Cartridge-Printer-Heatbed/dp/B07C3N3M52
     
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  13. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Thanks guys!

    Still no luck disassembling this puppy. If it comes down to it and I need to replace the whole heater block, what would be a good replacement? Or should I just upgrade my whole hot end at this point? (Right now it's just the hexagon all metal one the r1+ came with).

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  14. albert3d

    albert3d Member

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  15. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    Thing is you can't buy parts for the hexagon. You can buy a new hexagon :)
    Amazon has them as does the (now official) Robo parts reseller: https://www.partsbuilt.com/robo-parts/

    Or you can replace it with something like an E3D which you can buy every little part for if you ever need to.
     
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  16. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Super helpful, thank you guys! I just assumed the hexagon could be put together piecemeal, so I'm glad I didn't just grab something to see if it works. If my attempts at removing these dang screws keep failing, I'll look into these options.

    Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
     
  17. Heimdall

    Heimdall New Member

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    Popped in a replacement hot end and we're online again, baby! Thanks everyone for your help.
     
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