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Hexagon Hot End?

Discussion in 'Mods and Upgrades' started by Red Submarine, Mar 20, 2014.

  1. Robert Choban

    Robert Choban Active Member

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    Thanks for the feed back, we removed the entire feeding system before we knew about the two screws you showed in your picture. Was a real pain to get the feed system nuts back in place, but we learned a lot. We could not get the heater out of the hole in the hot end and could not remove the thermistor. We did remove the set screw before trying to remove the heater. So we are going tighten the hot end onto the cold end, slide it back in place and see if it works. Not much else we can do. The silicon black cover that goes over the hot end is a little beat up, but I think we can slip it back on and we'd should be ok. Thank again for you help.
     
  2. Robert Choban

    Robert Choban Active Member

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    Does any one know where I can purchase a hexagon hot end and get the black silicon cover for the hot end. Printed Solid site says they don't have any, and can I buy replacement part for the hexagon hot end.
     
  3. collin

    collin New Member

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    Dude get an e3d if you are replacing it all together. I think its better but that's just me. The hexagon is just a knock off of the e3d.
     
  4. Robert Choban

    Robert Choban Active Member

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    Does any one know where I can get connectors show in the picture below. These are used on the newer Robo R1 printers. I really don't want to run new wires all the way back to the Ramps card. Also when connecting the wires to the connectors does in matter which wire is + and - . These wires connectors are used for the heater on the hot end and the thermistor. Not sure how I can even tell on the heater wire, they are both red.
     

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    #304 Robert Choban, Oct 8, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 8, 2014
  5. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Polarity doesn't matter on the heater. Or really the thermistor. They're both simple resistors.

    I'll see if I can figure out what those connectors are.
     
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  6. Galaxius

    Galaxius Well-Known Member

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    Ebay. Do a search for "jst connector" and they'll come up in the list. I have an original Robo so don't have any connectors. I'll do however have a bunch of the red jst connectors I have yet to install.
     
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  7. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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  8. Robert Choban

    Robert Choban Active Member

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    Update on my Hexagon hot end problem.
    We ended up cleaning up the Hexagon Hot end, got most of filament off the top of the heater block, the screw that goes into the heater block, and the silicon boot. Once we heated up the heater block we were able to remove the heater, the nozzle, and the thermistor. Cleaned up any filament from where the heater, the nozzle, and thermistor slide in. We reassemble and tighten everything down, after heating up the heater block. I've done about 6 hours of printing and everything looks good, no leaks. So for now we are printing with the original hexagon hot end. We did purchase a backup Hexagon and a E3D V6 hot end. We decided not to use these, yet, because of the wiring involved. For the new hexagon, I'm still looking for the connectors, I order connectors that I think will work, but they came with pig tail wire and I'm trying to figure out how to remove the wires so I can insert the Hexagon wires into the connectors and not have to splice wires. The problem with the E3D hot end is that in order to use this hot end I will need to rerun new wire back to the Ramps card, I think. The wire on the E3D is a little bigger than the existing Hexagon wire. I also found out that the hexagon is a 30watt heater and the E3D is a 40 watt, so that maybe why the thicker wire. For now we just wanted to get back to printing for a while, if we have problems we will be replacing something.
    I would like to thank everyone on this forum for there help and advice.
     
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  9. grezmel

    grezmel New Member

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    Hi all, sorry to rekindle this post, but its been a while since anyone has commented. Has anyone got any updated feedback with the Hexagon hot end now that they have been using it for a few months?

    I'm torn between this and the E3D (I have read mixed reviews about the E3D v6) as I'm fed up with jams using my standard J-Head and 3mm PLA.
     
  10. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    HI @grezmel Yes, this is definitely bringing an old thread back. Since this thread was started, Robo3D has made the hexagon standard on all R1s. So, odds are if you're reading a Robo3D review on the current configuration, it is on a machine with the hexagon.
    The hexagon is a very capable hot end. A great choice for a bargain priced all metal hot end that will work for you (Every single review of any other clone hot end I've read has been an out of the box failure) if you don't drive your printer too hard.

    Between the two, the V6 is hands down a better hot end if you're serious with your printing. Parts can wear over time, but replacements
    components are available (vs the hex where you have to replace the whole thing) .
     
  11. grezmel

    grezmel New Member

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    Thanks for your reply. There is a bit of price difference between the two here in the UK. Do you know if spares will ever be available for the HEX ?
     
  12. Printed Solid

    Printed Solid Volunteer Admin
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    I'm surprised there's that much difference for you in the UK. Here in the US, there is about $20 price difference if you buy from a US reseller or $10 if you buy directly from RRD and have it shipped from Hong Kong.

    Since E3D is in the UK, you don't have the overseas shipping to deal with, so I would think they would be nearly identical in price or that the E3D might be even less. Are you comparing prices directly from E3D or from a UK reseller?

    The hex has some spare parts available, like fan, heater cartridges and nozzle but the heatbreak and heatsink are pressed together, and they don't sell a heatblock replacement. E3D has replacements for all of their parts available to purchase individually.
     
  13. grezmel

    grezmel New Member

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    Thanks for your help. The hexagon arrived today and is currently working away. One thing I have noticed is that I am now able to print at 190 deg C with PLA whereas before with other hot ends I had to print at 205-210 deg C with the same filament.
     
  14. mark tomlinson

    mark tomlinson ༼ つ ◕_ ◕ ༽つ
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    That might be a difference in the thermistor, but either way... that is a lot better :)
     
  15. Mike Kelly

    Mike Kelly Volunteer

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    Could also be the thermistor not making good contact with the metal so it reports low. Just a guess though. Might be a less gunked up nozzle.
     
  16. grezmel

    grezmel New Member

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    Thanks, will check to make sure the thermistor is correctly installed.
     
  17. Ben R

    Ben R Active Member

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    Its easy to not push the thermistor all the way into the rubber. If its not in all the way, it does look cooler. Not a huge deal till you max out the heater trying to print something hot.

    I just got the threaded thermistor... well worth it. Just tapped the hole with a steel screw (same diameter as fan screws) and boom. Wired up and runnin.
     
  18. Robert Choban

    Robert Choban Active Member

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    defendermd, what size screw did you use
     
  19. Ben R

    Ben R Active Member

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    looks like a 3 mm. like I said. Same screw size that was fitting the original fan.
     

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