3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
We have had a Mk3 for over a year which has worked great, we recently got 3 Mini+ printers and two have also been working perfectly. (So far just PLA on the Minis.) The third could never feed filament correctly, it would start clicking and the filament would stop extruding. The hot end would then have a solidified blob of filament blocking the tube that would have to be yanked out with pliers and cut off in order to unload the filament. Now a second Mini has developed the same problem.
I have adjusted the tension screw on the feed gears, disassembled and cleaned the extruder gears and tried other suggestions I found online and in the forum. Any idea what I can try? Not sure why a working printer would suddenly develop the same problem with nothing changing. Thanks!
Scott
Best Answer by Scott Tucker:
Fixed! For anyone else's future reference. I finally heard back from support and they suggested compressing the hotend PTFE tube as one of their articles shows, but by first loosening the brass connector 1/2 turn rather than the 1/4 turn the article suggests. It was then recommended to reposition the PINDA sensors. Doing this worked perfectly, now both problematic printers have been running great for a few days!
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
Did you ever get these to work?
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
Nope, been trying everything I can find in the forum and online. I got one to print for 20 minutes before dying. The filament just stops feeding, the extruder clicks, the filament clogs. I did a few cold pulls on the hot end to get it to run for a bit but it still stops after a while. The other one doesn't even print the first layer correctly and never has. The third is happily printing as we speak and has been for hours. No idea what is different between them. And no idea why one that did work stopped suddenly.
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
What kind of filament are you using and what is the age of the filament
Mini with FW:4.4.1 + SuperPINDA + Bondtech Heatbreak + PC4-M8 couplers + 1 piece boden
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
PLA, brand new. Same type we have used for a year in the Mk3 and same filament that works in the one good Mini and did work in the one formerly good Mini. I haven't tried different temps or filaments but I figured since this works fine in one Mini (formerly two) it probably wasn't the problem. But open to any ideas.
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
@scott-tucker
what brand?
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
Is this where the hot end is too far down? I had similar problems and had to take it apart and clean everything out. I think I had the nozzle off at one point to get all the clumps out .
when in doubt, I dry filament and change nozzles.
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
It is MatterHackers PLA, has worked fine for a year in the Mk3, works fine in one Mini, worked fine for a month in another Mini. One Mini never worked from the first print. I have cleaned and cold pulled the hot end a few times. It made it work for 20 minutes then it clogged again.
The one that did work and then stopped had just finished a print successfully, I started the same print again and it stopped working in the middle of that. No change in filament, no change in print file, etc. Just went from working to not. It sits next to the one that never worked, so maybe it's contagious. Should have socially distanced them.
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
I had an issue with filament not unloading on my brand new Mini+, it's still sketchy every time I change and have to yank it out. But during diagnosis one of the techs at Customer Support said the Mini can sometimes clog if your Z is set too low. You may want to check that.
RE: 3 new Mini+ printers, one didn't work, now a second one failed, won't feed filament
Fixed! For anyone else's future reference. I finally heard back from support and they suggested compressing the hotend PTFE tube as one of their articles shows, but by first loosening the brass connector 1/2 turn rather than the 1/4 turn the article suggests. It was then recommended to reposition the PINDA sensors. Doing this worked perfectly, now both problematic printers have been running great for a few days!