Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
Hi!
My new XL is eating spools like crazy. Normally unloading filament works just fine, except when the spool is finished.
Every time a spool is finished, unloading filament fails. I don't think it has ever worked for me after 5 or 6 spool finished. Is it working for you?
I believe the issue has to do with the side filament sensor. The filament tip cannot go backwards there.
Then there is the problem of removing the remaining filament that goes from the side sensor to the print head. I cannot remove the PTFE tube from either side to access the stuck filament. not form the side sensor or from the head. The only solution I found is to unscrew the part that guides the filament into the print head. Then I can remove the filament and have my print continue OK.
Is that the best way to manually remove the filament?
Is anybody else also experiencing this issues?
RE: Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
You should be able to remove the PTFE tube on the extruder end by pushing the blue collar down and pull the tube out or on the side filament sensor push the black retaining collar towards the sensor housing and pull the tube out.
RE: Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
I haven't noticed this on my XL (yet) but on my Mk3 I've had similar problems. With some brands (in my case, Jarees) the ends of the filament have a sharp bend, which gets stuck when the printer tries to unload. I got into the habit of watching the spool toward the end and just cutting the filament before it got to that point. (Thankfully, Jarees now has straight ends).
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
Thanks, I will experiment.
RE: Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
I noticed this, even thou It is prusament what I use.
I made a similar plan, but isn't it difficult to access the last bit with some filament remaining?
RE: Unloading filament when spool is fisnihed
yes @mvikman I now managed to easily release the PTFE tubes. On the side I haven't got such a good access as the printer is in a corner.
It is also not trivial to sense if the tube is completely or half inserted.
It may be that the filament sensor on the side fails to allow empty roll remaining out if the PFTE tube is not 100% inserted. Will check later.
In any case, removing the tube is fast an easy, so manual unloading won't be an issue going forward.
RE:
I measured that when fully seated, the PTFE tube goes 11mm into the extruder connector and 14mm into the side filament sensor.