Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
Printer was printing fine for months, changed filament and it loads the new filament just a tiny bit inside, I opened the extruder side door to see the gears and they are moving, adjusted it, still not feeding. It seems the filament broke off inside because if I run a nozzle needle from the top to the inside with the little side door open I hit something just inside the plastic part of the unity, so gears are working but something is super blocked. It's not far enough in for a cold pull. I tried inserting a nozzle needle in the nozzle itself and it gets almost all the way up through the guide where I may see it but hits a block.
Best Answer by JoanTabb:
I tend to light the afterburner (Heat as hot as the nozzle will go. and then after the extruder has sat a while. I feed the filament in as far as it will go, then grab the filament just above the extruder, and push it as firmly as I possibly can, directly into the extruder housing, and many times, the blockage eases and begins to flow again...
A more risky option, is to partially block the left hand fan, to allow more heat to go further into the heatbreak, to soften the blocking filament...
I have done this successfully (In conjunction with pushing the filament into the extruder), but I knew the risk of damage to the extruder housing... (so far I have been lucky...)
Are you feeling lucky?...
try at your own risk
regards (Redneck) Joan...
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
There was something stuck inside, I used a small fallen wrench and pushed it further in, which may or may not have been a good idea. Now it seems as if it's stuck at maybe the top of the hotend because filament loads but it stops right around there and grinds a little and the gears just keep trying to load it. I used the needle up the nozzle thing and it hits a blockage about one inch up and the need cannot penetrate it, it bends it.
Ideas?
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
I tend to light the afterburner (Heat as hot as the nozzle will go. and then after the extruder has sat a while. I feed the filament in as far as it will go, then grab the filament just above the extruder, and push it as firmly as I possibly can, directly into the extruder housing, and many times, the blockage eases and begins to flow again...
A more risky option, is to partially block the left hand fan, to allow more heat to go further into the heatbreak, to soften the blocking filament...
I have done this successfully (In conjunction with pushing the filament into the extruder), but I knew the risk of damage to the extruder housing... (so far I have been lucky...)
Are you feeling lucky?...
try at your own risk
regards (Redneck) Joan...
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
Thanks for the ideas. I ended up heating up for ABS, this was PLA stuck inside. I used a very thin long allen wrench to push the blob through. Was hoping it was enough to heat up the blob I had already pushed through. Thanks for the help!
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
Success...
🙂
Happy Printing.
Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
That happened to me but it was my fault. I had run out of filament, added a new spool, tried to load filament and it would not load. I had neglected to unload the previous filament. Once I did that all was well.
RE: Suddenly can't load filament seems like something is stuck inside?
A couple of times, I've had a small bead (for lack of a better term) of filament stuck right in the opening below the extruder gears. Removing the side plate with the one gear and using a dental pick removed it.