Heat-bed connector question . . .  

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

One thing seems obvious, the zip ties that are designed (I guess) to stop the heat-bed rolling back and forward during transport don't really do anything at all . . . the zip ties are still in place (I've literally just unboxed this) and yet if I tilt the machine back or forth the bed roils back and forth . . . i.e. the zip ties are doing pretty much nothing in preventing movement.

So it appears the bed has slid to its rearmost position during transport . . . so the bent connector ends up either sat onto of the foam packing (bending it upwards) or basically wedged against the side of the box (with just one thin layer of cardboard between itself and the outside world!).

Hmmmm . . . .

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Bigger images . . .

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Sorry for the non descriptive title, didn't know what to call this issue . . . .

I've just unboxed my assembled Mk3, and immediately noticed that the connecter that feeds into the rear of the heat-bed is up at an angle . . . is this how it should be ? I search google for images but found nothing conclusive . . .

That isn't right at all.
You need to contact support via chat and let them know about the problem.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

That isn't right at all.
You need to contact support via chat and let them know about the problem.

Thanks for the reply bruce, yes, I thought it looked wrong . . . . what a pain . . . after all this waiting ! 😐

I can easily see how this has happened, the bed is not zipped down tight enough, in fact it's not tight at all, you can roll it back and forward with a small tilt (the zip ties are still in place untouched) . . . so it's probably spent a week being bashed against the back of the box . . .

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Contacted support . . .

The reply was basically 'send it back', no apologies to their customer for having waited for so long and receiving a damaged printer, nope . . . just 'I'm about to finish my shift' so the return label will be sorted out tomorrow . . .

So much for the 'premium support' I paid for.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Anyone know if it's ok to print the heatbed cable cover in PLA - or does it need to be PETG ?

Any advice appreciated !

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

I would go for ABS. PLA will definitely melt at 100C bed temp.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Mine is PETG, haven melted yet.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

I would go for ABS. PLA will definitely melt at 100C bed temp.

Ok, thanks for the reply nikolai, unfortunately I've only got PLA at the moment, I'll just have to leave the cover off for now . . . .

I assume the connected cables are live ?

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Mine is PETG, haven melted yet.

Cheers gert . . . I'll have to buy some PETG or ABS . . .

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Peter, that part of the heatbed is not heated,

try PLA...

Joan

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Cheers gert . . . I'll have to buy some PETG or ABS . . .

Do it in PETG, ABS sucks to print without an enclosure.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Peter, that part of the heatbed is not heated,

try PLA...

Joan

Thanks Joan, helpful as ever ! : )

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Peter, that part of the heatbed is not heated,

try PLA...

Joan

Thanks Joan, helpful as ever ! : )

You just heard what you want to hear. This plastic part is 1cm away from 100C heated plate. It will definitely reach at least 60C, maybe even 80C over time. This is the range where regular PLA is starting to deform. If you're ok with that, then you can just cover this place with an electronic tape. Will have the same effect.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

You just heard what you want to hear.

No confirmation bias here . . . the information - if true - makes perfect sense, if that part of the bed doesn't get too hot (as it's not heated) then PLA would likely be ok, at least until I get some PETG. It's not like I've been given two answers, 'yes' and 'no' and gone with 'yes' because I want the answer to be 'yes', I went with 'yes' because it came with reasoning from someone who - from what I've seen - knows their stuff.

Either way I'll certainly take your advice too, and when I get a chance print the part out in PETG - for a more longterm solution.

This plastic part is 1cm away from 100C heated plate. It will definitely reach at least 60C, maybe even 80C over time. This is the range where regular PLA is starting to deform. If you're ok with that, then you can just cover this place with an electronic tape. Will have the same effect.

Yep, but electronic tape would look super-ugly, nowhere near as nice as my slightly melted yellow PLA 🙂

By the way, am I right in assuming the connectors that feed into the heatbed are live ?

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

By the way, am I right in assuming the connectors that feed into the heatbed are live ?

Don't know what you mean with "live". They have 24V, if heated bed is turned on.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Hi Peter,
when the power supply is on, there is 24 volts on one connector to the heatbed, when the heat bed is heating, the other side is pulled to ground by the switching transistor... so yes the bed is 'live'... but it's not mains voltage!

as you said that you only have PLA, I didn't expect the heated part of the heatbed to get to 100C, (probably 60C max, so I expect the un hated part of the heat bed, to be much cooler.

I know it's a different part, I am using a PLA Fan duct when printing TPU and PETG, and so far it's holding up...

TPU & PETG filaments hold the heat block much higher than 100C quite close to the fan duct... my PETG profile does not use cooling for 3 layers, so the PLA is over the top of a hot heat bed, close to the hot end, and so far it's holding up...

yes, PETG will be better in the long run... but in the short term, supporting your heatbed cables with a PLA clamp, will reduce the chance of a broken cable

when you get some PETG, you can reprint the hot bed clamp and use that!

regards Joan

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Don't know what you mean with "live". They have 24V, if heated bed is turned on.

Ok, thanks.

Re: Heat-bed connector question . . .

Hi Peter,
when the power supply is on, there is 24 volts on one connector to the heatbed, when the heat bed is heating, the other side is pulled to ground by the switching transistor... so yes the bed is 'live'... but it's not mains voltage!

as you said that you only have PLA, I didn't expect the heated part of the heatbed to get to 100C, (probably 60C max, so I expect the un hated part of the heat bed, to be much cooler.

I know it's a different part, I am using a PLA Fan duct when printing TPU and PETG, and so far it's holding up...

TPU & PETG filaments hold the heat block much higher than 100C quite close to the fan duct... my PETG profile does not use cooling for 3 layers, so the PLA is over the top of a hot heat bed, close to the hot end, and so far it's holding up...

yes, PETG will be better in the long run... but in the short term, supporting your heatbed cables with a PLA clamp, will reduce the chance of a broken cable

when you get some PETG, you can reprint the hot bed clamp and use that!

regards Joan

Thanks for the info Joan, useful to know, at the end of the day a PLA cover is probably better than no cover at all, I'll keep an eye on it for deformation - if you never hear from me again it's because I've been killed in an horrific heatbed catastrophe, tell my children I love them and have me buried in a fluorescent green PETG box with working hinges.

😉