Can't reach nozzle temperature  

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

The blue sock is all you need not the other stuff in that link... use the live chat box 24/7 on the prusa online shops pages it is far far better than trying to use email for support. the socks are sold in packets of 3 at many vendors be sure that are the genuine embossed E3D brand
some like this version some don't and like the standard version I have used this for 4 years on my delta and about a month on my MK3 kit was finished with no problem but don't just do the blue sock get through to prusa chat support and nail down the heater problem
https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-E3D-Socks-Pack-V6-SOCK-PRO-3PACK-x/dp/B07779TP4S/ref=sr_1_5?s=industrial&ie=UTF8&qid=1540508140&sr=1-5&keywords=e3d+nozzle+pro

this is the other type with more of the nozzle exposed that many prefer ... but they are cheap try both and see which you prefer when you have more experience.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077TKBKR3/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Thanks for the response!

I chatted with a rep, Blas (if I spelled it correctly - the chat has gone away, so I can't check now), who recommended that I disconnect the heater and thermistor at the EINSY board, check the connectors, then re-connect and see what happens. I do not expect that to solve the problems, but now that I know about the live chat, maybe we can work things out. It was too late in the evening for me to continue, so I'll give it a try tomorrow, and re-open the live chat as necessary.

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Prusa's live chat is AMAZING!! I have to say that I have been wonderfully surprised by how good they are.

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Prusa's live chat is AMAZING!! I have to say that I have been wonderfully surprised by how good they are.

They are good people, no doubt, but these issues can be so complex, they do make mistakes. For example, my extruder wouldn't go beyond 140 degrees after I had replaced the Teflon tube inside, and while I did point that out to support, they missed the clue and simply sent me a new heater. Due to postal disruptions I got fed up and did more research while waiting for mail, and discovered that the actual issue was because I had reassembled the extruder incorrectly. I redid it, and bam, working again. You see, I had the heat block and heat sink in direct contact, so the extruder couldn't heat up properly because it was being drained by the heat sink. It should have been obvious to support and even myself that the heat break was being bypassed due to improper assembly.

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Prusa's live chat is AMAZING!! I have to say that I have been wonderfully surprised by how good they are.

They are good people, no doubt, but these issues can be so complex, they do make mistakes. For example, my extruder wouldn't go beyond 140 degrees after I had replaced the Teflon tube inside, and while I did point that out to support, they missed the clue and simply sent me a new heater. Due to postal disruptions I got fed up and did more research while waiting for mail, and discovered that the actual issue was because I had reassembled the extruder incorrectly. I redid it, and bam, working again. You see, I had the heat block and heat sink in direct contact, so the extruder couldn't heat up properly because it was being drained by the heat sink. It should have been obvious to support and even myself that the heat break was being bypassed due to improper assembly.

True, they did miss it. But compare them to most support you contact - they were quickly willing to send you a replacement part. Most places make you just through hoops before doing that even if you have a physically broken part.

That is what I mean, they are more than willing to send out parts if there is a chance that fixes the problem. 🙂

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Yes cybersage, they do a very good job

but I bet the decision to send the replacement heater was based on experience while it must be rare that a heater be partially faulity, they must have seen that before to send the replacement as standard for this reported problem... testing each heater to see if it heats to rated temperature before installing it in the heater block must not be cost effective based of data over years of experience. A hot end I built in 2014 used a pair of power resisters rather than the cartridge sort used today and in that system one of them could fail... they did not last very long and within a year I had replaced them with the cartridge sort.

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

the actual issue was because I had reassembled the extruder incorrectly

That is most interesting. I haven't had the block off the heat sink, but I messed with the assembly a bunch, including changing out the nozzle a couple of times. I'm going to check to see if I managed somehow to get the sink in contact with the block. I had not realized that might be a problem.

In any event, I have a better understanding now of how the hot end fits together. Somewhere obvious in the Printer manual Prusa might put a cutaway drawing of what the inside should look like, with explanatory text. The nozzle must fit tightly against the threaded fitting in the sink, but the block should not contact the sink. It is important for the Teflon tube inside the sink to fit firmly against that threaded fitting (I'm assuming here that there is no internal partition in the sink that both the Teflon tube and threaded link should fit firmly against). Any gaps between the nozzle and that threaded fitting, between that threaded fitting and the Teflon tube, can trap blobs of filament, and especially if those are blobs of ABS they can interfere with proper extrusion of lower temp filament. Better by far if nothing gets trapped.

And I am learning all of this the hard way.

That said, I did have a generally good chat session, leading to Prusa sending me a replacement heater cartridge, and also acknowledgment that similar cartridges I located on Amazon should work fine. Those are due today. The one from Prusa, next week, maybe? An order from about 10 days ago apparently got caught up in a hurricane along the US coast, and while it was due last Wednesday, it's not here yet and all UPS says is that it was delayed by hurricane activity.

It would also be nice to know if a "typical" Amazon thermistor is a likely replacement. https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-E3D-Block-Upgrade-V6-BLOCK-SOCK-KIT/dp/B01MZE1W0J/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1540735405&sr=8-1&keywords=e3d+v6+heater+block+cartridge+thermistor

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Eureka! Somehow, in removing and replacing nozzles, etc., I managed to get the heat sink in contact with the block. Don't know quite how, as I never removed the block, and sure don't remember turning it even one full revolution, but the two were in contact.

After a little heating, I succeeded in removing the block from the sink, and the nozzle from the block. I had to chase the threads through the block (fortunately I had the necessary tap), but then got the thing assembled with a gap between the block and the sink, and lo!, the temperature shot up as it usually does and was headed for 255 when I turned it off. Once it cools I'll reassemble the unit and see if I can print.

I found a short length of cleaner filament hanging out of the threaded gadget on the bottom of the heat sink.... Wonder if I once again have a gap between the Teflon tube and that coupling?

Recommendations for a spare heater block and related components? Some of what I see talks about 12v. I assume I could put a 24v heater cartridge in, instead, but it would be nice to get a recommendation. Oh, and I don't mind buying from Prusa... except for the shipping cost and delay.

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

check this out it hits all your hotted questions (or other pages on their site will) this folks made your hot end and to reduce chances of problems be sure you use real E3D parts
https://e3d-online.dozuki.com/Guide/V6+Assembly/6?lang=en

Re: Can't reach nozzle temperature

And I am learning all of this the hard way.

I am very happy to learn you got it figured out! Honestly, the hard way really is the only way to learn this insanely complex art of running a 3d printer. 🙂 Happy Printing! 😎

RE: Can't reach nozzle temperature

Posted by: @pathogen

Prusa's live chat is AMAZING!! I have to say that I have been wonderfully surprised by how good they are.

They are good people, no doubt, but these issues can be so complex, they do make mistakes. For example, my extruder wouldn't go beyond 140 degrees after I had replaced the Teflon tube inside, and while I did point that out to support, they missed the clue and simply sent me a new heater. Due to postal disruptions I got fed up and did more research while waiting for mail, and discovered that the actual issue was because I had reassembled the extruder incorrectly. I redid it, and bam, working again. You see, I had the heat block and heat sink in direct contact, so the extruder couldn't heat up properly because it was being drained by the heat sink. It should have been obvious to support and even myself that the heat break was being bypassed due to improper assembly.

Thanks a lot for mentioning the issue you had. I spent so much time changing heaters and playing with multimeter. Appeared to be exactly the same thing!

RE: Can't reach nozzle temperature

I did what a comment down a ways said, I'm very new at printing and am having to learn everything the hard way. So thanks to that guy!!! You must make sure that you're heater block isn't touching your heat sink or else it won't reach temp because it's trying to heat the whole thing and can't. It's the block with the extruder nozzle attached to it, and it screws onto the tube where the filament feeds from. (That's how mine is; Ender 3 Model) Not saying you don't know this just for anyone else who may be reading this.