Filament not loading
Hi
I had an issue with my MK3S where the IR sensor always reported 1 (a common issue like it seems). This caused the printer to have been printing an a piece without filament for 3 hours. Now after I fixed the IR sensor, the filament is noticed by the sensor and it will start autoload, but something seems to be clogged or maybe the long run without filament broke something. It just won't push the filament through the gray opening visible in the service port. I tried heating the nozzle to 250 for 5 min. and cleaning the nozzle with the needle. But I can't seem to get the filament to go through.
This was only my 4th print, and now it seems it's already broken! I can take it apart again and replace some parts.
Any suggestions?
RE: Filament not loading
Heating to 250? I will assume you are printing PLA (if its PETG you can go a fair bit higher and do a push through/cold pull). You can still go higher on PLA and do the push/pull but if that fails (and it sounds like it has) you may have to strip out the unit and have a look.
However.....there is a small gap inside the extruder between the tube and nozzle that is slightly wider than the tube and the nozzle and that may be where the filament has "set". You can take the hotend out and hit it with direct heat from a hot gun until the plastic melts but it might be easier to take the nozzle off and poke a fine allan key up the way to see where the blockage is. Said key can be heated an poked up to melt this blockage. If all else fails its a strip down. Not hard but (despite the obvious learning experience) very annoying. Spare ptfe tubes are supplied with the kit (don't know if you get them with the pre-built) so don't panic if you break it.
Best of luck.
RE: Filament not loading
Hi AndrewId
Thanks for your answer. I heated up to 285 (I do use PLA) and poked the needle in it. nothing came out. I eventually removed the whole extruder for the block. Turned out there was a piece of pla stuck in the ptfe tube. I took the tube off and then the piece of pla was suprisingly easy to remove. All in all it took only 1,5 hour to disassemble an put it together again. I think I can do it faster if needed again, because I disassembled more than needed.