Install a v6 ???
Hi!
In front of me i have a prusa i3 mk3 with a clogged hot-end (super-clogged ptfe after one week and its been in the garage for 6 months since but now i want to get it going again). I also have a e3d v6 "all metal" fully assembled hot-end.
So...
How do they go together?
Or don't they?
Internet says they go together but not a single photo anywhere or any reference on how to actually assemble this even though a lot of people obviously have. Lots of guides on assembling the really easy to assemble hot-end though.
The prusa has 2 fans already. The v6 has one small fan. What do i do? Take away the original fans? Take away the v6 fan? Where does the cable from the v6 fan go in case i need it? The v6 fan won't fit anyway so i'll need to print a new part is that available to download somewhere?
The v6 has a silicone sock, do i still need the fan and plastic part that blows air onto the heater block or is that obsolete with the v6?
There really must be a document somewhere but i cant find it either on prusa or on e3d or on reddit or on google.. hope to find help here!
I also have a new ptfe but it would feel a lot nicer to actually use the new hotend i have here 🙂
Thanks a million!
RE: Install a v6 ???
The MK3 has a V6 extruder ... should be a direct replacement. Look up the MK3 Kit Assembly Guide to see how it all fits together.
And if a simple clogged hot end has you replacing it: you will be buying lots of E3D-V6 extruders... you might save some money trying to figure out what plugged up, and learn how to fix jams.
RE: Install a v6 ???
Thankyou well yes, at the time i was very over worked and have been doing "nothing" for a bunch of months and now is the first time i really look into it. The jam couldn't be removed through heating or pianowires or wotnot when it happened and i was surprised it was so complicated to remove the hotend, like prusa didnt think that there would ever be a jam in there. And then i read that it was a thing that happened a lot. I ordered the replacement some months ago so i wouldn't need to think just switch out the parts and have the problem solved for good and thats why i have them now. It loked so convenient with that naked-looking unit and a snap-on fan and to me it felt like it would just snap into the printer.. not very clear headed haha! Well i just assembled the printer again with a new ptfe and no snap-on fan and was going to flash it and now im stuck at another problem: "square shaped usb" Hope some store still have one of those!:)
Still wondering about the fans though, the v6 i have with a snap on fan, feels like that should be enough and when it has the silicone sock if feels even more like they dont expect people to have extra cooling on that part. There are a bunch of videos of this on other than prusa printers, looks beautifully simple. Guess i will make my own parts and see what happens with just the one fan since i cant find any reference.
RE: Install a v6 ???
How do they go together?
Disassemble extruder, take the old E3D v6 out, plug the new E3D v6 in. This is how Prusa Mk3 assembly guide v3.06 describes it. Removing the old one does require some creative wiggling and a bit of source, though, it may feel stuck.
Or don't they?
Like a hand into a glove. 🙂 The only problem you might have is the length of the cables and not fitting connectors if that is an original E3D version and not a Prusa version with longer cables. Nothing a bit of soldering or crimping cannot fix, though. Or simply use the heater and thermistor from the previous v6 with the original cables.
Internet says they go together but not a single photo anywhere or any reference on how to actually assemble this even though a lot of people obviously have. Lots of guides on assembling the really easy to assemble hot-end though.
The prusa has 2 fans already. The v6 has one small fan. What do i do? Take away the original fans? Take away the v6 fan?
Remove the clip-on v6 fan. The fans on the Mk3 are enough and mounted on the extruder.
Where does the cable from the v6 fan go in case i need it? The v6 fan won't fit anyway so i'll need to print a new part is that available to download somewhere?
Just toss it into a box of spare parts including the clip-on plastic.
The v6 has a silicone sock, do i still need the fan and plastic part that blows air onto the heater block or is that obsolete with the v6?
Keep the sock, it improves printing, makes it safer against blobs, too. Many people buy the sock separate to put onto a stock Mk3.
There really must be a document somewhere but i cant find it either on prusa or on e3d or on reddit or on google.. hope to find help here!
I also have a new ptfe but it would feel a lot nicer to actually use the new hotend i have here 🙂
The original Mk3 v6 is also the "all metal" variant. Swapping for a new one will not change anything. The "all metal" v6 still uses a PTFE tube. It just doesn't go all the way down to the nozzle and so it allows printing at temperatures that would damage PTFE. You need a PTFE tube in any case.
I just hope that your new hot-end isn't a chinese knock-off. If that's the case, fix the original instead by disassembling, cleaning, and replacing the PTFE tube. The copies don't work as well as original E3D parts. (not smooth enough bore inside, tolerances, materials, etc, etc).
Thanks a million!
Hope this helps.
RE: Install a v6 ???
Well i just assembled the printer again with a new ptfe and no snap-on fan and was going to flash it and now im stuck at another problem: "square shaped usb" Hope some store still have one of those!:)
All you need is a standard USB 1.0/2.0 A-B cable, used with printers, scanners and many other peripherals. It available pretty much everywhere.
RE: Install a v6 ???
Now its printing something YEAH! Id did tell me to update but still allowed me to go ahead and print, really nice.
Thanks so much for your help and taking the time to answer my questions!