Lack enclosure help
So, I've stared my first big project. Built the Lack enclosure https://blog.prusaprinters.org/cheap-simple-3d-printer-enclosure/
It turned out great but then the problems started. Left it for print overnight in the morning, filament was stuck. had to dismantle the printing head because the PTFE tube was ruined :(. Filament stuck and overnight clogged. Ok. I increased pressure of the cog wheels of teh feeder on the filament (I hope I did that) by turning the screw on the hotend the one that keep the feeder lid closed. I moved the position of the spool holder on the top table, and happened again.. Now I ran out of PTFE tubes and I ordered more. But I can't leave the printer because it get stuck. At least 2-3 times during print it tells me to reinsert filament, etc. (I am using prusament Black)
Can anyone advise?
Thank you!
RE: Lack enclosure help
You don't give a lot of details.
What material and what temperature?
If these problems started with the new enclosure - it sounds like the enclosure is causing the problems.
Probably the extruder is getting too hot and filament is melting up into the heat break.
Leave one or both doors open for now.
"Reinsert filament" is probably an unrelated problem with your filament sensor. You can turn it off in Settings until you want to deal with it.
At least you are getting good at changing PTFE tubes. Get some good quality PTFE tubing and print a PTFE cutting jig - and make your own.
RE: Lack enclosure help
thank you! will let a door open for now!
RE: Lack enclosure help
Ok, I think that I got it.
Was (hopefully) a sum of unhappy events (well, made me fully understood how print head works) that all started with the LED lights. Which tripped the filament sensor mid print. Because was middle of the night, filament clogged while waiting for me to pull it out. Because I had no experience with printers before, while fixing the clogs I managed to break so many things (I had at least 4-5 clogs that required dismantling the print head):
- print fan (need to order a new one which I just soldered because I didn't want to rewire everything)
- head thermistor (for this one i needed to break the cable management and pull the wire all the way to motherboard...)
- extruder cog wheel came loose (this was a tricky one since extruder was not pulling filament anymore)
- many mid prints in the bin (at least half a spool worth of ...)
- used all my PTFE tubes, had to order more
anyhow, now I will try again. If i will never come back with an update, all worked, if not, I will come and ask more!
RE: Lack enclosure help
1) LED lights are highly unlikely to have messed up your filament sensor. The sensor is quite capable of messing up on it's own.
2) Those grub screws. If you don't tighten them correctly, they will come loose. Loosen both, align one over the flat. Fully tighten it. Now tighten the other.
3) Come back in any case. We would like to know how it goes. And we can help with your filament sensor.
RE: Lack enclosure help
Yes ok! Sure.
Left it overnight and got stuck... with no sensor, properly clogged. I ran out out tubes, ordered some from Amazon should arrive by tomorrow. Once installed I will try another long print with sensor on and no Lack table on top, with the spool on original spool holder. Will keep you updated
RE: Lack enclosure help
More news:
Bad news: happens with the printer out of enclosure, with senzor on or senzor off. Was in stealth mode, trying now in normal mode.
Possible good news: Is not the enclosure.
What could go wrong? Might be something with the feeder? When I open it looks like a small clog on top of the PTFE tube. But only if the printer tells me to eject the filament and I am away. That clogs appears after some minutes of not pulling the filament when printer says.
What is the best way to tune the feeder or debug this issue? I got the printer prebuilt, so I have no idea what are steps to tune it.
Any ideas?
Thank you!
RE: Lack enclosure help
More news:
It seems that the only filament that works is the silver one provided with the printer (PLA Galaxy Silver). The Prusament PLA Jet Black and the PLA Silver both stop after 10 seconds and asks me to pull the filament out and reinsert it. Once I switch to the filament that came with the printer all works like expected.
- Might be different materials that required different temperatures?
- Might be different diameter?
- Might be different consistency in the material and the cog wheel in the feeder are slightly misaligned and thus causing this?
Any ideas?
Thank you!
RE: Lack enclosure help
If this is the MK3 with the optical filament sensor, it can get dust buildup on it which will cause issues, for now just turn it off in the menu, but you will need to take it out and clean it, a cotton bud dipped in IPA should do, just don't go rubbing it like crazy, your only trying to remove a little dust.
If you have moistened glasses wipes then twist one of these to a point and use this to clean the sensor instead. Probably the better option of the two.
Be very careful how you reconnect the cable to the sensor as it is very easy to plug back in with the pins offset, and that is the end of your sensor!, trust me I know from experience!.
Also some filaments (Clear or slightly transparent or very glossy) will not work with this sensor period.
You will soon work out which ones don't play well and will curse that you forgot to switch off the filament sensor from the menu before starting the print, usually well into the print. 😉
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
RE: Lack enclosure help
I think sensor is busted. I am now printing without senzor and seems to be working.. until is not.. Usually the filament stucks and when I pull it out (after dismantling the head) it looks like this. any ideas why?
RE: Lack enclosure help
and I also noticed that the extruder (the big box on top of the header that says Prusa research) is kinda hot when I touch it... 50-60 degrees celsius? I can hold it but not for long. at this point i am kinda scared to start big prints. i am trying now a smaller print with enclosure doors open, maybe is too hot inside? although the thermometer i have at bed level says 27 degrees celsius...
RE: Lack enclosure help
Your filament sensor is likely not busted. It just needs a bit of tweaking. Lots of posts on this topic.
Firmware will show you the sensor state as you stick filament in. It should change from zero to one. Yours is likely stuck on one.
RE: Lack enclosure help
@robert its not stuck to one. it switched from 0 to 1, but if the filament is in and i wiggle the filament it switched from 1 to 0 and so on. I send videos to prusa live chat team and they say its likely busted since they saw the level working, etc. I can live without it. my main problem is the one fro, teh picture.... Why is the filament looking like that in a lng print and if is normal for the extruder engine to go hot...
RE: Lack enclosure help
You are printing at 240 degrees Celsius. The entire extruder will get hot. 50-60 Celsius is not unusual.
Most people seem to have fixed their sensor by putting a thin shim under the circuit board. I used a bit of a calibration square.
RE: Lack enclosure help
oh, nice tip! can you make a picture?
thank you!
RE: Lack enclosure help
Sorry - mines working. I am not taking it apart...
Just cut a 1/4" square from something thin and stick the sensor board screw through it.
RE: Lack enclosure help
you have the shim on top of under the senzor? sorry if a stupid question.
RE: Lack enclosure help
You are trying to raise the sensor board a bit. That board has one screw through it.
So it is screw, board, shim. All screwed into the extruder.
No need to take the extruder apart. The sensor cover also has just one screw, next to where the filament goes in.
Remove the sensor cover and you have full access to the sensor board.