Extruder motor is not spinning on tool # error occurs often
I repeatedly get the error "Extruder motor is not spinning on tool #" with my XLIS 5 tool. At the exact same point in the print the printer will reliably have a catastrophic error and freeze, failing the print job. At first this would only happen on tool 4, but now it also happens on tool 2 with different print jobs. I have modified the print slightly and re-sliced it but the same error occurs. I changed the tool to tool 1 and the print worked flawlessly.
Looking up the error link sends you to this trouble shooting page, i tried the fix it suggested but nothing has changed. A comment in the page mentions cleaning the extruder cable plug contacts with isopropyl alcohol which I also tried, but it has not fixed it.
The fact that this error is repeatable in the EXACT same place to me seems like it is impossible to be a faulty connection, it has to be firmware.
This error has happened on tool 4 with two separate print jobs in a row with different materials and models, and it has happened with tool 2 on three prints. I essentially can't use tool 4 or 2 at this point as i cant have prints randomly cancelling partway through when i print large, expensive parts.
I can upload the G-code somewhere to help diagnose this issue if required.
Has anyone else had this issue and have they managed to fix it?
Thanks.
-Tim.
(Re-posting here as it was in the 'XL (Single-Tool)' forum previously)
RE: Extruder motor is not spinning on tool # error occurs often
Hi,
had this too.
Just sliced the Model with same Settings again.
This worked for me.
RE: Extruder motor is not spinning on tool # error occurs often
After updating to the newest firmware I also got this error. It's ridiculous that this error is one that requires a printer restart. I reverted back to the 6.24 firmware where I wasn't having this issue, but am getting it on that one now too. Looks like I'm going to have to go all the way back to 6.13...
RE: Extruder motor is not spinning on tool # error occurs often
Also worked for me (read this here I guess):
Unplug the electrical Connector of the Extruder throwing that Error.
Clean the Connector and the Plug with Air. Replug it.
RE: Extruder motor is not spinning on tool # error occurs often
I’m currently working on a modified version that uses the same Molex Clikmate connectors as the originals, only gold-plated.
Prusa can’t seriously expect end customers to have to clean their connectors every month—for their 2,000, 3,000, or 4,000 euros or dollars—just to keep the machine running!
The cause is the “oxidizing” surface and increasingly poor contact. With gold plating, this would never have happened with Prusa, and then perhaps the purchase price would have made sense 😉
Option two would be to slightly bend the fork contacts with a needle to apply more pressure to the mating contact.
You could “fill” the connector with contact grease to keep atmospheric oxygen out.
Or you could unsolder the Molex connector and solder it back in, which isn’t easy but would be the most effective and best solution.