Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
I have seen many mods for the awful side filaments detectors. A few have questioned their need. I have come to the conclusion that they are worse than useless.
I replaced them with connectors only (see pic). I had already moved both detectors to one side as I feed from Sunlu S4's and I designed a part to hold 5 connectors instead.
Benefits:
1. No more filament jams due to the detectors binding (lost 3 prints to jams in the detector).
2. Sooo easy to thread filament now.
3. Spool Join still works perfectly with less wasted filament (~80mm vs 900+mm).
4. Works with TPU.
5. No time wasted modifying the detectors to reduce the drag on the filament.
Negative:
1. It is necessary to remove the Bodin tube from extruder to remove small piece of filament after unloading after using Spool Join. This is also needed if you just let the filament run out (you can still load new filament and continue printing). This is not needed when unloading filament as when changing filaments.
I have not been able to find any other problem with eliminating the detectors. I still use the detectors at the extruder.
I would like to hear from anyone if they know of any other reasons to keep the side detectors. Thanks. Enjoy your XL!
Try it!
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
I forgot to mention that you should disable the detectors in the printer's menu. I did not try just unplugging them.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
Hi Scisok,
They are nice to have for filament runout and spool joining if you are doing large prints. I have a dual S4 setup (here) that I made new magnetic sensor housings for (here) but you also need to modify the S4s, make new sensor housing mounts, and lengthen the cables, so it's a bit involved. Probably not worth it for everyone. I haven't tried my set up with TPU yet, but I bet mine are also still a pain for that.
RE:
The sensor at the extruder allows for spool joining and runout already without the side detectors.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
That is true! Just takes a few more seconds to change filament. Definitely worth considering deleting the side sensors. Maybe I'm just a belt and suspenders kind of person . . .
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
Update: I swapped two Nextruders while upgrading the parts for an enclosure. This caused the sensors on the extruder to operate incorrectly since the original sensor calibration was now incorrect due to the extruder swap. I recalibrated but the program required the side sensors to work as well. So I just plugged in the side sensor and recalibrated and then disconnected it again.
I still see no need for the side sensors.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
@scisok have you got the files uploaded somewhere?
RE:
I assume you mean the stl for the connector bracket? The connectors are from AliExpress and are not necessarily a standard outside diameter. I designed the bracket to fit these specific connectors. I then split it in two in the slicer and printed. I then assembled the connectors in the bracket and glued the bracket together.
Here is the link to the connectors:
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
I finally got around to trying TPU (95A) on my XL. I made a dual material print of TPU and PLA. I threaded the TPU from my Sunlu S4 all the way to the extruder all through Bowden tubes, without any problem other than the short pushes to get the filament through. It did get stuck at the extruder filament sensor. I removed the Bowden tube and pushed the filament through the detector and was up and running. No modifications were needed beyond removing the side filament sensor. I am thrilled with the outcome and really love the multilateral capabilities with TPU.
Happy Printing!
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
I finally got around to trying TPU (95A) on my XL. I made a dual material print of TPU and PLA. I threaded the TPU from my Sunlu S4 all the way to the extruder all through Bowden tubes, without any problem other than the short pushes to get the filament through. It did get stuck at the extruder filament sensor. I removed the Bowden tube and pushed the filament through the detector and was up and running. No modifications were needed beyond removing the side filament sensor. I am thrilled with the outcome and really love the multilateral capabilities with TPU.
Happy Printing!
Hey, how did you manage to get the tpu filament to print properly coming from the s4? Mine jams, but I'm printing with 40D, so fairly soft tpu. I took out the bowden tube, with the side sensor disabled and put the XL bowden tube directly at one of the S4s holes
When I print hanging the filament on the printer's holders its all fine and well, but the extra friction from the S4 rollers makes it impossible to print.
RE:
I have printed 5 color TPU(95A) prints from 2 S4’s without issue using Bowden tubes. Removal of the filament detectors was a requirement. I have printed 86A TPU in the S4’s which was a struggle to thread. I had a jam so I respooled some filament onto an empty reel in the S4 and then had no problems.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
Been running this way from day 1. I just bypassed the side block all together. The Bowden tubes run from the drybox directly up the back of the printer to the print heads. I also use 3mm id tubes. I've never had filament feeding problems and have been running tpu from day 1 as well.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
Yeah 40D from fiberlogy is around 85A, what do you mean you respooled? there was an issue with the original spool? for me the issue is that the rollers on the s4 aren't as smooth as the filament just hanging on the side holders of the XL. I have no problem threading it but once its all the way, with the bowden tube out of the tool, if I pull on the fillament I can feel how hard the extruder will have to work to get it printing and for sure it has friction with both methods, but from the S4 was a lot more.
I have printed 5 color TPU(95A) prints from 2 S4’s without issue using Bowden tubes. Removal of the filament detectors was a requirement. I have printed 86A TPU in the S4’s which was a struggle to thread. I had a jam so I respooled some filament onto an empty reel in the S4 and then had no problems.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
I've released a couple of mods to significantly help with all filaments, but especially flexibles.
https://www.printables.com/model/1263406-nextruder-filament-sensor-magnet-mod
https://www.printables.com/model/1262215-prusa-xl-side-filament-mod-for-5mm-od3mm-id-ptfe-t
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
The weight of a full TPU spool created too much drag on the S4’s rollers. I respooled some filament to lighten the load.
RE: Goodbye Side Filament Sensors! What Good Are They?
Nice, I've been using This and leave the TPU on the side holders. Haven't had any issues and its not very humid here so its not much of an issue here.