Stuck on removing filament from bowden tube
I've got a broken filament in the bowden tube and can't seem to get access to it. I can lift the cover nut, but tube won't pull out and metal collet (if it's actually a collet) won't depress or release the tube.
Only documentation I've found is for opening the idler.
Feeling very stupid sitting here at midnight unable to print over such a silly issue.
Best Answer by Diem:
This is going to be a whole new flood of problems.
Damp PLA is brittle and breaks easily when constrained as, for example, in a bowden tube. Dry your filaments.
Open the idler door on the nextruder. You might be able to see the blockage, if so try to grab and extract with pliers.
Otherwise you will need to temporarily disable a couple of safety sensors so that you can heat the nozzle to just over printing temperature for the hottest printing filament you have used, Take 30cm - 40cm of PLA, insert it into the top of the nozzle tube bypassing the nextruder and manually push it down through the nozzle - slowly at first then as fast as it will go finishing by pulling the last of it back out as fast as possible, no pauses.
This might be enough but to be sure run the automatic cold-pull routine afterwards.
Cheerio,
RE: Stuck on removing filament from bowden tubeb
Okay, using pliars on the boden tube (which I was very uncomfortable with) and lever depressing on collet as hard as seemed safe, the tube came out.
But still unable to load new filament as now it just clicks trying to load/purge. Seeming like there's still filament stuck/burnt insid the nozzle.
Really trying to avoid dissasembling my brand new print head if possible.
This is going to be a whole new flood of problems.
Damp PLA is brittle and breaks easily when constrained as, for example, in a bowden tube. Dry your filaments.
Open the idler door on the nextruder. You might be able to see the blockage, if so try to grab and extract with pliers.
Otherwise you will need to temporarily disable a couple of safety sensors so that you can heat the nozzle to just over printing temperature for the hottest printing filament you have used, Take 30cm - 40cm of PLA, insert it into the top of the nozzle tube bypassing the nextruder and manually push it down through the nozzle - slowly at first then as fast as it will go finishing by pulling the last of it back out as fast as possible, no pauses.
This might be enough but to be sure run the automatic cold-pull routine afterwards.
Cheerio,
RE:
[...] to be sure run the automatic cold-pull routine afterwards.
In my understanding the Core One firmware does not support an automatic cold-pull at the moment. But the manual cold pull should work just like in the older bedslingers -- described a bit further down on https://help.prusa3d.com/article/cold-pull-mk4-s-mk3-9-s-xl-13702-17702_445071
You are correct, I had forgotten, but yes, the manual method will work just as well, the nextruders are the same.
Cheerio,
RE: Stuck on removing filament from bowden tube
This is going to be a whole new flood of problems.
Damp PLA is brittle and breaks easily when constrained as, for example, in a bowden tube. Dry your filaments.
Open the idler door on the nextruder. You might be able to see the blockage, if so try to grab and extract with pliers.
Otherwise you will need to temporarily disable a couple of safety sensors so that you can heat the nozzle to just over printing temperature for the hottest printing filament you have used, Take 30cm - 40cm of PLA, insert it into the top of the nozzle tube bypassing the nextruder and manually push it down through the nozzle - slowly at first then as fast as it will go finishing by pulling the last of it back out as fast as possible, no pauses.
This might be enough but to be sure run the automatic cold-pull routine afterwards.
Cheerio,
Thaoks,
I have my filaments and printers in a controlled environment at 20% humidity, but this particular roll does seem to be extremely brittle.
I did end up going through the idler door and with considerable encouragement manually ran through a long stretch of PETG (at temp) which seemed to flush the old PLA out.
May still need to do the cold pull, but the write-up in another thread was confusing. With the clear PETG was able to get it to run clean and swap back to a new roll of PLA for the original print. So at least operational again.
Thank you!
Clean and clear with lower melting point filament at or above the working temperature of the highest melting point filament in regular use.
20% is a little too damp, I usually aim for 10% but don't always get there.
Cheerio,
RE: Stuck on removing filament from bowden tube
20% is a little too damp, I usually aim for 10% but don't always get there.
I was focusing primarily on PLA which is good below 40% and keep PETG sealed. I can only do so much with a home workshop in the Pacific North West! 🙂
Thanks for the additional notes!
RE: Stuck on removing filament from bowden tube
PLA is not good "below 40%". PLA absorbs moisture at slower rate than for example PETG. But still does and needs to be stored in dry environment too.