Thanks heaps for the info.
]]>When I get the thermocouple I will compare the two methods to see how reliable they are and how much they differ to the reading on repetier.
]]>IR thermometers aren't very good at reading nozzle temperatures. A K type thermocouple that you can plug into a multimeter will give a truer reading- http://solidoodletips.wordpress.com/201 … mperature/
when you use a thermo couple what temps are you getting?
I've just rebuilt my hot end, and decided that I'd measure the temperature. the machine reports hot end at 190, thermo couple suggests closer to 160. I also found that the extruder was skipping and binding.
turning the temperature up seemed to stop the skipping and binding, now I'm printing with the machine thinking it's 210, but there are posts on here saying don't do that because the temp will actually be closer to 240 than 210 and the plastic will burn and clog!
]]>EDIT: Took me several hours of work to clear my clog the other day (from black filament).. I used the blue filament sample that came with my printer and set it to a speed of 30 and extruded 1mm at a time at a temperature of 200. The black filament started to come out for a while and then it would jam. So I let it cool down and then heated it back up and started extruding again.
I did that until the filament was a pure blue color. Took many cycles, but it eventually cleared all black filament from the extruder (at least it seems so). Once clear, I was able to print successfully again (using the blue sample).
I don't know if this process will work for everyone.
]]>So, when I get it I will see what the temperature is really doing.
]]>When I pulled it out it looked almost burnt, as if the extruder were getting too hot. So I watched it again during another round of printing and found that during fill movements is when the jamming would start... like the flow rate was not correct and the material couldn't flow out of the extruder as fast as the extruder would try to push it in. During fill movements, the filament would get bent past the motor, but would relax as the pressure was taken off at the straightaways.
Also, I noticed that the blue filament seems to "run" when the heater reaches about 150C, but I was printing at 200C. At 150, I cant even make the extruder move due to protections.
Does that sound normal? Is my extruder running hot for some reason?
Pretenda, is that the experience you were having?
]]>Whatever it is, it didn't burn and isn't melted, but I don't know if there are more pieces in the extruder that didn't come out.
Just thought I would add my bit in here...
]]>the negative side of this is that the extruder is extraordinarily annoying to put back together, it's like a mental puzzle and balancing act all rolled into one!
You may find this useful:
]]>reverse the filament until it comes out, snip an inch off the end and then resume printing again.
Unfortunatly if you don't catch it as soon as it happens then it's a lot more difficult, certainly you can't pause/restart the print.
and you may find that you have to take the extruder apart and clear the clog manually.
I've found that it's pretty effective to clear clogs by using a small alen wrench to remove the plastic, insert it into the cold end of the hot end part, then pull it out, it'll be coated in plastic.
if you use a 1.5mm alen wrench you can also use this to "push" the filament out of the hot end, you can apply much more pressure than the stepper motor can, literally forcing out clogs.
the negative side of this is that the extruder is extraordinarily annoying to put back together, it's like a mental puzzle and balancing act all rolled into one!
]]>Thanks heaps for the info.
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