SoliForum - 3D Printing Community — How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:58:52Z

I bet I've experienced them all! I've broken fans and shorted the Mobo already. And had filament feeding problems. Just got done installing a rumba and very happy.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:55:07Z

cool. check out my edited post for other issues to look for that many new SD4 buyers have had lately.g

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:53:15Z

The fan came that way it turns out. Picture from day 1 shows damaged casing. I knocked the blades off with a binder clip I had sitting on the rails. I have a limited visual field so I lose track of stuff. I have since learned to be more careful and replaced the fan a while ago. Installing e3d tomorrow but I bought a new SD hot end a while back.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:50:06Z

I hope resent lack of care assembling & packing these SD4s is not becoming standard with the 3 new printer models as well. quality control/inspection seems out of control the last few months at Solidoodle by all these posts of similar issues

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:38:03Z

you can buy those fans at a local electronics shop either recycled or new for like $5 or so either show it to them or measure it (in MM) and write down all info off tag so they know volts etc. best to bring it along.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:32:32Z

"Anyway, in working with the hot end to unclog it I bumped the fan on the left side of the extruder motor and took a few blades off."

Bumped? LOL, by the picture it looks like it was hit with an iron bar and busted both sides of fan housing also. reports of poor packing by SD have shown printers lately being sent with bed all the way up causing Z stop switch to bend and items on top of bed that can bang/rub on printer parts so yes likely fan had damage from that. search for topics on Z stop switch bent issues and missing bushing in pivot on fhe arm for spring tension on filament feed to see if yours has those issues also.

my brother inlaw bumped the 30mm fan blade on rear of my SD2 extruder with finger while it was running and all it done is made it whine a bit since and its now barely audible when on like a distant mosquito. likely chipped a blade (b4 it made no sound). I dont think those fans have ball bearings either. they spin similar to a CD/DVD disc drive. these are delicate machines just like most small office machines. and that extruder can overheat causing damage to itself, printer and start fires on nearby materials at the temps they can reach. as another topic discuses. be very careful and safety aware when using a 3D printer as with other tools that have various hazards associated.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T05:16:43Z

also lack of that fan will make a repeat of burning filament in extruder more likely than b4 and can ruin extruder especially if PLA is inside. many posts on here of leaving it hot and idle being bad

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-26T03:49:34Z

The fan on the back of the extruder motor is used to cool that motor,
The side fan is for cooling the filament and the front of the motor,
If you think you need the third one to cool PLA prints near by a nozzle,
You have to make a holder, and mount it to X carriage.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-09T07:14:36Z

Fixed. Crimped some butt splices to put it all together. Won't post a picture because it's ugly as sin, but as long as it works, I don't care. It will probably fall apart from motion over time, but whatever.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T11:48:04Z

grob wrote:

jagowilson wrote:
I am still curious about a safe way to splice wires, because I'll still have to do this for the E3D, no? To hook up the extra fan.
Jump in! Red to red, black to black.
I cut and soldered mine, using heatshrink tubing to finish it. This is a strong and not-so-bulky joint. I taped it to the side of the extruder motor (with the other cables) to support it.
If you're tinkering with a 3d printer, I'd guess that at some point you're going to want to solder something. Well worth the small outlay and learning. Yes you can burn yourself, but it's no more dangerous than your printer's hot end...
Otherwise someone might be able to recommend a tool-free crimp thing; I haven't really looked into this...

Not worried about burning myself and I have soldered before, but as I mentioned previously I am visually impaired and could mess up without realizing and potentially damage components. Sadly none of my friends know how to solder, I'm probably the most technically capable out of all the people I know... even amongst my fellow phd students... You'd be amazed how non-handy Comp Sci students are.

I will probably go the ferrule route, because actually after doing some measurements, I can't find those bloody molex connectors anywhere. 0.02210 in length, didn't measure height, but googling turned up nothing. Yay. Gonna drive over to radio shack and see what I can find after I finish my research work for the day. Fans will definitely get here today so might as well install them.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T05:22:21Z

jagowilson wrote:

I am still curious about a safe way to splice wires, because I'll still have to do this for the E3D, no? To hook up the extra fan. Appreciate the help folks. You guys are awesome for real.

E3D comes with wire splices, called ferrules.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T05:17:58Z

jagowilson wrote:

I am still curious about a safe way to splice wires, because I'll still have to do this for the E3D, no? To hook up the extra fan.

Jump in! Red to red, black to black.

I cut and soldered mine, using heatshrink tubing to finish it. This is a strong and not-so-bulky joint. I taped it to the side of the extruder motor (with the other cables) to support it.

If you're tinkering with a 3d printer, I'd guess that at some point you're going to want to solder something. Well worth the small outlay and learning. Yes you can burn yourself, but it's no more dangerous than your printer's hot end...

Otherwise someone might be able to recommend a tool-free crimp thing; I haven't really looked into this...

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T02:53:28Z

I found out what I need. I'll verify the size with a caliper on the current connectors, and I'll try to find them on McMaster-Carr for a better deal http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004GUQ2Z … ot_redir=1

I am still curious about a safe way to splice wires, because I'll still have to do this for the E3D, no? To hook up the extra fan. Appreciate the help folks. You guys are awesome for real.

Edit: McMaster Carr page: http://www.mcmaster.com/#component-connectors/=u1i16p Under "compact push-in connectors". Hopefully this is right. ~$2 for 10 is a mistake I'm willing to make.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T00:14:58Z

That would be nice, and would save me money on a crimper or soldering iron.

Re: How crucial is this extruder fan on the SD4

2014-10-07T00:12:41Z

I've never had to replace one, but those seem like a "press-in" vampire tap style that cuts through the insulation when you press the wires in.

Someone who has done it please chime in here...