1 Topic by pretenda

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Topic: Heater problems

Hi guys,

After having a great time with my printer for months, it has started to muck up on me. I've been able to pretty much let it go and do its own thing for a long time, and it just works, however the last four prints I have tried have all failed, with a similar problem. The following two pictures are the temps from the latest failed print. (Unfortunately, i couldn't manage to get it in one screenshot of repetier host)

http://i.imgur.com/0lpcO6Y.png
http://i.imgur.com/EqLu92D.png

My question is, what is going on? I've tried putting a multimeter over everything and it all seems fine, so I'll try a new print, and it will fail somewhere along the line. Has anyone had this before?

2 Reply by Rincewind

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Re: Heater problems

Where did you exactly put the multimeter?

I had the same problem and it turned out that the heater cable was defective... Had to replace it completely. I heard somewhere that this might be a relatively common case.

3 Reply by ronsii

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Re: Heater problems

I would say you have a connection to the heater going bad( burned), could be a plug in connection or a solder joint on the mainboard.

4 Reply by 2n2r5 (edited by 2n2r5 2013-06-21 21:06:57)

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Re: Heater problems

Pretenda,

How are you making out with this? I would be willing to bet you have a loose connection/wire with the connectors on the extruder themselves(red connector from hotend). I would also double check the wires on the board but they shouldn't "shake loose" during a print.

SD3 w/ mods:
Glass bed with QU-BD heat pad upgrade, threadless ballscrew w/ 8mm smooth rod, spectra line belt replacement, lawsy MK5 extruder, Lawsy replacement carriage, E3D hotend, Ramps 1.4 w/ reprap discount controller, DRV8825 drivers, 12v 30A PS, Acrylic case, Overkill Y-idlers, Filament alarm, Extruder fan + more.

2n2r5's Website

5 Reply by pretenda

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Re: Heater problems

Hey guys, thanks for the reply. To answer your questions, I've metered the hot end at the plug, which seems ok, I've metered the motherboard which gives me 12v, then measured each wire in the loom, seems ok too.

I've printed another two parts and I can't fault it. I'll watch the temps wiggle a bit along the 200 degree line, but it works itself out. Based on what I can find out, I have a break in the cable somewhere through the loom, there seems to be one position the extruder can get in at the moment that turns itself off. Guess I'm gunna have to wait this one out and try catch it in the act. When I hit the cancel button and it goes home everything fixes itself again. Next time it fails, I'll rip the power out of the wall so the head doesn't move, and see how everything meters then.

Thanks for everyone's help, I really appreciate it.

6 Reply by dkeeling728

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Re: Heater problems

wouldn't it be faster to just replace all the wires from the mainboard to the extruder? double checking/replacing all plugs and solder joints along the way?

7 Reply by pretenda

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Re: Heater problems

dkeeling728, seems as though that is what I am going to do. Im fresh out of kapton tape, so I'm trying to print out lawsy's cable chain (http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:104817) but it is turning out to be an absolute nightmare trying to keep it running!

Does anyone happen to know what awg the cabling i should use is? I'm not sure if this is the same as everyone elses printers, but the way mine is set up can only be described as piss poor. The fan has a join in the cable half way through the loom (seriously guys?!) which has also broken. I'll replace the cable with stuff that is designed to flex, and take all the joins out of stupid places.

8 Reply by acediac (edited by acediac 2013-06-28 18:41:54)

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Re: Heater problems

I actually just had an intermittent failure of the heated bed yesterday. I checked the pins at the electronics board, and it was giving out 12V. I checked the resistance of the heated bed, seemed ok, 1-2ohms. Turns out the female crimped header was not contacting the pins at the board properly, and had burned up a little, which caused some oxidation of the male pins to create even more problems with contact. I took the crimped leads out from the female header, sanded it down, made sure that it was shaped properly to make positive contact, sanded the pins on the board, and reinserted. Seems ok now.

Might be something simple to check if anyone is having any heating problems.

9 Reply by pretenda

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Re: Heater problems

I ended up replacing the cable that goes through the loom in the most dodgey way possible. I cut the ends off the existing cable, ran some new cable just over the top of the printer. The goal is that it is to get me to print out new carriages, m5 lead screw parts, extruder parts and the cable chain. Then i'll hopefully get to put it all back together and all will be sweet again!