1 Topic by mwhitaker

  • mwhitaker
  • Newbie
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2013-05-15
  • Posts: 2

Topic: print head troubles?

We have been getting this message, "echo: cold extrusion prevented" sporadically during printing.
It will print fine for a few layers and then fail to extrude and then come back on again.
Every model we have tired printing and every print software we have used has yielded the same results. 
We have tried printing with the cover on and without.

We have looked around and seen that other people have had problems with the thermistor being faulty in various ways. This seems like a likely problem because the temperature variations we are seeing are 10 degree jumps in the space of seconds.
Is it a possibility that the thermistor is broken and our print head is fine? If so, what do we need to do to diagnose/fix it?

2 Reply by hcsceo (edited by hcsceo 2013-05-15 22:19:24)

  • hcsceo
  • Member
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2013-04-06
  • Posts: 15

Re: print head troubles?

I'd double check that the thermister on the nozzle was installed correctly.  The Kapton should cover it completely with as little air as possible around it.  Take off the black insulators and look at it.  Perhaps it has come out?  Be carefull cause if the thermister is not installed right you could have a meltdown.  If it is installed correctly then run the Extruder PID Calibration.  Just search for that and you will find the procedure.

3 Reply by mwhitaker

  • mwhitaker
  • Newbie
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2013-05-15
  • Posts: 2

Re: print head troubles?

Not a bad thought but...ours came pre-assembled and we have printed several items with no problems...this seems to be a new situation that has cropped up.

4 Reply by ronsii

  • ronsii
  • Member
  • Offline
  • From: PNW
  • Registered: 2012-10-28
  • Posts: 1,723

Re: print head troubles?

Since it was working just fine and just started this behavior I would check all connections for the extruder(hotend and thermistor) on both ends(mainboard and printhead) make sure they are plugged together tight and nothing looks melted or strange. Also could you get a screenshot of the temp graph when it is having these problems.