Hi, looking for assistance. I brought my first 3d printer from a friend and after finally getting it to work as in all the 3 axis moving properly and leveling the bed I went to do a test print even if it turned out crap and the extruder isn’t working properly. It keeps clicking.
I’ve tried turning up the temp of the hot end, lowing feed rate, adjusting the voltage on the driver and nothing works. Anyone got any ideas what the issue is? Not sure on exact make of printer but closest model I’ve found is Geeetech I3 pro B using a GT2560 board.
Can you determine what the clicking is because of? Watch the extruder motor / drive gears carefully. Does the filament not move, but the drive gear click as it tears up filament? Or does the drive gear try to drive forward and zip backwards when you hear the click (with the filament driving the gear backwards from spring tension?)?
Additionally, added pictures of the drive gear setup/hot end will help us better diagnose. The more information you can provide the better.
Here’s a video of what is happening. The printer design doesn’t let me see the gears sadly it does push filament through tho has been clumping together as it leaves the hot end and when I try to do a print it just clicks no filament comes out.
First things that come to mind for me are power (check stepper driver vref), temperature (some filament could be jamming and possibly not melting enough if not pla, since it’s a used machine), and obstructed hotend/heatbrake area which would typically entail disassembling the hotend. What temp are you trying and is it PLA?
have checked the driver with a voltmeter and and is set at 0.9v, I’m using pla and have tried up to 220 degrees C. Have already checked the hot end for blockages before starting tho going to check again now.
Right so i took off the motor and changed the firmware so i can run the extruder at a low temp and it went through fine even at a fast rate just pulled it through so gonna check for a blockage in the hot end.
Several things to possibly check. (Some of this you might have already done)
Take out the filament and see how the extruder runs with nothing in it. Note that you might have to heat it up to a minimum temp (190C?) to get it to move and simulate feeding filament. This will help pinpoint if the issue is the motor or something else. I think it is something else but let’s eliminate the stepper possibility.
Typically the filament will pig tail at the tip when it is too cold. At 220 you should be plenty hot for PLA but you might want to try it at 225 and see if that helps if the following suggestions are not an issue.
Can you remove the heat sink and fan and check to see if the hobbed gear is full of filament chip. A clogged gear can give some of the symptoms you are seeing. If the driver module is a closed system that you can’t access internally or clean you might need a new one.
You also might have a damaged nozzle. This can cause the filament to bunch up at the tip among other things. Does the filament extrude without a nozzle in place?
TIP: Use a Q-Tip for cleaning off hot plastic if needed.
If you take the hot end apart is there a PTFE tube or sleeve inside? Check to see if that is damaged or worn or discolored (brown or gold color) as swelling of that part will cause a restriction triggering a stepper motor skip.
If you are too close to the bed with the nozzle when trying to print you can keep the filament from coming out and cause it to skip filling the hobbed gear with chip and starting the problems all over again.
I’ve completely took apart the hot end, there is a PTFE tube inside and looks fine filament slides through the whole thing without an issue but obviously couldn’t check nozzle as the old filament had solidified inside it but would assume once hot would melt again and poor through. Put it all back together and still this happening. First filament is some clear looking PLA not sure what brand etc and then I decided to try some metal blended PLA and still same issue goes a little better if I apply pressure on the filament from the top like force feed it through but not a lot and as u can see in vid still clumps together when it leaves the nozzle.
245 C is pretty hot to still not melt it out if it is PLA. It could be very cross-linked and caramelized. This is looking like a damaged or very clogged nozzle at this point. Do you have a torch to try and burn out the residue? If the nozzle opening is damaged from scraping the bed that could cause issues like this.
I’d find a replacement nozzle and start from there.
That extruder really jumps around trying to push the filament through. Is it missing some screws?
@Jeff_Parish yh ik was seeing if i whacked the temp up if it would poor out easier apparently not have been at 210 prior to that at most tho. Nozzle has never hit bed well at least not since I’ve had it. And nope dunno why it wobbles the screws that hold it on are done up properly will find a solution but first wanna get it extruding properly. Think it is nozzle related tho so might get a new one see if it sorts it.
@Mindless hasn’t got a way to disengage the idler. I have taken the motor off with the idler attached and it pulls the filament through just fine. Seems like its just when it hits the nozzle which Is why I think it’s a blockage in the nozzle. I slowed the speed down via the LCD screen and it just clicked but the time between clicks was longer lol so defo slowed down. I’ve brought some nozzles should be here tomorrow so shall see if it works.
