Stock heat cartridge not strong enough?

Discussion in 'E3D-v6 and Lite6' started by Markag, Apr 18, 2018.

  1. Markag

    Markag Member

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    About a year ago, purchased an e3d V6 for my folgertech i3 2020 printer. I just recently started trying to print with PETG with 240 degree nozzle temps. All of my previous PLA prints were with 200-210 degree hot end temps.

    Now that I'm trying to reach higher temps, I've been fighting with thermal runaways. After debugging, I believe it could be that the heater cartridge can't keep up with the part cooling fan.

    With the fan on at 100%, the heater block won't reach 240C. In the firmware, I have full power going to the hot end, so it's not an issue with limiting max power in the firmware. I can get successful PID autotune with 50% fan speed, but when the fan kicks on when actually printing, I get thermal runaways regularly. If I remove the silicone sock, my hot end can't reach 240 at all with the fan on.

    I'm running a 12V system, and I suspect the stock 30W heater might not be able to overcome the blower fan for part cooling. I've ordered the 40W 12V heater cartridge to swap out, but I wanted to know if there could be anything else going on. It seems strange that the stock setup out of the box wouldn't be able to overcome the part cooling fan.

    Any suggestions?
     
  2. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member
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    A picture of the part cooling fan setup might help. Most likely your current setup is blowing directly onto the block. You want to make sure to point your fan duct directly at the nozzle orifice, not at the block.
     
  3. Markag

    Markag Member

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    My setup is the prusa mk2s setup. The fan is blowing directly into the nozzle area, and there is quite a bit of airflow. My printer is not an original prusa, but I'm using this hot end assembly from the STL's they have posted on their website.

    This picture isn't great, but you can kind of see the configuration.
    [​IMG]
     
  4. Antoine

    Antoine Well-Known Member
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    I would recommend ducting the fan more towards the nozzle, with a more constrained exit. You don't want to cool the block, just the filament at the exit of the nozzle. Any more and you'll induce warp.
     
  5. CursedByAGoat

    CursedByAGoat New Member

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    I print almost exclusively with PETG, I have never used the part cooling fan. In fact it has caused me more issues than it has helped. I typically use MatterHackers PETG filaments, extrude at 250 - 260C with my bed at 60C. I print on glass and use hairspray. We have the same setup at work and have printed 1,000s of parts this way. My suggestion would be to turn the fan off (part not, hot end cooler) and turn the heat up a bit. You know when its hot enough because solid layers have a bit of a shine to them.
     

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