I've been attempting to service one of the aforementioned Geeetech printers for a friend and I'm running into an issue I'm hoping someone has encountered and dealt with before, given it seems like the kind of thing that's likely to present itself.
From factory, these printers ship with a 38mm https://19216811.cam/ https://1921681001.id/ PTFE-lined heat break. Or, rather, they should - turns out this specific unit lacked the tube entirely, which is why it wasn't working (I at least was able to remedy that). I had already ordered a replacement bi-metal break, since I figured it would be less maintenance in the long run and that's going to be of benefit to the user. Said bi-metal break is only 26mm long, however, which represents a problem.
If you've not used one of these printers before you might think you could just lower the Z stop and all would be well. I know that's what I thought. Turns out, at least without modification, that the longer break is required to get the tip of the nozzle to extend past the plate the whole hot end/extruder assembly mounts on. So lowering the stop is all well and good, but that plate is going to touch the bed well before the nozzle does. As such I need to find a reliable way to drop the whole assembly and/or shave some off the bottom of the carriage, such that an extra ~10mm of travel is made available.
Is there anyone who's encountered and solved this particular problem already? It seems a waste to not install that bi-metal break (assuming it ever arrives - I've had trouble with deliveries from Biqu of late).
Geeetech i3 Pro B and shorter heat break
Geeetech i3 Pro B and shorter heat break
Last edited by nanonpawt on Sat Feb 19, 2022 6:39 am, edited 1 time in total.
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TangoWhisky
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2022 4:29 pm
Re: Geeetech i3 Pro B and shorter heat break
Hi nanonpawt
Like others here. I've played with many so many alternatives to get the perfect hotend combo for my i3 Pro B.
So this might be a trick to get you the extra 12mm height
- I've recently experimented with getting quicker print speeds after various hot ends I ended up with the E3D Volcano setup.
https://e3d-online.com/products/volcano-upgrade-kit
Notice the E3D design hotend is vertical format not the horizontal - the nozzle is therefore giving you more heat length (the brass nozzles are longer so filament gets extra melt for faster extrusion)- hence I now can print with upto 0.8 filament if I wanted to. I'm sticking to 0.6 as for speed Vs Detail its the best compromise. (*Thomas Sanladerer - findings )
So kill 2 birds - change to the E3D Volcano and use your shorter heatbreak plus get the extra added speed increase.
( I assume your heat break is standard M6 Dia thread? Some all-metal are M7)
See how you get on - post your dev log.
Like others here. I've played with many so many alternatives to get the perfect hotend combo for my i3 Pro B.
So this might be a trick to get you the extra 12mm height
- I've recently experimented with getting quicker print speeds after various hot ends I ended up with the E3D Volcano setup.
https://e3d-online.com/products/volcano-upgrade-kit
Notice the E3D design hotend is vertical format not the horizontal - the nozzle is therefore giving you more heat length (the brass nozzles are longer so filament gets extra melt for faster extrusion)- hence I now can print with upto 0.8 filament if I wanted to. I'm sticking to 0.6 as for speed Vs Detail its the best compromise. (*Thomas Sanladerer - findings )
So kill 2 birds - change to the E3D Volcano and use your shorter heatbreak plus get the extra added speed increase.
( I assume your heat break is standard M6 Dia thread? Some all-metal are M7)
See how you get on - post your dev log.
Re: Geeetech i3 Pro B and shorter heat break
I had exactly the same problem as you. I think I'd managed to force the rim of the PTFE inner tube over when cleaning the extruder during a filament change. As I'd managed to clog the nozzle throat and was now unable to load filament I decided to change the throat (Heat break) I'd bought some replacement 0.3mm brass nozzles which also came with the lined throat so I thought I was set. The throats, like yours, were 26mm giving the same problem as you have. My solution was to source some longer ones which I got from Amazon.
I was able to remove the throat by heating up the extruder, remove the nozzle then, holding the heater block carefully without damaging the cables, slacken the top and bottom lock nuts. You have to strip down the feed assembly and free the stepper motor to allow the throat to be unscrewed from the feeder base and the block. You'll have to unscrew the feeder base from the throat as you can't unscrew the throat without needing to disconnect all the wiring to the hot end. Nightmare! i.e hold the throat still and unscrew the feed base from it, once it's free you can then unscrew it from the heater block.
When reassembling, I screwed a nozzle into the block then the throat, visible PTFE insert pointing downwards till tight, so you eventually get a good fit. Back the nozzle out 1/2 a turn and tighten the throat down on it and lock with the lower nut. Re-tighten the nozzle to get a good seal.
Fit the top lock nut then screw the feeder base back onto the heater/throat/nozzle assembly till the top of the throat is just level with the top of the hole in the feeder base, line everything up and tighten the top lock nut to fix. Now re-assemble the feed unit and, hopefully, you can now load filament and test!
The 26mm throats don't fit this printer, any modifications you made to make them fit would probably be catastrophic and involve major redesign if they were possible. Much better to just shell out £6.99 (or equivalent) and fit something which is fairly simple to replace and works!
Hope this helps,
Play Bonny!
Soadyheid
I was able to remove the throat by heating up the extruder, remove the nozzle then, holding the heater block carefully without damaging the cables, slacken the top and bottom lock nuts. You have to strip down the feed assembly and free the stepper motor to allow the throat to be unscrewed from the feeder base and the block. You'll have to unscrew the feeder base from the throat as you can't unscrew the throat without needing to disconnect all the wiring to the hot end. Nightmare! i.e hold the throat still and unscrew the feed base from it, once it's free you can then unscrew it from the heater block.
When reassembling, I screwed a nozzle into the block then the throat, visible PTFE insert pointing downwards till tight, so you eventually get a good fit. Back the nozzle out 1/2 a turn and tighten the throat down on it and lock with the lower nut. Re-tighten the nozzle to get a good seal.
Fit the top lock nut then screw the feeder base back onto the heater/throat/nozzle assembly till the top of the throat is just level with the top of the hole in the feeder base, line everything up and tighten the top lock nut to fix. Now re-assemble the feed unit and, hopefully, you can now load filament and test!
The 26mm throats don't fit this printer, any modifications you made to make them fit would probably be catastrophic and involve major redesign if they were possible. Much better to just shell out £6.99 (or equivalent) and fit something which is fairly simple to replace and works!
Hope this helps,
Play Bonny!
Soadyheid