Ceramic cartridge for hot end

[Hydrolove]

These 40W cartridges seem pretty cheap to buy on Ebay. Do you guys recommend them? Do you just need one in the hot end, 2 is too much heat? Just a set screw to retain it? TIA.

Kris

[Captain Starfish]

Just one.

I'm toying with the idea of set screws from underneath instead of from the side, just so there's a little more meat there for the set screw.

[Eric]

The ones I've gotten have been fine. Cheapest ones are from China, but you have to be willing to wait several weeks for delivery, so think ahead. If you stick with US vendors, you get them faster but they'll cost more, especially if you only order 1 (you can find some good qty 5 prices).

You only need one in the stock hotend. 40W is about what the original resisters delivered, so it's the same amount of heat. Setscrew is one way...snug jam fit with aluminum foil is also acceptable.

[mhackney]

I use them exclusively and have for almost 2 years. I won't use anything else until something better comes along. I have experienced hot end melt downs with the resistors and pull out when the silicone/kapton tape deteriorated. The setscrew that holds these is secure and won't fail. I'd NEVER just jam a cartridge in with foil, that's a recipe for disaster IMHO.

I've not had a single hot end failure or issue since using these and one is all it takes.

Regards,
Michael

[Hydrolove]

Thanks for the input, I have ordered a pack of 5 so I will install one during my build.

Kris

[Jimustanguitar]

The ONLY caution that I've heard (mentioned in another thread recently) is from Oly himself... A heating resistor gets 100-200 deg above operating temp and pops. A ceramic cartridge will go a lot further before it fails, and it is possible to start fires with them.

You'll be fine, they work great, I use them myself, but understand that catastrophic electronic failures may increase in magnitude

[guanu]

I'll agree with what jimustanguitar said... if you had a mosfet stick on, or a thermistor pull out, I have seen pictures where the ceramic heater actually melted the aluminum heating block of a prusa hotened.. where a heating resistor would pop, thoes things can run on forever it seems... TONS of people use them quite successfully, but it is just enough for me to stick with a resistor as I'd rather replace that...

Guanu

[Hydrolove]

Imminent death always makes thing more interesting! I live on the edge with my other hobbies, I fast charge lithium batteries constantly, just call me a daredevil! I will keep an eye on things, prob wont let it run unsupervised for a while.

Kris

[Mac The Knife]

With a handle of Hydrolove, and fast charging LiPos, I assume you race model boats?

[Hydrolove]

Actually that is a reference to to my days as a Hydraulic mechanic in the USAF. We spent plenty of time in close quarters stuffed into wheel wells etc. so we got pretty "close". Of course that was back in the days when the Mil wasn't so corporate and there was plenty of "grab-ass" during work! My LiPo charging is for Multirotors mainly now. Thank god for 10C charge rates! Battery life be damned!

Kris