Latest problem is with extruder stepper

[Kitecraft]

After failed print after failed print, I can only conclude that the heat from the extruder stepper is causing the filament to soften to the point that it just squishes and won't feed.

Is there a way to fix this problem?

Thanks

[BenTheRighteous]

You could point a desk fan at the motor long enough to print a fan shroud for it, then hook up a small 20mm fan or something for a more permanent installation. Wire it up to the same wires that feed the PEEK fan perhaps?

[dunginhawk]

i will totally concur, not that is causes me issues, but that stepper motor gets BLISTERING hot.

[Kitecraft]

This is what happens between 1.5 and 2.5 hours into every print.

[geneb]

How fast are you printing? What temp?

I've found that things like that happen when you go too fast at too low a temperature.

g.

[Kitecraft]

How fast are you printing? What temp?

I've found that things like that happen when you go too fast at too low a temperature.

g.

Interesting! Thank you, I'll investigate that further.

Cheers

[RichardMac]

I had a simular problem. My extruded motor would get super hot with jobs that had lots of retracts. I ended up attaching a fan with a built in heat sink that I had salvaged from a old video card. I wired it inline with the peek fan. Solved the problem of the hot motor.

[Kitecraft]

I had a simular problem. My extruded motor would get super hot with jobs that had lots of retracts. I ended up attaching a fan with a built in heat sink that I had salvaged from a old video card. I wired it inline with the peek fan. Solved the problem of the hot motor.

Also interesting as this print does in fact have a lot of retracts. Thanks for the post.
I like the idea of heatsink/fan. I have tons of computer equipment including a few older style CPU coolers.

Cheers

[RichardMac]

This is like the part I salvaged. Used some paste between the sink and the motor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131282045366?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1

[Kitecraft]

This is like the part I salvaged. Used some paste between the sink and the motor

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131282045366?ru ... 26_rdc%3D1

I have a couple of those laying around too lol

[Kitecraft]

I think both of those suggestions were very helpfull. The latest print (which is actually still printing at this moment!) is doing very good.
I made 2 changes.
1: I reduced the speed by 25%
2: I switched to RepetierHost and Sli3er.

Sli3er has produced a huge reduction in retracts and the filitment extruder is over 12 degrees cooler!
Slower seems to have produced a good result too

Thank you for your feedback and suggestions. They have been very helpfull to me.

Here's a vid for ya.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITOsNOVZIFs[/youtube]

Cheers!

[Kitecraft]

I spoke too soon.
Still can't get a successfull print with Red PLA.