Testing Hotend with External Thermocoupler
Posted: Sat Apr 20, 2013 9:20 am
I forget where I read it, but I remember some people recommended the Extech Instruments MN35 Multimeter for it's relatively accurate thermocoupler. I brought a pot of water to a boil and confirmed it was within 3 degrees of 100C (it was hard to take the picture, thermocoupler was out of water by time picture was snapped).
[img]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 6703_n.jpg[/img]
One problem though, where the heck do I place the thermocoupler to get the best reading on the hotend? I'm reading 180C max when I'm setting Repetier to 230. Now I know that must be wrong, because there'd be no way in hell I'd be printing as successfully with ABS as I am if it were really running at 180C. And when I test at 190C, I get 160C.
I know my bed temps will be off by a few degrees because the thermistor is buried under an Aluminum Plate and Borosilicite glass, but I should be able to get close with the hotend!
Hotend Fan was off throughout testing
[img]https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 6703_n.jpg[/img]
One problem though, where the heck do I place the thermocoupler to get the best reading on the hotend? I'm reading 180C max when I'm setting Repetier to 230. Now I know that must be wrong, because there'd be no way in hell I'd be printing as successfully with ABS as I am if it were really running at 180C. And when I test at 190C, I get 160C.
I know my bed temps will be off by a few degrees because the thermistor is buried under an Aluminum Plate and Borosilicite glass, but I should be able to get close with the hotend!
Hotend Fan was off throughout testing