Attempting to fix a clog --disassembled nozzle--noticed stuck temp sensor and heater

[ajmonkey 2]

Hello! I've been enjoying my Ultimaker2 Ext for the past 2 months and it has worked out super awesome till late last night when I experienced a clog.

I tried unloading & loading filament--my newbie method for unclogging before--and this time it didn't work.

I read about the Atomic pull method--and it's a great technique--and that's also when I started to into more trouble--when I heated my extruder to 220 C pushed my filament into the extruder head--then pushed with a pin at the bottom as it cooled down to 90 C --- I waited a few minutes to pull and when I pulled--my extruder head pulled further into the fan duct housing---the extruder was now about flush to the fan housing.

I succeeded in disassembling the nozzle--pulled out the filament that got stuck in the PTFE coupler, I was going to go as far as to remove the thermometer & heater and it is stuck in the nozzle--which seems to be unmovable. As both are jammed flush right into the nozzle. Unfortunately the PTFE coupler was damaged when I tried to remove it--luckily I had a spare one from my CPE roll.

I cleaned out the nozzle as best as I could with the probes attached, and reassembled the extruder--when I restarted--the electronics seem to work fine--but no filament extrudes--I get a small "film/coating/bulb" of plastic forming around my nozzle--and nothing prints.

This morning I noticed that the Hot End Isolator Nut isn't flush with the bottom plating--it's sitting about 8mm above it.

I'm wondering what to do next for my trouble shooting:

Should I try to disassembly & reassemble the nozzle again--this time lining the Hot End Isolator Nut flush with the base plate?

Try the Atomic pull again?

Also--doesn't anyone have an info about how to remove the temp and heater from the nozzle? Or any doc's about what to do if you have to replace the temp and heater probes?

And worst case--does any company service Ultimaker's here in the US? For newbie's like me baffled about how to remove the temp/heater from the nozzle?

Also--if I do manager to get the nozzle free--does Acetone dissolve PLA as well?

Thanks in advance for your advice and help!

Edited August 11, 2015 by Guest

[JBEngineer 1]

I just recently went through the same situation with a nozzle clog. I managed to solve it with a combination of Atomic Method pulls and using a needle to push the clog from the bottom.

I would disassemble the print head again and get the Hot End Isolator as close the bottom plate as you can while leaving a small ( ~1 MM ) gap between the isolator and the PTFE coupler. This should keep the spring force on the coupler to a minimum as excess spring force can cause problems with the coupler. Afterwards reassemble the print head and do a couple atomic pulls from the top of the print head while making sure that the head is close to one of the corners so you do not accidentally warp one of the rods while pulling and pushing on the filament.

My temperature sensor was stuck as well in my nozzle and I managed to get it loose by heating the nozzle up and taking a pair of pliers as close to the nozzle as I could and gently twisting and pulling on the sensor wire. I had no metal part of the sensor showing and I managed to get it out without damaging it. I would not recommend pulling on the sensor wires like I did unless you are fully prepared to replace it if it breaks. I did not have any issues with the heater coming out of the nozzle block , but I would assume the same method will help.

I would look into getting an Olsson Block as well as it will prevent having to take the whole print head apart to get to the nozzle. gr5 sells them in his store for those of us in the states: http://gr5.org/store/.

Fbrc8 is the Ultimaker support team for the United States and they may be able to assist you in the worst case scenario. As for the Acetone, it does not dissolve PLA. If you do get the nozzle free you can take a flame to it to burn the plastic off of it , but be careful not to heat it to the point it can damage the nozzle.

[ajmonkey 2]

Thanks Sir! Thanks so much for all of my answering my questions! I'll reassemble the nozzle again.

I got my nozzle unclogged by using my Hudy RC Wrench--I removed the Bowden tube and filament and used my Hudy hex wrench like an ice pick while the nozzle was heated, and I was able to push the clog through the nozzle!

Thanks so much for letting me know about the Olsson Block it really seems to make more sense

Thanks for telling me about Fbrc8 too

[JBEngineer 1]

Thats one way to do it. Be careful not to stick anything too far up into the nozzle though as you could do some damage if you do.

I just remembered gr5 made an excellent post about changing out the heater block which also helps with the assembly and reassembly of the print head.

Here is the link : https://ultimaker.com/en/community/view/8689-custom-heater-block-to-fit-e3d-nozzle-on-ultimaker-2?page=35#reply-97276

[ajmonkey 2]

Thats one way to do it. :)Be careful not to stick anything too far up into the nozzle though as you could do some damage if you do.

I just remembered gr5 made an excellent post about changing out the heater block which also helps with the assembly and reassembly of the print head.

Here is the link : https://ultimaker.com/en/community/view/8689-custom-heater-block-to-fit-e3d-nozzle-on-ultimaker-2?page=35#reply-97276

 

Thanks for the awesome link!