UM2+ Extruder keeps jamming up

[LePaul 330]

I'm a bit stumped on this and I think I have a solution...but thought I would ask my friends here for their thoughts.

 

I had a print display extrusion issues and then fail, air printing for a while before I noticed it.  The back of the machine under the extruder was full of chewed up filament.

 

I have the extruder tensioner set to the middle, which I think....I could be wrong...has always been the default position.

 

I was using a spool of Ultimaker black PLA that had been sitting out for a year.  I don't think PLA is susceptible to absorbing moisture as much as other filaments....but it's worth mentioning as we debug this!

 

I cleaned out the extruder by removing it and cleaning it, using the steps documented here and those provided by Fabrc8.

 

I put everything back together, re-attached to the Ultimaker 2+ and as a precaution, did 3 Atomic pulls to clean out the nozzle/make sure no issues existed there.

 

I opened a new package of Ultimaker Black PLA...everything was sealed and new!

 

Started a new print and a while into the print, the same thing happened.

 

Now I suspect I have a simple case of too much tension on the filament, causing the grinding.  What position should it be at by default (if such a thing exists)?

 

Back to cleaning this fella out again!

 

 

[tinkergnome 927]

3 hours ago, LePaul said:

Now I suspect I have a simple case of too much tension on the filament, causing the grinding.  What position should it be at by default (if such a thing exists)?

 

Since you mentioned the guide from fbrc8.com:

The pictures there are very good - the important steps to get the tension right are:

 

Quote

Next, set your white plastic tension indicator and screw in the spring, and place it in the feeder housing between the housing and the lever.

 

 

on your picture the screw-head is outside of the case - which is wrong and can cause grinding...?.

 

 

Quote

Turn the tension indicator screw at the top of the feeder housing until the feeder tension indicator is in the middle position.

 

[LePaul 330]

Hi

 

Im aware of that, it popped out after I opened up the housing.  I wish that was the root cause since I did put it back upon reassembly.  Now if the level indication goes up, that’s less tension?  For some reason I’m having trouble with Ultimaker filament.  The previous types I had in there printed  very well.