Hi guys,
This is a picture of the top part of the extruder of the FF creator Pro. The black connector pin is on the left side, for my left extruder. The white connector pin is for the right extruder.
Currently I have been only printing with the right extruder (because i have some tool 1 error when I am trying to load filament to the left)…
Can I saw these connector pins so my left extruder would work?
Are they interchangeable or not?
Thanks for the help
MB3D
2
You would need to switch the motor cables, the cables for the temperature sensor (usually two very small ones) and the cables for the heater cartridge (usually two a little thicker ones).
WHOA! saw your connector pins? It sounds to me like you should be trouble shooting the software error instead of modifying the hardware.
Is there something wrong with the Left extruder? Assuming there is, it would be easy to swap the nozzle or even swap the steppers. why jump straight to sawing connector pins?
Can you please explain problem further? Given the provided information I believe there are several options that are better than modifying connectors.
No, just switching those 2 connectors would make the right side heat up and it would try to run filament on the left side which isn’t heated. It’s better to figure out why the left is not working. Probably some loose wiring.
It would be easier to swap first the stepper motors, you would also need to swap the extruder assembly. I have taken my steppers out for maintenance cleaning a lot of times it’s simpler. Do not just swap the wires, coz the software will think your right is left and left is right.
you can swap them, but you need to also swap the heater and thermocouple to match. They’re on the bottom.
but… Your tool 1 error is most likely to be the heater or the thermocouple not the stepper motor anyway.
be careful. The firmware is trying to save you from a safety problem. It needs to see the temperatures rise on the heater that it is applying electricity to.
Also, some of those wires carry 24v. The thermocouple * must* remain electrically insulated from the other wires and from the heater block. A short will send 24v into 5v components on the motherboard and fry them.
the thermocouple needs to be both electrically isolated, but securely in thermal contract with the heater block. If it slips out, the heater can dramatically over heat.
the easiest thing to check is whether it is plugged in properly to the motherboard. If it comes unplugged, that’ll cause the tool2 error. It’s prudent to check with a multimeter that it is not sorted to the heater block before plugging the printer back on.
6123D
7
It’s definitely the thermocouple like Mark said, it’s fairly simple part to replace but some caution must be used to prevent creating bigger problems. Since you said you normally only use the right extruded anyway I’d recommend removing it all together, I’ve done it to all 4 of my FF clones (see pic for example). Removing the second extruded completely drops the weight and strain on the head by 50% which will help your printer run quieter and longer with less wear. If you’d like help with either options just let me know, I’m more than happy to help!
6123D
8
Oops forgot to attach the picture.
Hi guys,
Thanks for all the responses…so let me first tell you that I have been seeing this “tool 1 error check wiring” since the first day I got the machine. I left it there as I was busy printing with the right one.
So yesterday, nearly after 2 months of printing with the right, I noticed that I could not load filament into the right extruder, all i heard was clicking noises. So i removed the stepper gear and cleaned it out and unscrewed the nozzle and found there to be a blockade in the teflon tube. After I got that cleared I put everything back together and today again I had the clicking noises issue.
So i opened up the nozzle again and found the tip of the teflon tube to be melted into the shape of a sharp pencil (see attachment).
Can i just cut off the part and use the other half of the teflon tube which has no damage to it? Or does it need to be the same length as the original tube?
As far as the tool 1 error goes, I took out and put back in the two wires that go in the green coloured thermocouple on the bottom of the printer, but still no luck…
In fact last night was the first night when I was actually able to load and successfully extrude filament into the left…then I got the same error message, so I could not continue with the left…so I know it works , but still cannot figure out why i get the message every time I turn the printer on…and why I was able to load filament into the left side just yesterday, after having tried scores of times…
where can you buy replacement teflon tubes and nozzles? what about a new thermocouple?
I’ve also attached a pic of the underside of my creator pro…does it seem ok? anything amiss?
again thanks for the help…
