My printer stoped extruding midprint. Happened several times already.
The first time I thought: Nozzle clogged.
After checking the filament and the nozzle I noticed, the filament didn't have grinding marks. But I noticed that the extruder wheel wasn't turning at all.
"Damn it" I thought "the extruder broke down". To be sure it wasn't a software or electronic problem, I switched off the cetus and restarted it.
Every time this has happened so far I could extrude normaly after switching it off and back on.
Recently I had a couple of times when this happened, I did my procedure, It would extrude normaly after that. But during the next print it happened again.
Now it is printing, the print is almost done. Without a problem.
Anybody experienced this? Have you another explanation than it being a software bug?
Should mention, after the problem occured and before restarting the printer, the extruder gear is totaly forceless. Normaly it would hold it's position and you are not able to turn it.
Happened again. Two smaller prints printing till the end. Next one stopped after about 20 layers.
It seems it's not the cable. I fiddled with it while it was extruding, it didn't stop. And I could not get it to run again with fiddleing when it was not extruding.
So how do I solve the motherboard problem?
And why can I fix it temporarily by switching the printer off and on?
@JohnGood, did you also check the connection of the extruder cable to the motherboard? It's plugged in on both ends and either side could come loose.
When you switch it off and back on, are you doing that within a few seconds of each other, or are you letting it cool down in between? Just wondering if heat expansion is a factor.
@JohnGood, heat expansion got me thinking of one more thing: have you removed the white cover on top of the extruder and checked to make sure the stepper motor is plugged into that PCB properly?
Will check the whole connection of the extruder motor.
Heat is also a good idea, since yesterday and today were the warmest days of the year so far. Although it started working immediately after switching it off. Also tested it after a longer cooling phase, didn't help.