Can't change filament - clog?

#1

Hi guys - I am really starting to dislike this printer. In the beginning (about 1 year ago) all was well but now I am plagued with problems. I am on my 4th printer after issues with clicking stepper motors, uneven print beds, an LCD that died - just increasingly frustrated with what I am running into. So I let a print job run over night - it worked fine, I go to change the filament like I always do - heat nozzle to 210 for PLA - then run the change filament - it took a few tries - but I got the filament out - now trying to put another color in and it won’t budge.

They have the worst filament change that I have ever seen - have you seen how PRUSA loads and unloads - wow - its amazing compared to this.

I don’t want to take apart the head - any advice?

Thanks

#2

I got it - I had to heat my nozzle to 240c - and used CURA to manually extrude and retract a few times - while inserting the new filament - I should not have to go through this to simply change filament. WTH?!

#3

What printer? What print head? Those temps are way too hot, you’re deep in the melting zone. A cold pull is done at 160c for PLA. I find it best to extrude 10mm at 180C, adjust the temp to 160C then pull out the filament by hand or retract 60mm or more on the aerostruder print head.

#4

Thank you - I will adjust the temps as you suggested for the next change - it is the mini 2 desktop with the standard aero extruder head. I think the trick is as you suggested - to extrude before retracting. Using the Change Filament option from the LCD just does not seem to work like it used to.