# Nozzle Overcooling failure?

**URL:** <https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057>\
**Category:** Hardware\
**Created:** [December 9, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057 "2014-12-09T18:43:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![steve918](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/steve918/32/9214_2.png) [@steve918](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/steve918)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 6:43pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057/1 "2014-12-09T18:43:39Z")

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I just setup my new Taz 4 about a week ago and was having trouble with long (over ~45min) PLA prints failing. After doing some research I added a second fan to help cool the nozzle which allowed me make several prints spanning 3+ hours.

I noticed immediately that if I ran the fan at 100% the nozzle wouldn’t maintain temperature over about 165C. Running the fan between 10-25% kept the nozzle cool and it was still able to maintain 190c with no problems, but I fear it was pulling a lot of amps to do so because it fried the resistor.

Has anyone run into this sort of thing? Does it sound like the probable cause for the failure?

 ![2014-12-06 09.11.26.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/d/da32341d47715ea53d400fbc374bf6e4a948aa4d.jpeg)  
 ![2014-12-06 02.53.50.jpg](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/lulzbot/original/2X/c/c4292c02f4ab88581f1bf8dc8c5d2a7eb12c4606.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![gapdev](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/gapdev/32/9174_2.png) [@gapdev](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/gapdev)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057/2 "2014-12-09T21:18:13Z")

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My 2nd Fan runs at 100% and the hotend has no problem maintaining temperatures. I now print PLA at 190 and sometimes 200 depending upon where it was purchased from.

It’s probably a good idea to have extra resistors on hand because I’ve noticed that they become brittle and cracked, even on the extruders with no extra fans.

Kenny

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**Author:** ![steve918](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/steve918/32/9214_2.png) [@steve918](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/steve918)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057/3 "2014-12-09T22:45:48Z")

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Any idea if this type of heater is more relibable? [http://www.geeetech.com/12v-30w-cartridge-wire-heater-heating-wire-p-804.html](http://www.geeetech.com/12v-30w-cartridge-wire-heater-heating-wire-p-804.html)

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**Author:** ![gapdev](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/gapdev/32/9174_2.png) [@gapdev](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/gapdev)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2014, 11:02pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/nozzle-overcooling-failure/1057/4 "2014-12-09T23:02:44Z")

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> Any idea if this type of heater is more relibable? \> [http://www.geeetech.com/12v-30w-cartrid](http://www.geeetech.com/12v-30w-cartrid) \> … p-804.html

I’ve wondered about that myself, and wondered why we are not using a better method of heating.

We would need a 24 volt version of that heat cartridge.

Kenny