Guide on upgrading TAZ4 with E3D v6

Hi,
I decided to write down here the steps I took to complete an upgrade of the TAZ4 to a E3D v6 24V hot end. As it seemed I had to look around to a few different places to find all the details. Also included are some changes to Marlin for the auto extruder fan to work properly.

Let’s start, so you got your new E3D v6 hot end and it is the 24V one. BTW this guide is for the direct version.

  1. Assembly
    Assemble the hot end following these instructions http://wiki.e3d-online.com/wiki/E3D-v6_Assembly
  2. Mount
    Print this mount here http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:905350, much better than the original design by chipchap420, although credits to him for coming with the original idea! E3D v6 fits perfectly on this mount and you don’t have to use tape or other stuff to keep it from moving as in other solutions. You will need 2x M3 20mm screws and 2x M3 nuts.
  3. Connecting everything…
    I took the easy path and connected the extruder fan together with the fan that TAZ 4 already had for cooling the filament. Then connected the thermistor and heat cartridge to a 4 pin header, the 2 cables of the thermistor next to each other and the 2 cables of the heat cartridge next to them, following basically how Budaschnozzle is connected. Just be careful to connect them correctly back to where the Budaschnozzle was connected.
  4. Flashing TAZ
    BEFORE flashing the TAZ remember to note the steps configuration. Follow the first set of instructions from here: link https://www.lulzbot.com/support/firmware-flashing-through-cura
    the simple part is downloading the Marlin source code from here: https://www.lulzbot.com/support/downloads
    then search on configuration.h file and change the following:
#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 7

to

#define TEMP_SENSOR_0 5



#define BANG_MAX 70 // limits current to nozzle while in bang-bang mode; 255=full current
#define PID_MAX 74 // limits current to nozzle while PID is active

to

#define BANG_MAX 150
#define PID_MAX 155

Now if you want you can do the following changes in order to have the fans working automatically whenever the nozzle temperature goes above 40.
set

#define EXTRUDER_FAN_SETUP 4

and a few lines below check that the EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN is set to the correct FAN_PIN (EX_FAN_0 by default which also equals FAN_PIN which is actually 8 for Motherboard = 301)
Now this should be enough since the fans should be turned on from within the temperature.cpp, which they do but almost instantly the shuts off from the planner.cpp as I found out after some debugging.
So to workaround this I added the following:

#if defined(EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN) && EXTRUDER_0_AUTO_FAN_PIN > -1
  if (current_temperature[0] > EXTRUDER_AUTO_FAN_TEMPERATURE) 
    analogWrite(EX_FAN_0,255);
#else
  analogWrite(EX_FAN_0,tail_fan_speed);
#endif

at line 508

Now you are ready to flash TAZ!
5. PID Autotune
Connect using pronterface and send the command

M303 E0 S200 C8

At the end it will give you some values. Mine were the following:

Recv:  Clasic PID
Recv:  Kp: 48.25
Recv:  Ki: 4.66
Recv:  Kd: 124.91

and set them using the following command:

 M301 P48.25 I4.66 D124.91

more here: http://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning
6. Set extruder steps per unit
Remember you had written down some values? Well now is the time to put them back in…
Follow the step Update your Extruder Steps Per Unit from here https://www.lulzbot.com/support/firmware-flashing-through-cura
7. Re-calibrate your Z axis
the new hot end is a bit taller than Buda, so remember to recalibrate your Z axis before you start printing…

Happy printing!

P.S. I hope I didn’t forget anything…
Another good reference post is here: https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/e3d-hot-end-first-pics-and-how-to-guide/704/1

UPDATE
Connecting the extruder fan to the fan that cools the extruded filament has major problems. Basically during the first layers the nozzle gets a drop in temperature because it is close to the bed and the flow from the 2nd fan cools it down.
So I connected the extruder fan to FAN 1 on the board and changed the code.
So now the FAN_PIN is as default used to control the TAZ fan for the extruded plastic, while the FAN1_PIN is controlled according to the temperature of the nozzle.

Ok, this is driving me nuts and maybe you can help!

I am just wrapping up a number of big upgrades to my KitTAZ (basically a TAZ 4), including FSR sensors under the bed for auto leveling and an E3D duel extruder Cyclops hot end with Bowden tubes to dual ezStruders with geared steppers. I have everything setup and working on the Marlin firmware. I have 2 problems but I’ll focus on the PID autotune issue here.

I am using the stock KitTAZ Marlin release “2014Q3” on the startup screen on the LCD (this comes from the bitmap image embedded in the firmware). I want to run M303 to autotune PID and nothing happens. In Pronterface, it just sits there after echoing “PID Autotune start” but nothing happens - no temperature increase on the hot end as you would expect. My command is:

M303 E0 S200 C8

If I do the same in Repetier host, it also echo PID Autotune start but it cycles through showing “1 command waiting” and “Idle” but again no heating. I know the hot end, etc works as I’ve made a few test prints already and just want to tune the PID. Anyone experience this or have any suggestions?

thanks,
Michael

I’d start from basic debugging. Are you sure that the extruder is E0 and not E1? Basically check where it is connected on the RAMPO board.
Have you made the test prints from the PC or from SDCard? Can you check that the baud rate on the serial connection to the printer is set correctly. This can be easily checked by sending other commands (set temperature) from the pronterface.
Otherwise try to find where the M303 command executes in the firmware and put some prints before and in the function to try to understand what’s going on.
Unfortunately I do not have experience at this level but these are the steps I’d follow… hope this helps

Thanks. Yes I’ve made sure the proper extruder is selected. And even if not, with the Cyclops, there is only 1 heater and 1 thermistor used for both extruders so each will give the same results and it won’t matter which is selected. That is the only unusual thing about my config actually.

Test from the PC/Mac and card. I can connect from the PC and do everything else. I am starting to look at the firmware source now too.

I might just abandon this for now since I have my 2nd issue sorted out.

Just tried to upgrade my taz, first I got an U8glib.h error message ( No such file or directory, I forgot to install the library). After installing the library, when trying to flashing the taz I got the error in the attached file (warning: long as lent):

Any help, please?
errore.txt (109 KB)

As far as mounting the E3D V6 goes, using the extruder body designed for the Hexagon hot end and a standard mounting plate works better than the adaptor listed above. It also reduces the length of the assembly. I purchased my plates from Filastruder but I am sure you can get them many places.

Hmm… when I was looking at converting, the E3D seemed a little longer than the Hexagon causing the fan to blow into the nozzle / heater block. Also thought there was some play in the Hexagon plate, it may have been too thin. I ended up printing a plate which was raised a bit above the toolhead so the fan would work with the E3D v6. It needed some longer M4 screws… which I think I never ordered and thus the end of that pursuit.

There was also a modified fan which was posted with slots for the screw holes. This would allow the fan to be adjusted to accommodate the V6’s length. Can’t remember if I saw it here or on Thingiverse.

Glad to see folks have this up and running with the TAZ.

I have been using an extended fan that is actually a little too low for my setup. That adjustable one is on thingiverse. I have been wanting to give it a shot.

Lulzbot TAZ Extended / Adjustable Nozzle Fan Duct for e3D / hexagon hot ends found on #Thingiverse http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1008801

Any suggestions? :question: :frowning:

Suggestions regarding what?

??? Buy the plates from filastruder.com?

Sorry I quoted the wrong post, I mean if anyonw has any suggestion about this: