My 3/4 spool feeder unit seems to have some issues. And, as I have recently relearned from previous posts of mine, it could absolutely be user error. Then ol ID10T error code if you will.
80% of the time during color change, I will get a failure to feed filament when the color is on spool 3 or 4, sometimes I will get a failure to retract error. The feed unit motor definitely sounds like it’s struggling.
I have very little issue spending more money than I need to and just throw money at the issue instead of actually diagnosing anything. But id like to at least throw money in the right direction.
But, do I throw money at the whole filament feed unit ($70usd) or just the motor ($8 use). How much of a pain in the butt is replacing the feed head or motor? And is there 1 motor per feed unit (ie 2 total per AMS lite) or 1 motor per spool (4 total per AMS).
I’ve had this issue with both PETG and PLA, several brands and colors. The only other thing I can think of is there is something misaligned in the 4 to 1/nozzle so the filament isn’t straight to go into the extruder gears/nozzle. But you’d think is get the error on all 4 spools not just the 2 on 3/4.
Open to other suggestions as well.
Thanks
Update: just just a notification that my print stopped because ams slot 4 filament failed to extrude. Awesome
If I manually feed the filament by removing the tube, pushing filament through so I can grab it, hold the filament release and put the filament down into the nozzle, it works just fine.
I don’t actually know what the white powder ■■■■ is. I assume dust of some sort, but ANYTHING plastic in the apartment will get the white powdery ■■■■ on it within days. From the trashcan I’m sitting in front of in the kitchen, to the acrylic case the Lego Disney castle in my bedroom.
The leading theory is it’s dust (obviously) from the ancient carpet that was originally in the apartment that they just laid new carpet over. Though that new carpet is now at least 10 year old. It’s just my wife and myself here, no pets, no kids. We aren’t dirty people, so we don’t REALLY know what’s going on.
The ducts were recently cleaned within a year or so ago so that’s good. Though the flexible dryer duct is about 30 feet too long and clogs often, so that definitely doesn’t help anything.
As for recording it doing it’s thing I can’t at the moment, I’m reprinting a Lego man arm that decided it had better places to be than stuck to the build plate
I had a similar issue recently, although only on one feeder (3) - which may suggest the fault (below) was different to yours.
I tried different filament, a new PTFE tube, & new feed motor (courtesy of BL support) all without effect. Turned out the idler wheel on the end of the filament release arm was almost seized. With the arm in the released position, that wheel should spin easily. It’s worth a try. If that’s the problem you’ll have to replace the feeder funnel unit(s).
Having taken my feeder unit apart 3 times…Make sure you open the feeder device golder from the casing. Easy to unplug then. Its bit tricky to disassemble and reassemble, especially with the spring having laod before you can tighten it with the screws. Also punpluggin the small connecters on the feeder tube can be hard.
Mine had a dead motor. Measured resistance comparing with the other motor and it seems shorted. Retracting and feeding simnply stopped but started erratically failing. The noise it makes, sounds like your motor is working but somthing grinds on the filament or is scraping inside. prhaps the metal feeder wheels?
I would …
Take it apart, take a picture of how the wheels are aligned. Clean it and re-assemble.
If you need to take the motor out make sure you also remember the cable management. (where they routed, because it can get in the way of the swinging gears.
Shouldn’t take longer than 20 min.
If that fails… spend the $69.99
