What else causes clogging?

Howdy y’all …
I am having a problem with clogging. I have printed several items in PETG including a number of transparent refill spools. I tried printing PETG after the software update using dried BBL transparent PETG and the SS 0.4 nozzle. I ended up with a mess on the bed and the nozzle. All this using a previously used pattern, the same filament and the same nozzle as for other prints. I cleaned the bed and the nozzle and tried again. I got the same results! I again cleaned the nozzle … removed the heat source behind the nozzle and tightened the screws behind it … and … tried again. Same results. I waited a day, changed the nozzle to a hardened steel 0.4 hotend and tried again … shoot … again I had a mess to clean. I went back to the SS nozzle for the same result. I could put in a ticket with BBL but last time I tried that the results were both slow and not helpful … can’t call them for timely assistance either.

I don’t know what else needs checking … not the hotend, not the filament being wet … not the bed needing cleaned (even tried with and without glue stick) Can anybody guide me?

Can you post images? What makes you suspect a clog?

1 Like

Since you got a mess on the bed, it may be, but is not neccessarily, a partial clog.

Since PETG loves to stick to the nozzle, how and how thoroughly did you clean what type of build plate? If you used IPA only and printed PLA beforehand it would be logical for the first layer to be merrily dragged around by the nozzle.

Pictures would be really helpful…

An undersight on my part … I didn’t take any pictures. Clog may be the wrong term. I ended up with a ball or PETG on the nozzle and big blobs on the bed … we’re talking big blobs. My confusion is that I am using standard slicer settings that all worked before the update with a pattern and filament that have been working perfectly. wince nothing has changed in those ways I don’t know if a fan or something is bad or something changed updating the firmware I need to check . Dried for 10+ hours, washed bed, new BBL roll … I am just confused.

PETG can be very sensitive to cooling.

If your parts are small (layer times are short) the PETG will need more part fan cooling.

It could also be caused by bad bed adhesion. What kind of plate are you using? How often to do you clean it? How do you clean it?

Without pictures of the slicer preview and the results, it is really hard to help you troubleshoot.

PETG is “sticky” and moisture seems to make it want to curl.

There was a whole collection of posts back late last summer as humidities rose where people were finding their extruders encased in plastic after the extruded filament got turned up into the sock and even extruder housing.

If I had to bet, my money would be on wet filament/inadequate or no drying.

I dried for 10+ hours at 55 and spinning in the Eibos Polythemus and held at 10% humidity while I set up the print … should have been dry I think. So still unsure that is the issue.

I am suing a PEI textured plate. I cleaned with Dawn just before a few failed prints and cleaned the same way with added BBL glue stick just before other failures. I have printed these parts successfully in the past (recently) so am confused. I don’t know how to test the fans for cooling or what may have changed.

To quickly recap, here are the things that can cause PETG to stick to the nozzle:

You will probably find some of the issues mentioned can be attributed to all filaments especially nozzle clumping

1 Like

Well, usually even after cleaning you’ll want to spray with IPA and wipe with a micro fiber cloth before printing with PETG.

But since you said you tried with glue and still didn’t get bed adhesion, I’d say your issue is probably elsewhere.

Please post screen shots of what you are trying to print and the settings you might be using.

A picture of what the end result looks like might help as well.

We’re just shooting in the dark otherwise.

2 Likes

I will try another print tomorrow. When I get home I will put filament in to dry first. Thanks everyone … I will post pics or the next attempt. The PETG seems awfully “drippy” to me but is the same settings as all other prints … will try again.

1 Like