Hot end lost power and isnt getting hot anymore.

[ImADesignerd]

The hot end heater lost power after about the 4th or 5th layer of my first print attempt. Sad. Face.

Now I cant get the hotend to heat up at all.

I double checked the wires coming from D10 on the RAMPS in case they had come loose.

Any suggestions?

[printbus]

Let's walk through some troubleshooting. Correct any assumptions I'm making that are wrong.

1. It doesn't make much difference if the hot end doesn't heat at all now, but are you seeing this when starting to print a gcode file via SD card or when attempting to control the temperature directly with host software like Pronterface or Repetier-Host? On the initial problem of the heater shutting off after some number of layers in a print, there was the chance the issue could have been in how the slicer was configured. If you're using host software through USB, I assume you appear to be connecting to the printer OK.

2. IIRC, you built an 8-inch i3v. This means you have the RAMPS electronics with a 20x4 LCD. If the printer LCD is lighting up, RAMPS is getting the power input it needs to source the hot end heater cartridge, so wiring from the power supply shouldn't be an issue.

3. What is being shown for actual temperature readings on the LCD? There are two sets of numbers separated by a / displayed on the top row of the LCD. The pair of numbers on the left are for the nozzle; the pair of numbers on the right are for the heated bed. In each pair, the left number is the current temperature and the right-hand number is the set temperature. Without the heater running, the current temperature should be showing the ambient room temperature. If it is reading 0, the hot end thermistor or the connection to it has opened. If it is reading something high like 374, the hot end thermistor or the connection to it has shorted out. Both are detected by Marlin as error conditions that will prevent the heater circuit from activating, and an error message regarding MIN TEMP or MAX TEMP will be displayed on the bottom row of the LCD.

4. When you attempt to turn on the nozzle heater, does the right-hand number in the LCD temperature pair for the nozzle correctly show the set point temperature?

5. The D10 heater output is controlled by a MOSFET switch on RAMPS. RAMPS includes LEDs that indicate the state of each of the three MOSFET switches. When you attempt to turn on the heater, do you see any LEDs on RAMPS light up? With RAMPS mounted on the printer, the red LED for the D10 output is near the lower left corner of the board - just to the left of the D10 terminals. If the LED turns on but the heater doesn't warm up, the heater cartridge has likely failed or the wiring to the cartridge has opened up. If you have a meter capable of measuring resistance, we can pursue measuring the cartridge resistance.

6. If the D10 LED doesn't turn on, it may be that the MOSFET switch for D10 has failed. Confirm that by disconnecting the heater from the D10 terminals and verifying that the LED still doesn't come on when you set the nozzle for a temperature higher than shown by the current temperature. If this is the case, since you don't have a print cooler on your printer yet we can pursue at least temporarily moving the cartridge heater over to the D9 circuit with a firmware change. If the LED turns on but only with the heater disconnected, the D10 MOSFET switch is still likely the problem since it can only switch a small load like the LED.

[ImADesignerd]

Thanks for the help Printbus.

1. I was trying to print via the SD card. I sliced the hollow_cube.stl file with Cura and put it on the SD card, then took the card to the printer. Once I noticed the extruder not extruding anymore, I looked at the temps and the hot end thermistor was crashing down.

2.LCD is totally working.

3. The numbers now read as follows 22/240 and 70/70. I used the manual control on the LCD to try and "preheat" the hot end and bed. Bed gets to temp, hot end doesnt move at all. However, when I touch the hot end with my fingers, the temp goes up a degree or two, which leads me to believe that the thermistor is working properly.

4. Yes. The right hand number is 225 or 240 depending on if I am "preheating" or trying to print the cube (240)

5.Both LEDs on the RAMPS are nice and bright red. I tried to double check the wiring, but I suppose I can check again. I have a meter, but I don't know if it is capable of measuring resistance. I don't really know how to use it to be honest. LOL

6. I think this question is moot because my LEDs are lighting up properly.

Thanks again for the help and I will log in to the chat later today to try and talk through this.

[printbus]

Sounds like the cartridge heater failed. See you on the IRC - we can walk through how to use the meter.

[printbus]

For thread completeness, and in case others run into this thread in the future and are also unfamiliar with using a mutlimeter....

ImADesignerd indicated he is using this multimeter - http://www.harborfreight.com/7-funct...ter-98025.html. This is a typical low-cost multimeter. The measurements may not be all that precise, but it should do for this.

The meter has three jacks for the two test leads. You'd normally use the COM and volts/ohms/mA jacks. You'd only use the 10ADC jack when measuring high currents that need to bypass some of the input circuitry of the meter.

To check for DC voltage at the power supply output or anywhere else, set the meter mode switch to the DCV 20 position. That position will allow the meter to measure up to 19.9 volts full scale. With the printer turned on, touch the two probes to the points you want to measure. The power supply should be set to output around 12V. There isn't a magic tolerance you have to meet, but shooting for within 0.1 or 0.2V would be good.

To check the cartridge heater, we'll be using the resistance measuring part of the meter. On some meters this might be labeled as ohms; on the referenced meter it is labeled with a Greek omega symbol. The heater cartridge is low resistance, so we'll use the 200 ohm scale. With the meter leads not touching anything, the meter will likely read 199 or perhaps show OL, indicating that the resistance seen is beyond the current range setting. Now touch the leads together. The meter should show zero or something close to it. The "close to it" may actually be the resistance of the wiring in the test probes. Note that reading.

Since the problem with the heater could be a bad wire connection, I'd suggest checking the heater WITHOUT removing it from the hot end or even disconnecting the wires at RAMPS to minimize disturbing anything. WITH THE PRINTER OFF, touch the meter probes to the D10 terminal screws on RAMPS. The meter should now read something like 4 to 6 ohms more than it did with the meter probes shorted together. If it does, the cartridge heater is possibly OK and there may be an intermittent connection in the wiring. If the meter reads 199 or OL, I'd then try fiddling with the wires at the hot end a bit to see if the reading changes.

Most cartridge heaters have crimped connections within 1-2 inches of the cartridge, and these crimps are usually covered with a larger sleeving. These crimps could be a failure location. Try pulling the sleeving back on both wires to expose the crimp contacts. If they can be exposed, try measuring the resistance there. If the heater reads OK here but not at the far end of the wires, there's a bad crimp or a wire broken somewhere before RAMPS.

Note that flexing of the wires directly exiting the heater cartridge will cause them to break. See if the leads heading right into the cartridge are intact. It may even be possible to push back the small high temp tubing covering the leads so that you could measure the resistance right at the cartridge element.

[danrodz]

Excellent walkthru and very handy reference printbus!

[printbus]

Excellent walkthru and very handy reference printbus!

Thanks. I think I was born with a meter in my hands (albeit analog in those days). Sometimes it takes a nudge to remember not everyone is comfortable using one.

I STILL remember my Mom & Dad chewing me out for disassembling an antique crank-style telephone that had been laying around the basement. I know when we moved from that house, so I couldn't have been more than about 7 years old. I remember the room - the yelling - looking at the pile of parts wondering if I could get it back together... which it did not.

[danrodz]

Thanks. I think I was born with a meter in my hands (albeit analog in those days). Sometimes it takes a nudge to remember not everyone is comfortable using one.

I STILL remember my Mom & Dad chewing me out for disassembling an antique crank-style telephone that had been laying around the basement. I know when we moved from that house, so I couldn't have been more than about 7 years old. I remember the room - the yelling - looking at the pile of parts wondering if I could get it back together... which it did not.

That is very funny. When I was a kid I had a project table that my mom and sister called the Table of Death because it was where devices went to die and get dismembered ha ha ha

[ImADesignerd]

For thread completeness, and in case others run into this thread in the future and are also unfamiliar with using a mutlimeter....

ImADesignerd indicated he is using this multimeter - http://www.harborfreight.com/7-funct...ter-98025.html. This is a typical low-cost multimeter. The measurements may not be all that precise, but it should do for this.

The meter has three jacks for the two test leads. You'd normally use the COM and volts/ohms/mA jacks. You'd only use the 10ADC jack when measuring high currents that need to bypass some of the input circuitry of the meter.

(1) To check for DC voltage at the power supply output or anywhere else, set the meter mode switch to the DCV 20 position. That position will allow the meter to measure up to 19.9 volts full scale. With the printer turned on, touch the two probes to the points you want to measure. The power supply should be set to output around 12V. There isn't a magic tolerance you have to meet, but shooting for within 0.1 or 0.2V would be good.

(2) To check the cartridge heater, we'll be using the resistance measuring part of the meter. On some meters this might be labeled as ohms; on the referenced meter it is labeled with a Greek omega symbol. The heater cartridge is low resistance, so we'll use the 200 ohm scale. With the meter leads not touching anything, the meter will likely read 199 or perhaps show OL, indicating that the resistance seen is beyond the current range setting. Now touch the leads together. The meter should show zero or something close to it. The "close to it" may actually be the resistance of the wiring in the test probes. Note that reading.

(3) Since the problem with the heater could be a bad wire connection, I'd suggest checking the heater WITHOUT removing it from the hot end or even disconnecting the wires at RAMPS to minimize disturbing anything. WITH THE PRINTER OFF, touch the meter probes to the D10 terminal screws on RAMPS. The meter should now read something like 4 to 6 ohms more than it did with the meter probes shorted together. If it does, the cartridge heater is possibly OK and there may be an intermittent connection in the wiring. If the meter reads 199 or OL, I'd then try fiddling with the wires at the hot end a bit to see if the reading changes.

(4) Most cartridge heaters have crimped connections within 1-2 inches of the cartridge, and these crimps are usually covered with a larger sleeving. These crimps could be a failure location. Try pulling the sleeving back on both wires to expose the crimp contacts. If they can be exposed, try measuring the resistance there. If the heater reads OK here but not at the far end of the wires, there's a bad crimp or a wire broken somewhere before RAMPS.

(5) Note that flexing of the wires directly exiting the heater cartridge will cause them to break. See if the leads heading right into the cartridge are intact. It may even be possible to push back the small high temp tubing covering the leads so that you could measure the resistance right at the cartridge element.

1. Multimeter working as described. Output on PSU is now set to 12.01 volts.

2. Wire resistance 1.2. Noted.

3. When measuring at D10 I get no reading. Fiddling with wires, still no reading.

4. Pulled the sleeves back and measured at the crimps. No reading.

5. Wires heading into the cartridge are intact. Cant really pull the wire covering back to measure right at the base of the element.

I think I have a fried heat element. Bummer.