MakerGear Forum

I just upgraded from my old V3 to the new V4 hotend.

My new hotend won't heat up past 200 C. I'm trying to print PLA at 210. I have it set for 210 in Simplify 3D. I've used the program plenty with my old hotend, so I know I have it set correctly. It simply won't go above 200.

Here's what I see happen: I set it for 210 and hit "Set" in S3D. The machine is sent the "M104 S210 T0" command. The small red LED on the control board illuminates. The temperature climbs. It gets to 206, the red LED goes off, and the temperature falls. When the temp gets down to 200, the red LED starts blinking rapidly and the temp hovers at 199-200.

In the temperature tab, check to make sure that you have Layer 1 set to 210 also. Just a thought...

Yeah, I do. And I'm not even talking about trying to start a print. Just manually hitting "Set" in the Machine Control Panel.

Or it might be a bad thermistor. (It happens sometimes.)

Check the connections first to make sure that they are secure. If they are okay contact Support at MakerGear and let them know the problem.

So, when manually setting the temperature - preheating basically - I set it for 210, and while I get readings above 200 when it peaks as it warms up, it then settles in around 200.

Regarding the thermistor, I had that thought myself. I tried using a multimeter with a temperature probe, but the reading on the outside of the brass nozzle was only around 160; so I'm guessing it only hits "full" temp on the inside. At any rate, the wired connections on the thermistor and to the board seemed fine when I put it together. Is the thermistor itself connected to the nozzle? Is it soldered on or something I need to check in that way?

The thermistors now are connected to the V4 hotend with set screws. (On older versions of the V4 hotends they just lifted out.)

There is a setting for maximum temp that might be set incorrectly, but unfortunately i'm not the one to talk you through changing it. (The guys have discussed it here i the past, but I can't find it.) Contact MakerGear support and tell them the problem, they can walk you through it.

Or if it's a bad thermistor - that is easy to replace.

Problem solved. Mine is an older unit (April 2013). MakerGear support suggested a firmware upgrade. They sent me what I needed, I flashed it onto the RAMBo board, and all is well. The PIDs are actually waaaay better tuned than before. It homes in on the extruder temp like a shark (it used to yo-yo like crazy). Thanks for all the suggestions. Posting my solution for posterity.

Awesome!