Error Message from my new Makerbot Replicator 2

[DonFrambach]

Newbie here!!

Received my Makerbot Replicator 2 last Saturday and have made about 30 small prints without any errors.

Today I just finished a 2 hour print (I've done several of those) and, after a successful print, this message appeared on my screen:

Heater Error!

My temperature reads

are failing!  Please

Check my connections

Suggestions??????????????

Must confess that I ignored the error and made two more 2 hour prints without problems

Then, after another successful 2 hour print, the error message appeared again.

As I type this, the printer is working OK.

[veet...@gmail.com]

I just got the same message, Heating failure #5.

It is reading 400/240.

It is not getting accurate temperature readings.

Anyone have a quick fix?

[Damian Gto]

You need to check the wires is not loose.

If there is no change then contact MBI.

Do not use the printer....

[Dan Newman]

On 1 Jul 2013 , at 6:55 AM, veet...@gmail.com wrote:

> I just got the same message, Heating failure #5.
>
> It is reading 400/240.
> It is not getting accurate temperature readings.
> Anyone have a quick fix?

Sounds like you are running MBI's 7.2 or earlier firmware? The 400C is
the temp you see when the thermocouple reading exceeds the values built
into their lookup table. In 7.2 and earlier, there was a bug in their
lookup table support and you could get that error when the thermocouple's
hot end was reading a voltage equivalent to 240C. (Actual temp would
be higher since that doesn't include the cold junction compensation.)

So, if you have 7.2 or earlier, upgrade to MBI's 7.3. If you have Sailfish,
then this was discussed sometime back on the Sailfish -- back when we
discovered the bug and reported it to MBI.

Dan

[veet...@gmail.com]

Dan,

I have the 7.3 already.  I contacted MBI and am waiti

Vinnyng to see what they say.  

[veet...@gmail.com]

Damian,

Where exactly would there be a loose wire?

[3DwannaB]

MBI suggests to first check the 2 wires attached to the controller board. Flip the bot on it's side remove the screws, remove the box cover and look for the wires with the orange insulation cover attached to the board. Tightest the screws.

I found with my rep2 that I got this message due to this cable getting cinched between the extruder carriage and the stepper motor. If tightening the screws does not work, take the stepper motor off (keep the fan on the cold block and simply loosen the two bolts and remove the motor) and look at the tc wire in the extruder. It goes from the hot block to the bundle along with the heater cables. The motor can cinch them. Simply move them around very gingerly and see how the bot reacts. If this is the problem one solution is to disconnect the heater cable and reroute it the other way around to the bundle giving the TC cables all the room. I solved it by doing that.

[DonFrambach]

MarkerBot Suppport also recommended that I do what 3DwannaB said.

I first checked the connections to the Mightyboard.  These seemed fine but I disconnected and reconnected the wires (my board had push tabs).  A started my Replicator and things worked fine for more than a day.  

However, the error returned so I did the second thing MakerBot suggested which was to remove the extruder and inspect the wire connection to the thermal core.  The connection seemed to be fine but I did note that the shrink tubing adjacent to the connection was strangely broken (photo attached).   I reassembled the unit, made two more prints, and the error returned.  I removed the extruder again and tried to loosen the nut holding wire in place.  I turned the nut about 1 turn and found that I wasn't getting anywhere so I tightened the nut and reassembled the unit.  Now the error is constant and no printing is possible.

I sent a report to MakerBot but I'm totally stuck. 

Anyone have any suggestions? 

[Vinny Garrison]

You need a new thermocouple. That solved the identical problem for me.

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[DonFrambach]

Thats what MakerBot Support also said. 

BTW, the support that I have received so far from MakerBot couldn't be any better.  When I first reported the problem, they responded the next day.  I followed up on the same problem last night and they responded at 8:46 ET today.  I confirmed my contact information as they requested about an hour later  (6:45 California time) and they responded to me about 15 minutes after that.  Support has put in an order for a new thermocouple (and already sent me installation instructions).  Hopefully there will be no delay getting the thermocouple out to me.

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[3DwannaB]

Hope it works out ok. Please post the result.

[DonFrambach]

Received an update from MakerBot yesterday afternoon saying that Support requested that Shipping send me the replacement thermocouple.  Today Shipping sent me a note saying that the thermocouple had shipped with a USPS tracking number.  Wish support didn't take from Friday morning until Tuesday afternoon to make an internal request to ship the part to me.  But at least it's on the way

[3DwannaB]

What did they tell you about how to swap the parts? Did they give you instructions?

[DonFrambach]

New thermocouple came yesterday (to my office) so I didn't know about it until last night.  I had already received installation instructions from MakerBot Support.  Installation was easy and my machine is working again!!!!!!!!!!!

Interesting,  the new thermocouple wire is much more robust than the old one.  Now multistrand and much higher guage.  The original wire was quite flimsly.   This one looks like it is up to the job.

Here are a couple of photos (showing the old and new wires side by side):

[Dan Newman]

On 14 Jul 2013 , at 9:54 AM, DonFrambach wrote:

> New thermocouple came yesterday (to my office) so I didn't know about it
> until last night. I had already received installation instructions from
> MakerBot Support. Installation was easy and my machine is working
> again!!!!!!!!!!!
>
> Interesting, the new thermocouple wire is much more robust than the old
> one. Now multistrand and much higher guage.

Actually higher gauge can be a bad idea. Since it is multistrand, maybe
it will hold up. But in general, the finer gauge thermocouples hold up
much, much better in moving carriages. The problem with them in Rep 2's
is inadequate strain relief coupled with that slightly too tight of a
bend at the back of the heater block. (And, of course, that the beads
aren't welded and instead were twisted together was a real bad idea.)

Only time will tell -- maybe the higher guage BUT multistranded will
work out. But unless MBI has fixed the strain relief problem, it's unlikely
to work out any better.

Dan