Error Code 032 in Z-Suite?

[MikeHenry]

I've been these at the start of about 1 out of 3 prints lately working with MeltInk PLA+PHA using Z-ABS in the slicer a -70° in Z-Temp.  Is there anything that can be done to prevent it? 

In case it matters, I was having dual fan problems on the hot end/extruder a while back and repaired the old-style ribbon cable by cutting off the last 1/2-in or so of the cable and installing a new cable connector.

[Julia Truchsess]

Hi Mike,

I assume you mean the error is shown on the printer LCD and not in Z-Suite. Is there any further description of the error, or it just says "032"?

When exactly does the error occur? Right after the front-left height sensing, or at some other time?

What firmware version are you running? What bed heat switch setting?

Julia

[MikeHenry]

Crap - must have forgotten to "Post" after writing out a long reply.

Anyway, the message is on the LCD, not ZSuite as you surmised.  Literally "Error #032 Check the main extruder and restart the printer", which apparently means to cycle power.

I'm running ZSuite 1.7.1 and firmware 1.0.5.  The parts are sliced for Z-ABS and I'm using -70 °C on Z-Temp and position #1 on the heater.

I half suspect that the heater PID parameters are not very good for these settings and that the heater is ramping fast enough that it overshoots the setpoint, as adjusted by Z-Temp and the firmware sees an overtemp condition.

I should also mention that I had a few occasions where the heater overheated enough so that a lot of smoke was generated from the hot end somewhere.  That was apparently due to the Z-Temp multi-connector working itself partly off the top of the extruder and unrelated to this Error #032 business.  The overheats seemed to mostly trash the PTFE tubing, I think, but maybe it affected something else as well.  I've replaced the block, SS tube and PTFE tubing so that shouldn't be an issue.

[Julia Truchsess]

If you start a print with the extruder already hotter than the target temp by more than 10 degrees, then you will certainly get an error. I thought was something informative like "extruder too hot", but I could be wrong. The actual temperature needs to be no more than 5-10 degrees above the target at the start of the print. Happens to me fairly often after unloading ABS and then I put the temp down to 200 for PLA - I have to sit there blowing on the hot end to cool it

As long as that's true, I've never seen an error on my two machines and a number of Z-Temps. Overheating shouldn't damage anything except the PTFE tube; I would think the thermocouple could take a lot higher temp.

You didn't say when the error occurs. With the situation I described, it always happens just after the left-front height sensing.

[MikeHenry]

Sorry - the "when" was in the reply that didn't get sent.  It happens right after the bed and extruder heat and just before it starts to do it's level sensing routine.  I've been paying more attention lately and it seems that the Z-Temp color "thermometer" is a bit on the high side when the error occurs so I've been waiting a minute or two after the error to try again and that seems to be working.  I can deal with that sort of over-temp solution and just wanted to be sure I didn't have some sort of cable or wiring problem.

[Julia Truchsess]

Z-ABS profile and -70º are parameters that I use often. It's normal for the extruder temp to overshoot by as much as 10 or more degrees at the start of a print (especially when it has to wait for the bed to heat up) but the error is not normal. The fact that the error happens before the height sensing starts is odd. Maybe your hypothesis about the PID loop being off is correct, and the overshoot is more than the firmware is expecting. Maybe pull the thermocouple and heater out and clean them off?

[MikeHenry]

I'll give that a shot.  It's not a big deal so long as I wait for printing to start before leaving the room.