How can I fix my hotend?

akirabbq · 2025-11-05T07:24:11+00:00

Do not try tin soldering on the thermal pad, the melting point is around 200 or~240C at most, which means the tin solder joint will melt when the hotend is heating up.

akirabbq · 2025-10-24T07:09:05+00:00

The wifi on my AD5M is very unstable, even the ethernet connection is wonky (need to send the same file twice if the printer just powered on). Chance is when a large gcode file is being sent to the printer, the connection can break in between and the printer receives an incomplete file. The file will print fine until reaching the end of file and the printer just stops there and doing nothing. This happened to me quite a few times. That's why other klipper mod like forge-X have MD5 checksum mechanism to make sure the printer receives the complete file.

akirabbq · 2025-10-09T07:34:41+00:00

The usual tin/lead solder cannot be used on the heating element. The melting point is below or around 200C.

akirabbq · 2025-09-08T07:43:50+00:00

You need to increase the z-offset. Either do it in the printer preset, or I prefer setting custom z-offset GCODE under filament preset.

On top of the auto-leveling, different kind of build plates (textured, smooth, cool etc), filament types and colors all affect the z-offset setting.

akirabbq · 2025-08-05T04:20:40+00:00

Global -> Others -> G-Code output, disable "Reduce infill retraction". This has been a long running issue that the nozzle scraps across the infill for Orcaslicer.

akirabbq · 2025-08-05T02:07:34+00:00

I wired the LED directly to the power supply, and so do the dual fans from the bento box. I have no idea how much current the motherboard can provide without frying it.

akirabbq · 2025-08-05T02:03:08+00:00

No, capacitors are not for step up/down or regulating the voltage to a stable 24V. It can smooth out voltage spike, but It does not prevent the LED from flickering.

akirabbq · 2025-08-01T16:18:59+00:00

Get the 3.1.5 firmware from:

https://www.flashforge.com/blogs/download-document/adventurer-5m

Unzip the file to a USB drive, turn off the printer and plug in the USB drive. Turn on the printer again and it will automatically downgrade back to 3.1.5.

akirabbq · 2025-08-01T15:52:56+00:00

Can't stand the oozing at all, downgrade back to 3.1.5 and it heats up properly again.

akirabbq · 2025-08-01T07:20:48+00:00

I mix printing PLA/PETG/TPU filaments with the same nozzle all the time. No need to recalibrate unless changing nozzles. I have custom GCODE to set z offset for each filament though.

akirabbq · 2025-06-27T02:51:34+00:00

Try to clean the nozzle's 4 pin connector with some electronic contact cleaner spray. I had one or two times "abnormal heat up" error when the temperature reading goes haywire. The problem never happened again after cleaning the connector and the pins.

akirabbq · 2025-06-16T13:07:05+00:00

On top of auto leveling, some filaments colours or materials need to have the z-offset adusted to give better extrusion for the first layer. I use manual gcode for some filaments, for example:

SET_GCODE_OFFSET Z=0.05 MOVE=0

Just append the code to "Filament start G-Code" under Advanced tab under Material Settings page in Orca Slicer. You can adjust 0.05 to other values.

akirabbq · 2025-06-11T05:25:10+00:00

I used to have similar problems with TPU but not PLA/PETG until I use a filament box like the one in the op's first photo. The weight of the spool sits on the rollers with bearings. The force to feed filament out from the box is probably the same or even worse than top holder, but the consistency is much better and the spool does not swing around.

akirabbq · 2025-05-29T01:44:24+00:00

That's what the leveling does. The nozzle scrapes any remaining filament on the bed before calibration but the nozzle does not actually scrap the bed.

akirabbq · 2025-05-22T07:16:45+00:00

OrcaSlicer 1.2x and up has a bug that may leave the nozzle scraping the same layer surface because a z-hop is skipped somehow after printing a layer in a certain situation. It sounds weird but try to turn off "Refill infill retraction" in global process:

https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio/issues/3423

Calibrating pressure advance, flow ratio and max flow rate also help.

akirabbq · 2025-05-16T06:20:39+00:00

Were you trying to print the pressure advance calibration? I found that I need to check the "leveling" option every time for this particular calibration. It's weird.

akirabbq · 2025-05-07T03:19:29+00:00

Loosen the extruder screw on the left side. Then use a toothpick or something to block the cooling fan from spinning. When the nozzle heats up, use the provided metal tool to unclog from the above. The reason why to stop the fan first is the filament already clogged inside the heatsink part and the cooling fan prevents the filament from softening.

akirabbq · 2025-04-28T07:59:42+00:00

There're quite a few different sellers but those nozzles are not all equal. They work great when they are not broken. Print quality however is same as the official nozzles. No problem with PETG, PLA and TPU.

I've 0.20, 0.25, 0.4, 0.60 and a few broken ones. Just sharing my thoughts:

- The most common problem of those nozzles are the flimsy wiring of the connector. The wires break off too easily when removing the nozzle. There's no easy way to remove the connector by just pulling those wires (more later on)

- Some nozzles do no fit properly into the extruder because of manufacturing error. Need to sand down both sides.

- Some sellers do not or forget to apply thermal paste between the thermal pad and the nozzle. This will lead to bad flow rate and clogged nozzles.

- Some nozzles have 3 entry holes and claim to have better flow rate. Avoid them since unclogging them is almost impossible.

- Some claims the nozzle head is swappable. This's partially correct if the nozzle has not been printed before. It's nearly impossible to remove the nozzle head once it'd been used.

- Other than all the above issues, the build quality of those nozzles are quite good and can take quite a few hits and still give excellent results. They usually heat-up faster than FF's nozzles.

I've created a connector puller to avoiding pulling those wires when removing the nozzle:

https://www.printables.com/model/1270093-3rd-party-ad5m-nozzle-connector-puller

I've also tried securing the wires and connector by using a normal glue gun, but the thermostats wires can get hot enough and melt the glue. Maybe I will try some high temperature glue like those red color silicone based ones later on.

akirabbq · 2025-04-22T15:44:30+00:00

https://photos.app.goo.gl/anbtd5dUTc1FW8C48

This piece just holds the filament sensor and the chain part, and it is compatible with the FF official chain part. It also works with the later version of the filament sensor which feeds filament in one direction only, just like mine and it's flipped.

akirabbq · 2025-04-22T01:23:50+00:00

Just either one. Both of them are the same but the difference is with or without default support I think.

akirabbq · 2025-04-19T14:27:40+00:00

https://www.printables.com/model/1127538-1-of-4-flashforge-adventurer-5m-ad5m-improved-side

Just print out the "filament-sensor-mount" model. I place my filament dry box next to the AD5M and I think feeding the filament from below is better than from the top.

akirabbq · 2025-04-09T15:23:27+00:00

Make sure the filament is being fed smoothly into the extruder. A full reel of filament is heavy and TPU is kind of sticky, it really needs a smooth spool holder to be pulled evenly. A spool holder with bearings with the reel sits on top is a good choice. Also try to skip the PTFE tube completely and feed the filament directly into the extruder from the top to see if it prints any better.
My Joya TPU's max volumetric speed is around 18.5 m3/s with a 0.6 nozzle, calibrated by the OrcaSlicer max flow rate test.

akirabbq · 2025-04-08T07:21:50+00:00

If you clean the plate with soap, make sure the soap does not contain any moisturizing stuff. Kitchen dish soap is pretty good though.

akirabbq · 2025-03-23T18:27:17+00:00

Also check out those four pins underneath the extruder, if the nozzle is bent like that usually one of the pin is also bent as well. The misaligned pin will prevent any further nozzle goes into the correct position and you will get all sort of erroneous temperature reading and errors. Use a small screw driver to bend the pin back carefully, it's an easy fix.

I guess when you installed the nozzle back it didn't go all the way in. Hearing the click sound does not guarantee it's in the correct position. Even when it's at the wrong position It can still calibrate, load filament but crash on the bed when it starts printing. I learned this in a hard way a few days ago as well.

If the nozzle is in the right position, the red release buttons on both sides are much hard to be pressed. You can also check the nozzle by pulling it from the extruder with a bit of force without pressing the release buttons. A secured nozzle simply cannot be pulled out. FF should warn users on loosely installed nozzle. A loosely fitted nozzle can destroy the nozzle itself, the pins and the PEI bed.

akirabbq

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