Struggling with loading filament

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Jess
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:20 am

Struggling with loading filament

Post by Jess » Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:30 am

Complete newbie here. I just got my A20T today and have got it set up, but I'm really struggling with the filament. The instructions I found online (because the official quick start guide and manual were not all that helpful) said to push the lever while feeding the filament in until it goes down the tube to the mixer.

I managed to get two filaments in this way, but it was a struggle and trying to manipulate the lever so as to let me feed the filament through really hurt my fingers. I'm sure it's not meant to hurt like this, so I feel sure I'm doing something wrong. There are some sort of wheels on the sides of the extruder, should I be doing something with these?

The third extruder, I just can't get the filament to go in properly. I can start feeding it in, but then it gets stuck and I can't get it to go out into the tube down to the mixer, no matter how hard I push or how much I pull at the lever. I managed to snap a piece of filament off in there trying to get it to feed in and had a fight to get it out again.

Also, if I want to change the filament going into one of the extruders, how do I get the one that's in there out? As I said, I managed to feed the filament into two of the extruders. If I wanted to swap that out for another colour, how do I get the filament that's in there out, because pressing on the lever and pulling on the filament doesn't seem to be doing anything?

Any help would be appreciated.

drunkenmonkey
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:08 pm

Re: Struggling with loading filament

Post by drunkenmonkey » Wed Dec 23, 2020 2:28 pm

I made the same mistake as well because the documentation language is garbage. It said feed the filament completely but failed to tell that the "feed" ing is done using the "Load" button.

So what you really need to do is feed the filament just to the white tube and pull a "black color clip" which is next to the black gear and the metal gear. The filament is supposed to go into the white pipe.
Once you get some part of it then stop.
1. Next opne the control panel in the screen of the printer.
2. find the Load filament button (I forgot while typing)
3. Select the filament 1 2 or 3 roll and click "load" it will now start rotating the extruder on the top and start "feeding" the filament down to the hot end.

4. Once you start seeing the filament extruding out of the hot end (the nozzle from where the filament comes out hot) then you can click the load button (touch screen button in A30T) again to make it stop and switch to the next filament roll.

drunkenmonkey
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2020 3:08 pm

Re: Struggling with loading filament

Post by drunkenmonkey » Wed Dec 23, 2020 2:29 pm

Also note to unload there is a button to unload it as well.
Takes about 10 to 15 mins to load or unload.

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