Initial results.

Hey sexy humans. I have initial results and they are quite interesting.

First the method.

1. Digital thermocouple

2. A bunch of hotends

3. A spare einsy, PSU, and screen

4. E3d 40W 24V heater cartridge

5. E3d’s fancy newly optimized thermistor

6. A frame to hook everything up to because heat rises so hand holding or laying the hotends in their side would distort the results.

7. Similar Extruder designs

8. A noctua and sunon fan for prusa

Thermocouple placement is key. I’m measuring exactly at the point above the transition zone where the filament must be cool if not it will jam. This is typically at the very bottom of the heatsink. On the mosquito it’s less apparent so this is the same on the dragon.

Second the issues in this test.

1. This isn’t perfectly accurate. Even though I measured exactly to the same spot and my temps measured each time were well within range this is easy to mess up. If the thermocouple is even 1mm off it’ll change the temps up to +-5C.

2. No filament loaded. The filament acts as a wick inside the heatbreak. This means I’m getting the value of the metal temp without that wicking. The air also moves upward so it simulates the same effect as filament but it’s not perfect.

3. Measuring during a heat phase. The hotend heats by turning the power to the heater cartridge on and off. This means when it’s turned in it shoots above the known temp. I am measuring after 5 minutes of heat time so the temps stabilize and I use the average between the values presented. Typically it’ll move +-0.4C based on what I saw and the fan used.

Basically this isn’t perfect but it gives us a baseline. The best method would be to drill into the heatsink and heatbreak directly at the same point. Run a print with retractions and instead of a bare thermocouple we’d use a screw in thermistor at the point and measure while printing. Possible??? Ehhh yes. Expensive? Yes!

So what are the results?? In order of best to worst we have the following:

1. Copperhead/mosquito tied

2. Phaetus Dragon

3. E3dv6 w/ titanium

heatbreak

4. E3dv6 stock

I tested each hotend 3 times so far and will do a few more each time. The tie is interesting with the copperhead and mosquito. Basically the copperhead did better with the noctua and the mosquito did better with the sunon so overall I call it a tie. Technically with the better fan the Mosquito wins but that noctua is bad.

So how bad is the stock e3dv6 setup with a noctua??? Averages just over 48C with an ambient room temperature of 17C. How good was the mosquito??? About 33C with a sunon fan. That’s a 15C swing.

Once I compile the last of the tests I’ll share all the values but it’s pretty obvious that the V6 doesn’t do too well with a noctua fan. Remember that PLA has a distortion temp of around 50C. This means it’s expanding above the transition zone on retractions. Hence why the MK3s has clogging issues.

Stay tuned for more!