3D Printer Nozzle Not Heating Up: 3 Causes and Fixes

Do you own and use a fantastic 3D printer but have run into a problem? Is the 3d printer nozzle not heating up, therefore, causing irregularities in the printing?

When a 3D printer nozzle isn’t heating up, there may be a problem with the thermistor, the wires within the printer may be disconnected, or there’s something wrong with the cartridge heater.

In this article, I’ll discuss the causes behind the nozzle of your 3D printer not heating up and provide you with some solutions that should hopefully help fix the issue. Let’s get started!

1. There May Be a Problem With the Thermistor

Before we dive into the causes and fixes for your issue, it’s important to note that a nozzle is very important for the 3D printer. It’s what extrudes the filament, so without it, the whole machine won’t work in harmony and produce the desired creations you’re seeking. 

One of the most common causes of the nozzle of a 3D printer not working correctly is the thermistor not working properly.

You might ask, “what exactly is a thermistor?” Well, a thermistor is a device within the printer that reads the temperature. It registers the machine’s heat, which is how you’ll know what the temperature is and if it’s working effectively.

If you find that the thermistor is the main culprit, there’s a way to fix it so your 3D printer will finally start working correctly.

How To Fix This Issue

The first thing you should do in this process is to turn on your printer. Make sure that it’s turning on and working correctly. 

Once that’s done, you need to take a look at the temperature and read it. Is it between 77-85°Fahrenheit (25-30°Celsius)? If it’s not and the temperature is around 41°Fahrenheit (5°Celsius), then you’ll know that the thermistor isn’t functioning correctly.

At this point, you should contact your 3D printer’s manufacturer to ask for further instructions. They’ll be able to guide you from here on out as this situation is a bit delicate.

The thermistor may also be unplugged from the circuit board. If this is the case, the temperature will say it’s 32°Fahrenheit (0°Celsius). This is how you can recognize this problem.

To solve this, all you need to do is take off the printer’s back panel with a screwdriver. Then you’ll see the thermistor isn’t plugged in, and you can plug it in properly.

Here’s an excellent YouTube video that shows you all of the reasons why your 3D printer may not be heating up properly. Please take a few minutes to watch this as it may help you solve your issue:

2. The Wires Within the Printer May Be Disconnected

As much as we all love technology and how it helps our lives, sometimes it simply doesn’t work, or the manufacturer made a simple mistake.

The wires within your 3D printer may be disconnected or have become separated. This may sound surprising, but the problem could be as simple as that.

How To Fix This Issue

In order to fix the issue of the wires, you need to take off the bottom cover of your 3D printer. 

Inside, you’ll see the mainboard, which is basically the brain of your device.

Take a careful look at the wires and see if everything is plugged in properly. If they’re not, then all you have to do is plug them into the right places.

To know where the right places are, look at the mismatched wires and try switching them around. This should do the trick and, if not, try another way. There are only a finite amount of ways you can plug in the wires, so you should be able to get it down with little effort.

If there are any loose wires, plug them in a bit more securely. If there are any damaged wires, then you should contact the manufacturer who produced this printer.

As a caveat, be careful when you’re working with the wires. You want to make sure you don’t accidentally charge yourself or cause any further damage. 

3. There Is Something Wrong With the Cartridge Heater

Perhaps the cartridge heater within your 3D printer isn’t working as it should be. Sometimes this can happen.

Let’s first answer this question, “what is a cartridge heater?” If you’re among those who don’t know what it is and what it looks like, the cartridge heater in a printer is easy to identify because it’s in the shape of a tube. Its purpose is to transfer heat within the printer, making it a vital piece of the entire device and needs to function correctly.

How To Fix This Issue

The best way to fix the issue is to replace the cartridge heater with a new one. To ensure that you can resolve this problem, you need to find the same 3D printer.

Once you do that, you can contact the company who makes the printers and tell them about the problem concerning the damaged cartridge heater.

At this point, they’ll need to send you a new one, or you need to seek out an alternate cartridge heater.

After installing the new cartridge heater, then your 3D printer should be good to go! Just be sure to test it out, so you know if it’s fully functioning or not. 

Summary

3D printers are amazing; they produce such cool and innovative creations. And let’s be honest, we love using them and enjoy what they can print.

If the nozzle, which is one of the most essential parts of the 3D printer, doesn’t work, there’s no need to fret. The problem is most likely more straightforward than you think. It just takes a bit of tinkering around with your device to find the underlying cause.

Once you diagnose the problem, the solutions are also pretty straightforward. If you need additional assistance, you can ask for help from professional 3D printer repair shops.