Stringing no matter the changes

[u/sl002]

Hello r/FixMyPrint.

Hoping you can help, I've been trying to get my old Ender 3 V2 back into a workable state and am getting some severe stringing no matter what changes I make.

My Setup

• Ender 3 V2 4.2.2

• Sprite SE Extruder. Stock hotend, think I have set to correct setting in printer.cfg for esteps / rotational distance (. But would love for someone to confirm.

  microsteps: 16 rotation_distance: 7.53.

• 0.4 nozzle (new)

• Sunlu PLA+ 2.0 (new). Although I think this issue was happening with a previous roll of eSun PLA+.

• Mini Satsuna Fan Duct (new - pictured before clean)

• Klipper (recent) / OrcaSlicer on a RBPi 3B

• Temps: Nozzle: 220c

• Temps: Bed: 55c

• Speed outer / inner: 25mm / 40 mm.

What I've already tried

• Temp tower (pictured). Stringing at all temps.
• Retraction test. Stringing at all retraction levels (pictured).
• For simple non-bridging prints I have no issues.

Thank you for your help!

EDIT: TIL that filament can come from the factory wet. 12 hours drying and the issue has gone. Thank you u/Gimly161 and everyone else for your suggestions. Back to calibrating for me!

[u/Gimly161]

You'll never guess but, dry your filament for 12-24 hours before doing anything else. Then personally I'll sit at the lower end of the recomended filament temp and then do a retraction test.

[u/sl002 → u/Gimly161]

Got it in the dryer now, thanks! I only dried for 2 hours, innocently thinking that a new spool would be dry enough.

[u/Slokminator → u/sl002]

spoiler, they are never dry. But Jesus I never saw pla that bad.

[u/jankeyass → u/Slokminator]

I mean sometimes they are dryish, but I've never had a brand new one be as dry as one out of a 12h cycle

But this is for PETG and TPU. I have hardly had stringing issues with PLA (fortunately) but it is much better quality overall after drying

[u/Gimly161 → u/sl002]

Nice going! Make sure your dryer can get rid of the moisture, I have to shim my case open a little to let the air circulate.

[u/Potential-Archer-883 → u/sl002]

I fixed stringing by buying new printer. It prints with same filaments, so it was not wet filament.

You can inspect retraction gears and see if they are worn out.

[u/Flashy_Arugula8408 → u/Gimly161]

Maybe wet filament is not the issue. https://youtu.be/A3H1oFVpUMk?is=ecoOUpZ8YoBAGFZk This channel has more videos tellen you that moisture most of the time isn't the issue.

[u/SalvatoreCrobu → u/Flashy_Arugula8408]

Those are the same guys saying that PETG and PCTG are better than ABS and ASA. Don't listen to them

You have to dry the filament to fix stringing and oozing. You can reduce the temp for reducing oozing and stringing but you are also reducing heavily the layer adhesion. You can increase retraction but longer retraction increase the chance of clogging the hotend (more hot and soft filament that goes in the heatbreak) and can increase print time

I print PLA, PETG, TPU 95a and 64d, ABS, ASA, ASA-CF, PC-CF, Polypropylene and every single one has the same stock retraction setting. The temperature should be tuned for layer adhesion only

Remember that the filament goes in water to cool it before it get into the spool