<p>Two common problems to look out for in this situation:</p>

<ul>
<li>Make sure that your <strong>part fan</strong> (the fan that is supposed to cool the filament you just extruded, and that does not start spinning until the print starts) do <em>not</em> blow air on the hot end of your extruder.</li>
<li>Make sure that your <strong>hot end is well insulated</strong>.  If available for your printer, silicone sleeves are the best:</li>
</ul>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/7TKQM.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/7TKQM.jpg" alt="silicone sleeves"></a></p>

<p>otherwise the most common, universal and low-cost solution are cotton pads:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/qcwSc.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/qcwSc.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T13:47:35.057Z
Neither of those is capable of limiting a hotend this drastically, when typically a hotend can be driven to over 240 degrees C.
Carl Witthoft
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T16:53:03.763Z
@CarlWitthoft - The fact you haven't experienced it does not mean that it can't happen.  That was a common problem one some batches of the Trinus, solved exactly with the sleeve (iirc that was actually the reason why they start selling them)
mac
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T16:59:20.417Z
...although, to be fair, I don't remember what was the temperature it failed to reach (may have been 200°C rather than 190°C)
mac
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-02-17T09:39:05.383Z
I am up-voting this because it turns out that it was because my extruder was not insulated. I purchased some cotton based insulation and wrapped it around just like the picture above and my temperature became stable again.
Razor
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-04-10T11:44:29.977Z
My hotend was touching extured motor metal holder. After giving distance between them it started to reach correct temperature. I also supported the situation with silicone cap and  cotton insulator.
Sami Onur Zaim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-04T01:42:11.800Z
2018-02-04T01:42:11.800Z
mac
<p>It could be as Carl Witthoft said, that the thermistor is broken. But it looks like the PID is not calibrated correctly. It probably can reach higher T's but stops, because the P portion is not high enough. 
Anyways, before printing use a software of your choice (Repetier, Pronterface...) and perform a PID tuning specified here:</p>

<p><a href="http://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning</a></p>

<p>After that everything should work out fine. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-03-07T15:18:52.167Z
2018-03-07T15:18:52.167Z
Tobias Zech
<p>Take a careful look at the thermistor in the hotend. If it's defective it might well not be providing correct temperature information back to the control board.  As a very quick check, try swapping the thermistor from the bed (if possible), or buy a replacement thermistor and drop it in.<br>
I'm not familiar with the Anet controller but possibly there's a calibration pot on the board; if so it may be causing the digital hardware to mis-read the actual sensed temperature.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T13:51:07.753Z
2018-02-05T13:51:07.753Z
Carl Witthoft
<p>Please check that the power supply's (SMPS) output voltage is 12&nbsp;V (while loaded). </p>

<p><strong>Note: Be careful while measuring, as there is a hazard of shock.</strong></p>

<p>In my case, the voltage was 10&nbsp;V with one supply and 8&nbsp;V with another supply. I bought a new one with 12&nbsp;V and the printer is now running fine.</p>

<p>My printer Tronoxy i3 (Prusa i3 Mk-II).</p>

<p>Hope it helps you too.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-12T16:38:32.310Z
2019-04-13T04:51:48.727Z
2019-04-13T04:51:48.727Z
Bineet Kumar
<p>Often it is the filament. Most PLA filaments start melting at 190 °C and have a good print consistency up to about 220 °C. If filament is ever getting stuck in the extruder, up the set temperature.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-01-22T17:37:23.960Z
2022-01-22T18:06:43.643Z
2022-01-22T18:06:43.643Z
Carson Tracy
<p>I had the same problem.</p>
<p><em><strong>If</strong> your mains supply is 110 V</em>, then make sure that the voltage selector switch of your PSU is set to 110 V... it should then print.</p>
<p>If the voltage selector switch is set to the default of 220 V, <em>and the mains supply is only 110 V</em>, then the PSU will not provide enough current.</p>
<hr />
<p>Note: If your mains is 240 V then changing the voltage selector to 110 V will damage your PSU or worse.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-01T08:05:34.963Z
***This could be dangerous, destructive advice***. If the OP's mains voltage is 240 V then doing what you suggest will fry the PSU, or worse. We don't know what the OP's mains voltage is. You should [edit] your answer to clarify this. Just to clarify, do you live in a country that uses 110 V as a mains supply?
Greenonline
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-03-31T23:03:31.667Z
2022-04-01T17:49:07.697Z
2022-04-01T17:49:07.697Z
Tue Nhan Bhikkhu
<p>Anet A8 with Cura. First time use. The extrusion temperature is set at 190 °C for PLA but the temperature never quite gets that hot, e.g. 189.2 °C. So the printer never prints.</p>
<p>The bed temperature is fine.</p>
<p>Any suggestions on how to fix?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-05T14:30:30.460Z
Have you run a PID tune since you got it?
Granny
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-02-15T23:05:22.017Z
Did you manage to solve your problem since you posted the question?  If yes consider upvoting any answer that helped (and select as "accepted" the one that solved the problem if any), or alternatively, consider writing your own answer explaining what the problem was and how you fixed.  This is so that other users can benefit from your your question and the answers too. Thanks!
mac
<pla><anet-a8><heat-management>
My extruder does not reach the set temperature
RetiredBill
# My extruder does not reach the set temperature

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-02-03)

Anet A8 with Cura. First time use. The extrusion temperature is set at 190 °C for PLA but the temperature never quite gets that hot, e.g. 189.2 °C. So the printer never prints.

The bed temperature is fine.

Any suggestions on how to fix?

**Tags:** pla, anet-a8, heat-management
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Have you run a PID tune since you got it?  
> **username_2**: Did you manage to solve your problem since you posted the question?  If yes consider upvoting any answer that helped (and select as "accepted" the one that solved the problem if any), or alternatively, consider writing your own answer explaining what the problem was and how you fixed.  This is so that other users can benefit from your your question and the answers too. Thanks!  

---

## 6 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-02-04. Score: 4

Two common problems to look out for in this situation:

* Make sure that your **part fan** (the fan that is supposed to cool the filament you just extruded, and that does not start spinning until the print starts) do *not* blow air on the hot end of your extruder.
* Make sure that your **hot end is well insulated**. If available for your printer, silicone sleeves are the best:

[![silicone sleeves](https://i.sstatic.net/7TKQM.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/7TKQM.jpg)

otherwise the most common, universal and low-cost solution are cotton pads:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/qcwSc.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/qcwSc.jpg)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: Neither of those is capable of limiting a hotend this drastically, when typically a hotend can be driven to over 240 degrees C.  
> **username_2**: @CarlWitthoft - The fact you haven't experienced it does not mean that it can't happen.  That was a common problem one some batches of the Trinus, solved exactly with the sleeve (iirc that was actually the reason why they start selling them)  
> **username_2**: ...although, to be fair, I don't remember what was the temperature it failed to reach (may have been 200°C rather than 190°C)  
> **username_4**: I am up-voting this because it turns out that it was because my extruder was not insulated. I purchased some cotton based insulation and wrapped it around just like the picture above and my temperature became stable again.  
> **username_5**: My hotend was touching extured motor metal holder. After giving distance between them it started to reach correct temperature. I also supported the situation with silicone cap and  cotton insulator.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2018-03-07. Score: 4

It could be as Carl Witthoft said, that the thermistor is broken. But it looks like the PID is not calibrated correctly. It probably can reach higher T's but stops, because the P portion is not high enough.
Anyways, before printing use a software of your choice (Repetier, Pronterface...) and perform a PID tuning specified here:

<http://reprap.org/wiki/PID_Tuning>

After that everything should work out fine.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-02-05. Score: 2

Take a careful look at the thermistor in the hotend. If it's defective it might well not be providing correct temperature information back to the control board. As a very quick check, try swapping the thermistor from the bed (if possible), or buy a replacement thermistor and drop it in.  
I'm not familiar with the Anet controller but possibly there's a calibration pot on the board; if so it may be causing the digital hardware to mis-read the actual sensed temperature.


---

### Answer by username_7 on 2019-04-12. Score: 0

Please check that the power supply's (SMPS) output voltage is 12 V (while loaded).

**Note: Be careful while measuring, as there is a hazard of shock.**

In my case, the voltage was 10 V with one supply and 8 V with another supply. I bought a new one with 12 V and the printer is now running fine.

My printer Tronoxy i3 (Prusa i3 Mk-II).

Hope it helps you too.


---

### Answer by username_8 on 2022-01-22. Score: 0

Often it is the filament. Most PLA filaments start melting at 190 °C and have a good print consistency up to about 220 °C. If filament is ever getting stuck in the extruder, up the set temperature.


---

### Answer by username_9 on 2022-03-31. Score: -1

I had the same problem.

***If** your mains supply is 110 V*, then make sure that the voltage selector switch of your PSU is set to 110 V... it should then print.

If the voltage selector switch is set to the default of 220 V, *and the mains supply is only 110 V*, then the PSU will not provide enough current.

---

Note: If your mains is 240 V then changing the voltage selector to 110 V will damage your PSU or worse.

> **Comments:**
> **username_10**: ***This could be dangerous, destructive advice***. If the OP's mains voltage is 240 V then doing what you suggest will fry the PSU, or worse. We don't know what the OP's mains voltage is. You should [edit] your answer to clarify this. Just to clarify, do you live in a country that uses 110 V as a mains supply?  

---

