Ender 5 insane stringing problem

[Gammatron]

Got the ender 5 for Christmas and it's awesome except for this one thing. Every single travel move leaves a very thin string. I've tried all kinds of settings and did the mod of cutting off part of the bowden tube and sticking it into the hot end to keep it pressed against the nozzle. Nothing has any effect at all on it. I'm thinking this isn't an issue with settings but hardware. Im using the original bowden setup but planning to upgrade to Capricorn tubing. Would in issue with the bowden tube cause this? I haven't found anyone else having stringing this bad online. Also its done it with two different kinds of brand new filament so I don't think it's that.
All help is appreciated!

[Ender5r]

There is a ton of help online about stringing. My own experience with it led me to adjust the hotend temps up & down, 5 degrees at a time, and to adjust retraction distance & speed. At least, that's where I start when I have stringing.

[Gammatron]

Yes that is the standard way to solve it but like I said, I've tried lots of different settings and they've had no effect.

[mochalatte]

That's a prodigious amount of stringing.

Is there a chance you've accidentally selected a direct-drive printer in your slicer? It's like the retraction isn't working at all.

[Gammatron]

I just used the default ender 5 profile on cura and it does retract. I've set the retraction to 7mm with no change with various speeds. And once again the settings are pretty much irrelevant because nothing has effected the amount of stringing at all. It has to be the hardware. I have noticed that there is some play in the bowden tube at the extruder side but could that cause this? Its the only thing I've found suspect.

[Ender5r]

I'm trying to imagine how hardware could cause stringing. 'Course, I only started 3D printing at the beginning of June, so I have a ton to learn.

[Ender5r]

That's a prodigious amount of stringing.

Is there a chance you've accidentally selected a direct-drive printer in your slicer? It's like the retraction isn't working at all.

He also hasn't stated what his retraction settings are. And, what slicer, what temps, etc.

[mochalatte]

When it retracts, make sure the extruder knob turns in the direction to pull the filament out--maybe there is a negative sign problem?

If the wheel does turn in the correct direction, try holding the filament at the extruder inlet to make sure it actually moves out. Maybe there is some crud in the extruder that has somehow caused ratcheting action in the extruder causing it to only feed but not successfully retract?

If it really is a mechanical issue with the Bowden tube, it seems like there would have to be a whole lot of spring-loading going on somewhere in the Bowden tube and its fittings. You mentioned play in the Bowden tube at the extruder side. Since you have tried up to 7 mm of retraction, seems like you would have to see something close to 7 mm of spring-loaded motion on the Bowden tube during retraction. Like Ender5r, I have trouble seeing it.

Another idea would be to try the Prusa slicer instead of Cura to eliminate the cause being a configuration error in the Cura settings.

[Ender5r]

Another idea would be to try the Prusa slicer instead of Cura to eliminate a configuration error in the Cura settings.

Yep, change 1 thing at a time (troubleshooting 101) & check the result.

[Ender5r]

That means your settings in Cura are incorrect. I realize you may just figure you've found your solution in Prusa but, in case you want options for the future, you could consider trying CHEP's Ender 5 Cura profiles.

The other thing I would do is compare settings between Prusa & Cura, to see what's different. I would do this as a matter of education. It should help you understand what settings were affecting the stringing.

[Gammatron]

Its not the settings it's something to do with the way cura makes the gcode. I used the exact same settings in prusa that cura gives for the default ender 5 profile.

[Ender5r]

hmmm, I've never noticed much difference between prints made with PrusaSlicer & Cura when the settings are the same. Not sure what's going on with yours.