Whether you have to replace a worn-out nozzle or switch to one with a smaller or larger diameter, removing and changing a 3D printer nozzle could seem challenging.
Changing the Ender 3 (Pro/V2) nozzle is a multi-step but easy process. You have to:
Heat the hot end to ensure an easier removal of the old nozzle
Unscrew the nozzle and remove it
Install the new nozzle and tighten it with a nozzle torque wrench
How To Change Ender 3 (Pro/V2) Nozzle
Regardless of the Ender 3 printer you have – Pro or V2 – changing the nozzle is a fairly simple process.
You can even follow these steps and apply them to other 3D printer brands.
1. Gather All Necessary Tools
Before doing anything else, gather the tools and parts needed for the task. You’ll need the following:
An Ender 3 nozzle replacement
Channel locks
Crescent wrench
Nozzle torque wrench
Ender 3 printers come with a 0.4mm brass nozzle, but there are various alternatives to choose from.
The smallest nozzles start around 0.1mm and go up to 0.8mm. Large sizes have fewer clogging problems and print faster. They are ideal for rapid prototyping where high accuracy isn’t necessary.
Smaller nozzles are more precise and ensure higher accuracy of the model. However, they are more prone to clogging and extruding filaments at lower speeds.
Consider the diameter of the filament when choosing the nozzle size, as well as the layer width you want to set.
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Also, consider the type of material the nozzle is made of.
Brass nozzles are the most popular, but they are not abrasion-resistant. Thus, if you want to print with wood- or metal-filled filaments, you should consider a stainless steel or hardened steel nozzle.
A special nozzle type suitable for abrasive materials and high-volume printing is the ruby-tipped nozzle.
This nozzle comes in all sizes that brass or steel nozzles come in, but the tip is made of ruby rather than metal.
The precious stone resists all kinds of abrasion and doesn’t degrade regardless of how much you use it. Its only downside is that the body of the nozzle is still made of brass or steel, and these materials will degrade in time.
Nevertheless, ruby-tipped nozzles are the most durable 3D printing nozzles you can find – albeit the most expensive, too.
2. Heat The Hot End
After setting up your Ender 3 for the first time, chances are you won’t change the nozzle too often. As it happens with most parts screwed onto other parts, the nozzle can become difficult to unscrew.
This is where heat comes in. By warming up the metal, the threads get loosened and are easier to turn.
If you’re removing the nozzle because you have to use a different size for the current project, but then want to switch back to the same nozzle you’re taking off, now would also be a good time to clean it.
In this case, set a temperature higher than the temperature required by the filament used most recently, then do a cold pull or use a cleaning filament to remove all old material. This will maintain your nozzle in top conditions for future use.
3. Remove The Old Nozzle
Once the hot end has reached its set temperature, secure the heater block with the channel locks. This will help you keep it firmly in place as you’re spinning the nozzle.
Hold the channel locks firmly with one hand and use the crescent wrench to undo the nozzle from beneath.
4. Install The New Nozzle
Grab the new nozzle and screw it in place. Since the new nozzle is cold, you can screw it by hand until it’s properly seated.
If you’ve never changed an Ender 3 nozzle before, you might want to print a nozzle torque wrench beforehand (or buy one).
This type of wrench is designed to click when the nozzle is tightened sufficiently, preventing you from turning any further. In this way, you can prevent damaging the thread of the new nozzle – which would make it difficult to remove.
5. Test The Printer
All you have to do now is check extrusion and make sure everything works properly. Load your preferred filament and allow for some extrusion (or print a small object).
If you notice any issues, check the nozzle size, then remove and install it again to make sure it’s correctly in place.
Symptoms Of Worn Out Ender 3 Nozzle
Before going through all the steps above, you might want to find out whether it’s time to buy an Ender 3 replacement nozzle. Here are the signs your current nozzle is worn out.
Marred Opening
The first sign that your nozzle is worn out is a marred tip, full of scratches and grooves around the opening.
If you can see the scratches on the outer surface, remember that the inner walls of the nozzles are even more damaged – after all, that side is in contact with the filament.
While extrusion may not seem too affected, using a damaged nozzle could increase stringing.
Larger Nozzle Diameter
Abrasive filaments not only scratch the inside of the nozzle, but they also shave off the material. This leads to an increment in the nozzle diameter.
Material will be extruded faster, but the accuracy and resolution of the print might suffer.
If your Ender 3 produces low-quality prints regardless of the actual settings, you might want to check the nozzle. A worn-out one could be the culprit.
Dull or Shortened Tip
Another telltale that you need a new nozzle is a dull or shorter tip. This is the result of nozzle material consumption during printing, and is quite easy to spot if you’re maintaining the printer properly.
As long as the interior of the nozzle is not overly damaged, a shortened or dull tip might not affect the accuracy of the print.
However, you might struggle to set the right distance between the nozzle and the build plate.
That’s because the printer calculates the full length of the nozzle’s tip when setting the distance, meaning that your nozzle will end up higher than expected.
An incorrect distance can affect layer adhesion and lead to delamination.
5 Tips To Extend Ender 3 Nozzle Life
Knowing when to change the nozzle is essential, but if you don’t want to spend too much, you might want to learn how to extend its life.
When maintained correctly, Ender 3 nozzles have a life of about three to six months.
1. De-Gunk Your 3D Printer Regularly
Cleaning up the accumulation of material regularly is the main way to extend the nozzle life.
You should wipe the nozzle with a damp cloth or alcohol after each print. This prevents the accumulation of material on the tip.
Run cleaning filament at least once a week if you’re doing moderate to high-volume printing. For low volumes, clean the entire extruder system at least once a month.
If you believe the nozzle is clogged, employ different methods to clear it and up the maintenance to prevent future problems.
2. Use Good Quality Filament
Poor-quality filament may come cheap, but it can be more expensive in the long run.
Apart from a subpar print quality, low-end filament is more likely to deposit itself inside the nozzle and on the extruder tubes. This leads to a faster degradation of the nozzle and more frequent clogging.
3. Limit the Use of Abrasive Filament
Abrasive filaments, such as carbon fiber, composite, and exotic filaments, can produce high-quality objects but they wear out the nozzle a lot faster than standard options like PLA or ABS.
These filaments are also more expensive than standard options. Thus, using them only when absolutely necessary can save you money and prolong the nozzle life.
For instance, you could use PLA for rapid prototyping and switch to composite or carbon fiber filament only for printing the final piece.
As mentioned, Ender 3 is compatible with various-size nozzles. The printer usually comes with a 0.4mm one, which is suitable to use with filaments up to 0.2mm in diameter.
If you’re using thicker filament, you should switch to a 0.6mm or 0.8mm nozzle.
Failing to do so can lead to a faster damaging of the nozzle tip. The filament pushing through it would enlarge the opening.
5. Change Nozzle Material
Lastly, you should also consider switching to a nozzle made of a different material.
Brass is the most common choice, but this metal is relatively soft. Thus, it wears out much faster than stainless steel or hardened steel.
Precious stones, such as ruby, offer the highest resistance ratio. Such a nozzle is about 600 to 2,000 times more resistant than brass.
Comparatively, stainless steel is about five times more resistant than brass, whereas hardened stainless steel has a resistance ratio of 10 to 15.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size nozzle is best for Ender 3?
Standard Ender 3 nozzles have a diameter of 0.4mm. However, you can use nozzles of different sizes without issues.
Rather than asking what nozzle size is best for Ender 3, you should ask what size nozzle is best for the type of filament you’re using. As a rule of thumb, the nozzle should have a diameter about two times larger than the filament.
Does the Ender 3 come with an extra nozzle?
Yes, the Ender 3 comes with an extra nozzle, a nozzle cleaning tool, and a pair of pliers, alongside other accessories.
This nozzle is the same size as the one on the heat block, 0.4mm.
What nozzle does the Ender 3 use?
The Ender 3 comes with two 0.4mm nozzles as standard because this is the most common size used.
However, the heat block on both V2 and Pro printers has a standard M6 thread and is compatible with most 3D printer nozzles (manufactured by Creality or other brands).
Final Thoughts
Ender 3 Pro and V2 printers come with standard 0.4mm brass nozzles. They are suitable to use with most standard filaments and have a lifespan of around three to six months, if maintained correctly.
Removing and changing the nozzle requires you to heat the extruder, take off the old nozzle, and thread on the new one.
Aside from 0.4mm nozzles, these printers are also compatible with all other nozzle types with an M6 thread.
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