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Heater cartridge replacement

Each of the G1’s three heating zones has its own heater cartridge — a cylindrical resistive heating element embedded in the barrel wall. If a zone fails to reach temperature or shows a thermal runaway error, the cartridge or its thermistor may need replacement.

When to replace

Section titled “When to replace”
  • A heating zone reports an error and cannot reach target temperature
  • The zone temperature graph shows a flat line (not rising) after power is applied
  • The zone heats but overshoots badly and the new firmware PID cannot stabilize it (may indicate a partially failed cartridge)
  • After physical damage to the cartridge wires

What you need

Section titled “What you need”
  • Replacement heater cartridge (correct wattage/voltage — get it from Ginger Additive support)
  • Hex key set (for the motor mounting screws and barrel screws)
  • Phillips or Torx screwdriver (depending on machine version)
  • Silicone thermal pad or paste (if required for re-seating)
  • Heat-resistant gloves

Procedure

Section titled “Procedure”

Step 1 — Heat up and purge

Section titled “Step 1 — Heat up and purge”
  1. Heat all zones to printing temperature (190°C for PLA, 230°C for PETG)
  2. Manually extrude until the barrel is empty and no more material comes out of the nozzle
  3. Power off the machine and wait until the barrel cools below 50°C before touching it

Step 2 — Remove the extruder motor

Section titled “Step 2 — Remove the extruder motor”

The motor must come off to access the barrel mounting screws:

  1. Locate the 4 screws holding the main extruder motor to the frame/barrel assembly
  2. Remove all 4 screws
  3. Carefully lift the motor straight up with the extruder screw still attached — the screw comes out with the motor
  4. Set the motor + screw assembly aside on a clean surface

Step 3 — Access the barrel bottom

Section titled “Step 3 — Access the barrel bottom”
  1. Locate the 8 screws on the lower barrel assembly (the block containing the heater cartridges)
  2. Remove the 8 screws
  3. Carefully separate the lower barrel section — it may require gentle wiggling

Step 4 — Identify and replace the cartridge

Section titled “Step 4 — Identify and replace the cartridge”
  1. Identify the faulty zone’s cartridge by its position:
    • Feeding Zone (top, near hopper) = Zone 1
    • Melting Zone (middle) = Zone 2
    • Nozzle Zone (bottom, nearest nozzle) = Zone 3
  2. Disconnect the cartridge wiring connector
  3. The cartridge slides out of its bore in the barrel wall — pull it straight out
  4. Insert the new cartridge into the same bore, fully seated
  5. Reconnect the wiring connector

Step 5 — Reassemble

Section titled “Step 5 — Reassemble”
  1. Reattach the lower barrel section with the 8 screws — tighten evenly in a cross pattern
  2. Reinsert the extruder screw into the barrel
  3. Lower the motor back onto the motor mount
  4. Reinstall the 4 motor screws

Step 6 — Test and PID tune

Section titled “Step 6 — Test and PID tune”
  1. Power on the machine
  2. Heat up the replaced zone to printing temperature
  3. Monitor the temperature graph — the zone should rise smoothly to the setpoint and stabilize
  4. If the zone overshoots or oscillates, run PID tuning for that zone
  5. Run a short extrusion test before printing

Notes

Section titled “Notes”
  • If you are not confident disassembling the extruder, contact Ginger Additive support — a remote-assisted replacement session can guide you through it step by step
  • Always use the correct replacement part — wrong wattage cartridges will either fail to heat or cause runaway
  • After reassembly, a Rotation Volume calibration is recommended as reassembly can slightly shift flow characteristics
Section titled “Related notes”