MakerGear Forum

I clogged my v3b extruder, as I do from time to time, and wanted to buy a new one. I saw v4 as an option, and, assuming it was just "better" bought a v4 and a v3b replacement. Both arrived, and I cannot tell one from another. I literally just assumed that the new verison must offer some advantage. Now, I don't know which is which or how I should proceed. Advice?

The V3b and the V4 are totally different - they use different filament drives and you have to physically replace the Z-stop holder and the drive. If you have two that look exactly the same, and they match your v3b hotend, then whoever filled your order sent you two v3b's, because they knew you had not set up the machine for the v4 yet.

Once you convert to a v4, you can't go back to v3b.

This is what I got.. are they both v3bs?

Yep.

If the mistake was MakerGear's, I'm sure they'll send you the correct one. But I would not get one of each. As Jules said, once you go v4, you'll never go back.

As I understand, currently the v4 is only available with the purchase of a new printer, due to limited supply.

Don't feel like you MUST have the v4. If you are not printing exotic filaments, it works just as well as the V3b.

Also, having a complete extruder head is nice, but for just dealing with clogs, all you need is to order extra barrels and nozzles.

I had the V3b nozzle for over a year and it was great. I switched to the V4 and it is nice to be able to print with some other filaments and it does make adjusting your bed to head gap easier, but there is no difference in quality of print and in most cases once your bed gap is set, you won't be messing with it much after that, so again, no huge gain from the v4. You have to switch out a few parts to make the change to the v4 and it is reversible if you want to go back to the v3b for some reason, but as the others guys have stated, you won't.

They are still available HERE