Elegoo Neptune 2D 3D Printer is a huge disappointment

That's right folks! Heat creep is back in town and today we focus on the NEW Elegoo Neptune 2D 3D Printer. I was really excited to see this thing in action as previously I have tested and reviewed the Neptune 2 (without the D) and I'm guessing the D stands for Double?

There is also a Neptune 2S which I think the only difference is the bed and maybe the extruder is metal with upgraded springs and bed wheels.

ELEGOO NEPTUNE 2D INDEPENDENT DUAL EXTRUDER FDM 3D PRINTER
Frame material: CNC machined aluminium extrusion
Modeling technology: FDM(Fused Deposition Modeling)
Build Volume: 220x220x250mm
Printing precision: ±0.1mm
Nozzle diameter: 0.4mm
Print speed: 30-180mm/s (60mm/s is recommanded)
Ambient enviroment temperature: 5℃ - 40℃
MAX. nozzle temperature: 260° Celsius
MAX. hotbed temperature: 100° Celsius
Slicer software: Cura
Input format: .stl, .obj
Output format：Gcode
Connection Type： TF Card、USB Wire
Power input: 100-120/200-240V
Power output: 24V
Machine Dimensions：430*426*613mm
Net weight：7.4kg
Gross weight：8.9kg
Package size：545*375*200mm
Controller board: STEM32 F103
UI Language: English, French, German, Russian, Italian, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese
Computer operating system: Windows XP/Vista/7/10 MAC、Linux
Monochrome, two-color printing: Yes (ish)
Resume printing: Yes
Filament detection: Yes
Resume breakpoint：Yes
Extensible function: laser engraving, automatic leveling

Links:

#Elegoo #Neptune2D #ElegooNeptune2D

Socials:

3d printing

[LA-zsli]

I can see why you were having problems in your video. The instructions that come with the printer say to insert the filament into each tube but STOP approx 10mm before it reaches where the tube connects to the hotend. As it switches color, it retracts the in-use filament back to that position and then runs the next one in from that same distance. It looks like your green filament is all the way down to the hotend.

I made that mistake a few times, too, in some of my first dual color attempts. When I started putting the filament where they said it should be, my issues stopped and this thing has been a two color printing workhorse.

[earidescentgenie]

Love the D. Use one at work and it prints flawlessly both in single and dual color.

[jackdeath]

Wow! I don't know what problem you had with the D. I had mine up and running in no time and never saw the heat Creep. All my prints came out flawlessly using two different colours of PLA+. I did notice Elegoo version of Cura sets the profile temps too low for my liking, but they can be easily changed to new defaults.

I think I know what your problem might have been. Because I planned in future to use TPU, I set my Neptune D for direct drive extrusion, whereas yours kept the long bolden tubes. Too bad you sent it back before trying my setup. It might have made all the difference.

[terribleatmosphere]

My Neptune 2d has been working good with marlin and bltouch mostly just calibration problems but the dual extrusion works great

[NotHackTheBox]

So i bought my first 3d printer and it happened to e this one ! it doesn't work... it won't print anything. what do I do ?

[barrag]

Putting this in a proper comment so it doesn't remain buried in a reply chain, in case other people are willing to give the Neptune 2D a go.
I don't know about heat creep but on my 2D the one bad jam was the result of a badly clogged nozzle; I replaced it with the same ones I have for the Ender 3. It was probably the result of maybe some PVA being left in there while the nozzle was hot after a filament runout. I also checked that the PTFE liner was flush against the bottom of the barrier tube, as any gap will make a very bothersome clog (this is an issue with bowden setups where the bowden tube is also used as the liner as well).

Aside from that I've got the Neptune 2D working well, AFTER ditching elegoo's cura and switching from ultimaker cura to prusaslicer. It seems Cura's duel material settings are geared more towards Dual Extruders than Single Extruder Multi Material setup, but fortunately Prusaslicer has the ability to setup for SEMM (mostly because the MMU and MMU2S are SEMM setups). Using this I've gotten the Neptune 2D to work quite well with both 2-color prints and Soluble support interfaces.

Clone an Ender 3 Profile, and under the printer settings in the general tab set it to 2 extruders and check Single Extruder Multi-Material, then under that tab insert
Cooling tube position - 80mm (this may not be entirely correct but it works for me)
Cooling tube length - 5mm
Filament Parking position - 80mm (this is the important one, as it's where it will move the filament back to when unloaded, which is right above the fittings on the Y-splitter, which is something also mentioned in the manual)
Extra Load distance - -5mm

The Wipe tower is turned on under Multiple Extruders in print settings, but for soluble support interface or soluble supports you will need to first go to the support material tab and switch "Top Contact Z Distance" to 0 for soluble, the check "synchronize with object layers" to enable soluble material, then you can turn on the wipe tower and set the interface/support extruder under Multiple extruders tab.

The last jank thing that may honestly be optional is that you will need to clone the printer profile and under start Gcode add toolchange line, T0 or T1 respectively, then G1 E80 F1000 to load before the prime line to actually load the extruder, as the ender profile does not do this. Then after slicing for the first time, orbit under the print to see which extruder is used first in the skirt and switch to the appropriate printer profile. Without this it will load after doing a non-existent prime line, which may affect your print.

Additional thing I'd like to point out, on canceling a print, the printer does not unload itself to the parking position, so make sure to do that manually. This is not an issue with any slicer, but the printer firmware itself, as unload/cancel procedures are one of those things that's setup in the firmware. Strangely enough though it does unload an park the filament after a successful print.

[RohanSOC]

Haven't decided if I am sending it back or upgrading the hotend. I got one good dual extrusion print out of it and then just clogs. If I just use one filament it works ok. Really nice Benchy. Would you call it worse than the Geeetech now? A couple dual gear extruders and Cyclops Hotend? I will either use it as a base and build a better printer out of it or send it back.

[wethepeople]

I have the 2S and it seems well-built.

[williamdillon]

I have a 2d and have been running pretty much consistent for the past two weeks. Only problem so far is getting the bed over 100 c. For abs printing. Need to calibrate I think. I love the printer.

[AngeredOutlier]

I have a 2d, fully assembled and extruders work fine. However my issue is my x axis will not use half of the print bed. Frustrating finding a solution to fix. Firmware may be faulty.

[vascohistorias]

good morning, I'm having an extrusion problem on neptune 2, I didn't find the settings, could you help me?

[cobusgrobler]

Thanks for the vid, I did not think this will work, I used several 2 in 1 out hotends over the years and they all "failed" sooner or later. I saw Uncle Jessy, who always have very positive reviews on Elegoo, receive one some time back but, never did a review.

[juanmaria]

Ok is not that good to print with 2 colours but is it as good as neptune 2 with 1 colour?

[DPrintFarm]

Yikes! I just got mine today. We shall see if the heat creeps up on me. I have a suspicion it will…

[OnlyViv]

I use the 2D, and I never really had issues with heat creep like that. If there was a blockage, it was in the nozzle itself, and that was purely because of silk pla filament, that generally needs higher temps or a wider nozzle diameter like 0.6 instead of 0.4, because of its smooth texture.

Currently my printer is broken, presumably because it got a power surge, and the print quality is slowly degrading, and has done so over a time span of 7 months, getting worse and worse, I tried a load of things, and got to the point it is the mainboard. But, other than that, for my first 3D Printer, the Elegoo Neptune 2D has been great, and I have the printer for about 2.5 years now.

So, there is my opinion on it. It is a great printer, but I'll admit, as great of an experience I had with it, I would recommend getting (an) other printer(s), with more features, for around the same price, instead.

[landolakes]

The thumbnail gave me a good laugh. "Duel color?" Are the colors fighting to the death?

[woodwaker]

Good video and thanks for the warning. I have seen this type of Y feed before and wondered how it would work. What is the process to change filament? Do you have to retract the one and then feed the new one? Is there a purge block. I have always been interested in multicolor, but not sure I need the headaches.

[petercallison]

A year later and you can get these half price on Amazon at times. Read all the comments and so much useful information that I am seriously considering this printer.

[cb]

Have you ever run into error 7 by chance?

[TheRealRobG]

I have the Neptune 2D. I was sent it by Amazon to review. It prints the test two colour model fine, but when I use Elegoo Cura to combine a two-colour print model from separate parts and slice it - although it appears to slice fine, and the wipe tower is generated - when printing, it doesn't seem to have the correct G-code added to retract the filament from extruder 1 before starting to feed filament 2 - net result - instant jam. I emailed Elegoo support asking them what I needed to do to resolve this issue, but never got a response - go figure.