For how many days on average does unpacked PETG filament retain good printing properties? Can i print around 10 days without drybox?
Hi,
I wanted to ask, if I open a new spool of PETG filament and print it in a week to 10 days, in the room where the environment has a relative humidity of 55-60% and a temp of about 21 degrees C, do I need to use a dry box for printing during this time? Shouldn't the quality of the filament still degrade during this period?
For example in a datasheet for prusament PETG i found information that moisture absorption is around 0.07% in 24h, and 0.10% in a week, but not sure what does it mean in practice. I will print all the time (maybe 20h/day) until finish the spool, and not sure if i have to cover the filament during that time to keep the quality print?
Thank you
RE: For how many days on average does unpacked PETG filament retain good printing properties? Can i print around 10 days without drybox?
Like for most things 3D printing related, the correct answer is "it depends". I have left spools of PETG on the spoolholder for weeks printing small models, no issues. Other spools were basically unusable by the end of the day and required printing from a dry box. Not brand specific. But to generalize I would be quite confident that after a few days you'll see increased stringing.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
Agreed, I have known the end of a ten hour print to show serious deterioration when the start, freshly dried, was perfect.
If you are printing steadily in an averagely dry environment then you should be OK as the outer layers, where water absorption is worst, is used faster than it spoils.
I don't use a dry box for PETG but I do dry it every time it is used. Best imo is to dry it on unloading then store it ziplocked with dessicant; that way it is generally ready for immediate use 'though redrying if it's been stored for a few months is a goood idea.
Thomas Sanladerer tests filament drying:
After a week exposed in a room with a dehumidifier running there was noticeable deterioration of PLA finish...
CNC Kitchen:
Cheerio,
RE: For how many days on average does unpacked PETG filament retain good printing properties? Can i print around 10 days without drybox?
ok, thank you for reply, so in the meantime i made some ad hoc solution in case it will be some issue... but from one of the videos above i could see that after drying filament for some 100-200h guy there removed some 1g of moist from the ~700g spool of PETG, so probably it's not the big deal in such period... anyway i did for now something like that:...
so i just left the spool in the package without box, and added some 50g of silica in container:
and just cut the hole for filament, and add tape to somehow isolate it...
i added also some sensor i builded before, and the moisture level dropped down inside for some 10% from 55% of ambient to some 45% inside, so i think for the printing until end of the spool will be fine... i will see anyway in few days the outcome,
thank you for input
RE:
I finished this roll this morning, no problems at all, in the meantime this is the latest iteration of the most practical drybox 😉 for such big spools (30cm diameter which not fit in the ikea boxes):
