Enclosure question  

RE: Enclosure question

Enclosures keep the heat inside, but PLA doesn't need that and in fact works worse at higher temperatures. You'll have to leave the door (or with a mod the top) open or install a fan.

But the reduction in noise from the Prusa enclosure is very small even with the doors closed, so if that's really the only reason for you to get it, you might want to reconsider.

RE: Enclosure question

The heat in the enclosure has never been a problem for me. I keep it in my living space though, where temperature is controlled. I wonder if I kept it in a hot garage if that would cause issues like that... but in a living space with normal temps, it's perfectly fine. And the noise reduction is very nice, especially after printing some TPU feet to prevent some of the vibrations from getting transferred into the cabinets below my enclosure.

RE: Enclosure question

Often the issue is heat creep, as the 'cold end' fan draws in warm air from the enclosure it has reduced cooling effect  and over time the COLD end of the extruder(Above the Heat Break) becomes warm, and un able to keep the filament cool so you get blockages.

Even RAISE3d, who make professional printers advise to leave the enclosure open to reduce Heat Creep when printing with PLA, 

regards Joan 

RE:

Great explanation about "heat-creep" (thank you Joan). 

Suggestion to solve the issue with PLA in an enclosure.: 
- I have my printer on the attic of my house, so very cold in winter, hot in summer, and loud (because just above the bedroom). 
- The printer is in an enclosure, door firmly closed (so less noise). printer is on squash balls + concrete slab (10 kg or so), -> even less noise
- to prevent the "MINTEMP ERROR" in winter, there is a PTC-heater in the enclosure, with triple thermostats: one (W1209)  to bring the temp up to 20 degrees Celcius + two thermostats to shut it off, when something goes wrong (I don't want my the house on fire:-) ) 
- and a fan in the back with a thermostat (W1209) set to 28 degrees Celcius). Keeping the temperature very steady. 
So I am good unless the roomtemperature goes above 25 degrees or more. (Then I have to open windows, open the door of enclosure). 
Works very nicely with PLA, and for other material it is easy to set the thermostat of the fan to something higher. The printer produces enough heat to get it up to 40 degrees or more. 

RE: Enclosure question

I have the enclosure, using PLA, and my prints have been flawless so far ... nothing too fancy, but flawless nonetheless. (inside temps near 30)  If that helps.

RE: Enclosure question

That is good news Praefectus, may the good fortunes shine on your future projects. 

However I suggest that you tuck my comments away in the dark corners of your mind, so that if one day a project fails for no apparent reason, you can recall that temperature is  a possible issue. 

regards Joan

RE: Enclosure question

This is weird, but printing PLA with the doors closed has never caused clogs for me.  But with PETG it has twice (I think)!  I wonder if the lower bed & nozzle temps for PLA lowers the enclosure temp enough to allow the hot end fan to keep up...