mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
I just upgraded my mk3s+ to the mk4s with the upgrade kit (went pretty smoothly, apart from a hitch where I had to pick some m3 12mm screws and nuts from the old printer, like many other upgraders I noticed in the comments)
First print was the bonkers benchy from the usb stick (OK, maybe not the best choice for first print 😉 but it went great)
I've since placed the printer back to where the previous version was standing. I notice it makes way more noise than the mk3s+, it seems to be the turbo fan on the new extruder carriage. It sounds like a vacuum cleaner. My phone's app measured a sound pressure of about 68dB at 20cm from the printer during printing of another benchy (not the bonkers version). Doesn't matter if I use the one included on the stick or sliced by my own settings in prusaslicer 2.8.1.
Could this be a problem fan or is it just way more noisy than the old setup? It's also much more noisy than the mk4 at work (which is going to be upgraded at some point).
Based on the mk4 at work I thought the upgrade was a good idea, but I'm not so happy with this new wall of sound 🙁
Are there ways to reduce the noise without impacting printing quality or speed? (I'm sure lowering fan speed would help with the noise, but it's probably at this setting for a reason...)
Cheers
/Simon
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
The fan on my MK4s is also loud, but only when printing overhangs or when needed for layers that print very fast.
When it runs at higher speeds to support these challenging printing conditions its definably louder, but sounds like fan and not a vacuum. I can hear it in another room through 2 walls but only for certain scenarios.
When printing at higher flowrates, small layer printer times, and overhangs, the higher flowrate this fan offers seems to be beneficial.
You can change the fan speeds in you slicer, but the fan will always be noisier than the older fan because it is moving a higher volume of air. And so far the improved quality of overhangs makes it worth it for me.
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
I read this review on Tomshardware that the printer is so quiet it can be used in an office environment (I'm assuming with normal hearing people in it 😉 )
The noise on my upgraded printer is continuously loud during the entire print of the benchy model. Definitely not suitable for an office environment. At work, where the printer is in the next room, it may be ok, but then we'd have to keep the door closed if it was this loud.
I really think the part I received is not quite right...
RE:
My experience is a little better, in that many of my prints do not cause the fan speed to increase above about 40%. Under those conditions, while I can still hear the fan while I'm in the room, it would not be distracting. There is no question that the fan on the MK4s is louder but unless I'm going for fast speeds, it isn't a down tick for me and it's still the quieter of my three printers.
Question, are you pushing the benchy with the high flow profile? I haven't lo0ked it over yet and now I'm wondering if the print fan performance parameters in that profile are set to meet the need of higher flowrates., with the consequence of more noise.
And I have to admit, I wouldn't try sleeping in that room during print. An who knows maybe your fan is just louder than mine.
Good luck finding a happy place.
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
It's been 3 months. Is it the same or did you manage to do something about the noise?
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
I've not done anything, so the noise is more or less the same, compared to the pre-built mk4 we have at work it is quite noisy, but part of that is the motor noise, which seems to be much louder on my home printer. On top of that noise, the fan seems to be louder as well (than the one at work). We haven't had time to upgrade that one yet (the upgrade kit is just sitting there), but I'm curious if that would cause similar noise as at home...
The printer is used a lot and I guess I got used to the noise, but I know it could be more quiet.
I have an app on my phone (android) called "sound meter", if I hold it above the display of the printer while printing, it's about 83dB with spikes to 88dB. My PC is about 1.5m away from the printer and there the noise is between 60 and 70dB on this app. I can try the same measurement on the printer at work, that would make it more absolute than just my subjective feeling 😉
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
I did the same measurement at work, it difference isn't that great (on average about 3 dB less, so half as loud as at home), probably the general noise at work is much higher so it doesn't seem as loud as at home...
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
I'm honestly surprised, because I only use the structural profiles and I'd say my MK4S makes half as much noise as my MK3S+ does. The motors on the MK3 are way louder imo, even in stealth mode.
I mainly print PETG which doesn't require as much cooling, which is why maybe i haven't really noticed any difference between the 4 and 4s sound wise. That being said I think the motor noise on the MK3 is way more annoying than the fan noise.
I'm willing to bet the MK4 is one of the quietest on the market for hobby printers. Most of the other printers are way louder, at least in my experience.
Do you have an enclosure? That might help some.
RE: mk3s+ to mk4s upgrade, sounds like a vacuum cleaner
Are you sure you are hearing the blower and not the heatsink fan?
Your description sounds like what I have, my heatsink fan is going at 100% after a few minutes.