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Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.  

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spark
(@spark)
Reputable Member
Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.

Hello, been a while.
My old enclosure worked well up to ABS but now I'm getting PC cravings. I'm not getting good results at my 50°C enclosure so with others reporting 60°C is good start, I want to consider active heating and off-boarding my power supply. PC for structural design testing is my goal and my rig as-is not cutting it. How are you folks with 60°C+ enclosures achieving this? I'm not really interested in magic print settings, just brute force ambient ideal temps. Obliged for input and ideas, would like to print all my MK2.5 parts in PC if possible.

MK2S kit owner since 8/15/2017

Posted : 23/04/2018 10:55 am
metacollin
(@metacollin)
Eminent Member
Re: Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.

You have a couple of options. The more complex and dangerous option, but also the most flexible, is just getting something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526156831&sr=8-1&keywords=pid+controller

It can control two relays (one for heat, one for cooling, giving you potential for a cooling fan etc. if you wanted) and you simply set the desired temperature like any other thermostat. It includes a temperature probe. As for what you use to generate the heat, its really up to your imagination. Something that provides diffuse heat is usually best. Maybe a small pet bed warmer, I don't know. You can use DC or AC stuff since the controller just turns on or off relays. You do have to also provide relays obviously, solid state ones will not have the contact wear problems and clicking noise of mechanical ones. That said, even a mechanical relay is probably going to be one of the last things to wear out in this whole setup.

A much easier, simpler, and safer option but with essentially no flexibility is to just find a suitable PTC heater. They're all over amazon and ebay. They're heaters that draw less power as they heat up, so they heat up to a fixed, pre-set temperature. You can find ones that will always run at 60C, all the way up to 230C. In a variety of wattages. However, you can't adjust the temperature they will hit, its part of their physical construction.

Though, the temperature inside an enclosure is going to be largely determined by how well the insulation is. Given a fixed wattage of heat generation, insulation is entirely responsible for the temperature. Depending on your setup, throwing a few blankets and 1 space blanket (shiney mylar ones) might be all it takes to get those extra 10 degrees passively. Though it sounds like you specifically want active heating.

There is always the quick and dirty 60W incandescent light bulb in the corner of the enclosure. That'll add...well...60W :).

Posted : 12/05/2018 10:41 pm
spark
(@spark)
Reputable Member
Topic starter answered:
Re: Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.

Thanks for your thoughts. Have an extra Inkbird sitting around and a tiny hand warmer. Pitty about the fan, maybe point it up? Time to do some Macgyvering.

MK2S kit owner since 8/15/2017

Posted : 13/05/2018 6:36 am
takejige
(@takejige)
Active Member
RE: Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.
Posted by: stephanpark

Hello, been a while.
My old enclosure worked well up to ABS but now I'm getting PC cravings. I'm not getting good results at my 50°C enclosure so with others reporting 60°C is good start, I want to consider active heating and off-boarding my power supply. PC for structural design testing is my goal and my rig as-is not cutting it. How are you folks with 60°C+ enclosures achieving this? I'm not really interested in magic print settings, just brute force ambient ideal temps. Obliged for input and ideas, would like to print all my MK2.5 parts in PC if possible.

Pitty about the fan, maybe point it up? Time to do some Macgyvering.

Posted : 13/06/2019 4:42 pm
Nikolai
(@nikolai)
Noble Member
RE: Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.

What kind of issues do you have with PC?

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Posted : 13/06/2019 8:33 pm
takejige
(@takejige)
Active Member
RE: Upgrade to heated enclosure for PC, input, advice please.
Posted by: metacollin

You have a couple of options. The more complex and dangerous option, but also the most flexible, is just getting something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Inkbird-All-Purpose-Temperature-Controller-Fahrenheit/dp/B00OXPE8U6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526156831&sr=8-1&keywords=pid+controller

It can control two relays (one for heat, one for cooling, giving you potential for a cooling fan etc. if you wanted) and you simply set the desired temperature like any other thermostat. It includes a temperature probe. As for what you use to generate the heat, its really up to your imagination. Something that provides diffuse heat is usually best. Maybe a small pet bed warmer, I don't know. You can use DC or AC stuff since the controller just turns on or off relays. You do have to also provide relays obviously, solid state ones will not have the contact wear problems and clicking noise of mechanical ones. That said, even a mechanical relay is probably going to be one of the last things to wear out in this whole setup.

A much easier, simpler, and safer option but with essentially no flexibility is to just find a suitable PTC heater. They're all over amazon and ebay. They're heaters that draw less power as they heat up, so they heat up to a fixed, pre-set temperature. You can find ones that will always run at 60C, all the way up to 230C. In a variety of wattages. However, you can't adjust the temperature they will hit, its part of their physical construction FileZilla UC Browser Rufus.

Though, the temperature inside an enclosure is going to be largely determined by how well the insulation is. Given a fixed wattage of heat generation, insulation is entirely responsible for the temperature. Depending on your setup, throwing a few blankets and 1 space blanket (shiney mylar ones) might be all it takes to get those extra 10 degrees passively. Though it sounds like you specifically want active heating.

There is always the quick and dirty 60W incandescent light bulb in the corner of the enclosure. That'll add...well...60W :).

 is my goal and my rig as-is not cutting it. How are you folks with 60°C+ enclosures achieving this? I'm not really interested in magic print settings, just brute force ambient ideal temps. Obliged for input and ideas, would like to print all my MK2.5 parts in PC if possible.

Posted : 14/06/2019 8:38 pm
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