RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
Spotted this one which is very good in the UK for the price:
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
FYI - Here is a video on printing using High Temp filament (PEEK etc)... of interest is at the 10:00m mark where they talk about firstly heating/drying in an oven at 150c then put in a vacuum chamber to remove all the residual moisture.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@guy-k2
Thanks for all your information … I am a beginner, and appreciate your efforts !!!
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@jmone I was the one that got PrintDry to update their drying chart earlier this year. It's better to identify the material and dry it per the manufacturer recommendations. The important part I found was the airflow/temp that is recommended during the drying cycle. Since the filament is rolled up it doesn't dry evenly and they don't mention that either.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@deneteus
Good point about the uneven drying. That’s a good reason in my opinion to keep drying as you print so that the outer layer is always getting effectively dried. The effect would depend upon whether the drying of the filament outer layers is fast enough to keep up with the rate the filament is being unspooled.
No objective evidence to back this opinion up though.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
This is a great thread! Thanks to all for their research. I am new to 3D printing and just started into my second spool of PETG. I am having all kinds of stringing and 'blobbing' issues and came across this thread. I found a cheap food dehydrator at WalMart.ca ( https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/hamilton-beach-food-dehydrator/6000196452505 ). I figure this will be a good starting point, and if is not big enough, it's Wal-Mart. They'll take it back. Here's hoping it solves my issues.
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RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
A quick question for everyone. How much desiccant do you place in the zip lock bags? I know some have said a pouch in each bag, but, how big a pouch? They come in various sizes starting at .5g. I assume you need more than that?
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RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
A quick question for everyone. How much desiccant do you place in the zip lock bags? I know some have said a pouch in each bag, but, how big a pouch? They come in various sizes starting at .5g. I assume you need more than that?
I use 2 packets. One is a 5g color changing packet. The 2nd is whatever comes with the spool (after drying). I've got a lot more packets than spools, so I don't worry about being too scientific with it. If the packet isn't showing saturation, I've got "enough" desiccant in the bag. I use 2 gallon ziploc-type freezer bags.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
Finally the dryer in Tim's post (The stainless steel one) is available in the UK and I now have one sitting in my kitchen, which means the previous dryer I had originally bought for drying filament is now ready to be incorporated into my printer enclosure setup.
Before I do I have a question?.
The dehydrator can be mounted beneath the printer which would be inside an IKEA LACK enclosure.
Would running the top vent (Heated air) into an enclosure which contains the printer be beneficial to printing with PC or would it simply be too hot?, by the time I come to printing, the filament should be pretty much dry already so little excess moisture would be introduced around the printer.
up to 70 deg C air would be too much, but maybe if this were directed around the enclosure rather than into it?.
Basically I'm trying to work out how I might be able to use this hot air (There's not a big volume of it) to improve printing with polycarbonate which is best printed in an heated enclosure.
Any good ideas?.
Thanks.
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
I use 2 x 500g tor 1 x 1000g desiccant bags designed for use in a car inside a click lock sealed box with 4 reels of filament.
These have colour changing indicators on the bags and when re-charging is required, they are first microwaved which gives of quite a bit of steam, then finished off in the dehydrator.
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
I used to buy the little bags of desiccant, but I now buy it by the gallon and just print my own holders. You can gallon with the color indicator on Amazon.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
I put four of the dry-packs in each storage tub. When the humidity starts creeping up (every couple of weeks to every month or so depending on how many times they are opened) I'll bake them in a low temperature oven.
I have an el-cheapo Home Depot humidity gauge in each tub.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@chocki
I have not heard of the microwaving step. How long and at what power setting? Does this affect the longevity of the desiccant?
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RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@charles-h13
I found a 5# bag at Michael's (a craft store). I made my own bags from canvas. The downside with this is the desiccant is very fine, like sand. I can bake the bags in the dehydrator and they work well.
@jsw
I copied your idea and printed some containers for the desiccant, as well as a holder for a hygrometer. Unfortunately, the bulk desiccant I bought is too fine for the containers I printed. Great idea and thanks for the suggestion.
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RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
Here you go, 30 seconds.
Seems to work just fine, but I give it 30s wait until stopped steaming and cooled down, then another 30s, and I will do this 3 times before putting it into the dehumidifier after the last zap. Also works for keeping the car dry as I bought some more.
Normal people believe that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Engineers believe that if it ain’t broke, it doesn’t have enough features yet.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@chocki
Thanks
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RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
For those who lack a filament drying system, get one. Even spools from unopened, factory sealed bags can be moist enough to spoil print results. I use a low cost dehydrator and can process up to TEN 2Kg spools at a time. Typically I dry four to five spools at once.
I use a Gourmia GFD1950 Premium Countertop Food Dehydrator https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01M6AZ863
There are many similar models, but this has been running well for me.
The dehydator replaced my former PrintDry system. I switched to the food dehydrator so I could process more than two spools at a time.
The dehydrator's thermostat reading (once it reaches steady state) matches my thermistor probes within a couple degrees F. I load the spools with the dehydrator cold without ill effects. No apparent need to pre-heat the dehydrator.
My temperatures and processing times
Mine differ a bit from recommendations on the PrintDry website, but have never ruined any spools with overcooking. My experience is with 2 Kg spools. Smaller or partial spools are dryable with shorter times. Keys are to stay below filament glass transition temperature and also allow enough hours at temperature to outgas and diffuse water vapor from deep inside the spools. You cannot achieve drying with just putting a spool into a box with desiccant.
Post drying, most filaments yield less stringing at higher print temperature. Also, those nasty extrusion gaps from water vapor expanding in the hot end are gone. For Priline polycarbonate (with/without carbon fiber) drying allows another 15 to 20C hotter nozzle during printing without stringing.
Temps listed here are in F because the Gourmia dehydrator only has F degrees readout and changes temp in 7F increments.
PETG 158F (70C) x 4 to 8 hours -- This is a bit hotter than PrintDry recommends. Initially, I dried PETG at 149F (65C), but after some 24 hour long tests showed my PETG is fine at 158F, I just dry PETG at 158F. Comes out fine and lets me process PETG at same time as polycarbonate
Polycarbonate 158F (70C) x 10 to 20 hours -- Makes a huge difference in stringing especially if you plan to print at high end of temperature range for better fusion. Drying a fresh factory sealed spool just 5 hours helps, but is not really long enough.
Silica Gel Sachets 158F (70C) x 10 to 20 hours -- These regenerate in same run as PETG and PC. They simply go in bottom of dryer.
PLA 149F (65C) x 4 to 8 hours -- Mid temp and relative slow water absorption allows shorter drying time.
TPU 129F (54C) x 10 to 24 hours -- low temperature means extended drying time. Still stringy even when dry.
Ninja Flex 122F (50C) x 24 hours -- comes from factory without any real humidity protection. Really low temperature requires a long time to dry. Large difference in overhang performance wet vs dry.
How many spools of filament can this handles at the same time?
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
For those who lack a filament drying system, get one. Even spools from unopened, factory sealed bags can be moist enough to spoil print results. I use a low cost dehydrator and can process up to TEN 2Kg spools at a time. Typically I dry four to five spools at once.
[...]
How many spools of filament can this handles at the same time?
Did you read the bit you quoted?
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
@bobstro
I see it now. Sorry!
If the food dehydrator can handle only between 95-158c, it is too high for PLA? In the original post, 65c for PLA.
RE: Drying Times and Temps in Dehydrator
[...] If the food dehydrator can handle only between 95-158c, it is too high for PLA? In the original post, 65c for PLA.
The PrintDry site has general recommendations for drying times and temps by filament type. They suggest 50C but 55C works well. Just don't go too high or PLA will soften and make a mess on your spool.