Enclosure Cooling
What is everyones preference for heating/cooling for an enclosure? Using octoprint and the enclosure plugin, I can control 2 computer 120mm fans. One is established at the top that is like an exhaust that goes through a HEPA filter from Enclosure to outside air. Originally, I had 2 other fans blow from outside to inside to cool the enclosure. I have also tried blowing from in to out on the cooling fans with minimal change.
What is everyones preference/findings for fans in the enclosure. Blow from out - in? or in - out?
Thanks!
Re: Enclosure Cooling
What is everyones preference for heating/cooling for an enclosure? Using octoprint and the enclosure plugin, I can control 2 computer 120mm fans. One is established at the top that is like an exhaust that goes through a HEPA filter from Enclosure to outside air. Originally, I had 2 other fans blow from outside to inside to cool the enclosure. I have also tried blowing from in to out on the cooling fans with minimal change.
What is everyones preference/findings for fans in the enclosure. Blow from out - in? or in - out?
Thanks!
Warm air rises so it makes most sense to use for cooling: Upper fan in -> out and the lower fan out-in, just if your environment is cooler than the inside of the enclosure.
You also have to count in the air volume you want to move and what the fans are able to. Check how much volume 'm³/h' and pressure 'mmH₂O/W' your fans can handle.
As long your printer is running, heating and printing it will generate heat which has to be moved.
For me the enclosure is to prevent air movement when printing with temperature sensitive material like ABS. The warm environment inside helps also. Also to protect the printer, print and filament from dust.
But for PLA you want to have a normal/cooler environment, warm heated bed and cool part cooling air. Guess it is try on error how much fans you need to get it cooler.
Options are
- smal heater for ABS
- smal airco for COOL PLA 🙂
- an enclosure as smal as possible to have less air to be heated/cooled