Energy Saving
In the UK private houses are have energy monitoring units installed. They allow you to monitor your electric and gas usage hourly or daily. Anyway, I got my MK2S in December and have noticed that my daily usage costs rise from around £1.50 a day to £2.50 a day if I use my MK2S for about 6 hours.
Can this cost be reduced? It's not that the cost is unreasonable, but this is the age of caring for the environment after all.
I can see that the bed heater is needed to get the first layers of PLA/PETG to stick to the bed, but does the bed need to be heated all the time that it is printing?
I have notice that PETG tends to stick to the bed much better than PLA, so I started experimenting with PETG prints which have a significant on bed surface area. With the first one I started to use the Tune option to reduce the bed temp from 80 DegC to 25 DegC in 5 DegC steps one the print had reached 5mm. On completion the print was difficult to remove. On another print, I started to reduce the temperature as soon as the print fan started running (in this case after 3 layers), however by the time the print had reached a height of 8mm, it was obvious that 2 of the corners had lifeted off the bed.
Has anybody looked into this? I tried searching the forum, and the net, but haven't found anything.
Cheers,
Dave Jackson
"Enthralled Nooby (~57 years old)... If 3d printers had been around 40 years ago... "
Cheers,Dave Jackson"Enthralled Nooby (not so much maybe, ~58 years old)... If 3d printers had been around 40 years ago... "
Re: Energy Saving
Theoretically yoou dont need a heated bed for PLA. See Tom Sanladerers youtube on power use.
Regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: Energy Saving
It was already discussed in another thread. But sure...
You can print PLA and PETG without heated bed depends on the location of your printer without any noticeable difference. If your printer is in the heated room around 18C, you can let the bed heated for the first couple layers (1-5 should be enough) and then turn the bed off.
If you use it in your garage and have something around 5C right now, I wouldn't do it 🙂
PS: Interesting that someone who drives Opel Manta cares about the environment 😆
Often linked posts:
Going small with MMU2
Real Multi Material
My prints on Instagram
Re: Energy Saving
Also an enclosure provides thermal insulation and should decrease power consumption
----------------------------------------------
PRUSA MK2
- Noctua fan 40mm
- MK2/MK3 hybrid extruder
Re: Energy Saving
Thanks very much for the replies.
Joan.t
I've been watching Toms youtube stuff since I first decided to get myself a 3d printer, and it was his review that sold me on getting a PRUSA Mk2S.
Nikolai.r
I'm afraid I still can't find the other thread about power use or energy saving, do you have a link?
The Manta is my Rally Car, you can see more at http://www.dj-motorsport.co.uk , although the site has been a little neglected recently.
Tobias.k3
I have built an enclosure from a cardboard box as you can see in the attached picture.
I needed the enclosure as I have started using ABS for a different project, and everything I read said I would need one.
What a suprise, the reduction in energy use is over 50% and I was using a higher bed and nozzle temperature with ABS all day today. It now doesn't seem to matter how cold the garage becomes, and my PLA/PETG prints are much more reliable. I wish I could say the same for the ABS.
Cheers,Dave Jackson"Enthralled Nooby (not so much maybe, ~58 years old)... If 3d printers had been around 40 years ago... "
Re: Energy Saving
You could try putting blue painters tape on the bed to help increase cold adhesion, or just use glue stick.
If you want to use a heated bed, cut a cork tile to shape and fix it on the underside of the bed. Reduce bed temp by 5 degrees.
Use a sock on the extruder.
Turn off central heating while printing. Put the printer in the room with you heat pump.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…