Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
Hello to all,
this is my first posting on the forum. Just received my mk4 /enclosure bundle this week, and have the enclosure assembled to the point of adding printer. I find it difficult to take a new printer apart, without testing it, so I will run some test prints before yanking the psu and lcd screen, which leads to my questions,
in my location the humidity is very high in summer months, and I get much better results keeping filament in dry boxes, so I plan to feed from top instead of the intended spool holder inside the cabinet, anybody else operating this way, seems as though it should work fine? Since the standard spool feed sits on top? Any input or suggestions. The rig in the cabinet seems a bit more fiddly for changing materials than a straight in path?
is there any particular advantage to moving the lcd out of the cabinet? I have checked and there is room enough inside with the lcd in stock location? With my mini the lcd is in my enclosure (3d upfitters) and works fine. 90% of the time if I am using lcd the doors are open anyway ( changing filament ect) and inside the cabinet it’s a bit more protected from dust and getting accidentally bumped?
any input from users who are out ahead of me with these units appreciated!
RE:
I did not assemble the internal spool holder or filament feed that came with the enclosure. Instead, I used this model from printables, and run a ptfe tube directly from my filament dryer (a older PrintDry model, sitting next to the enclosure) into the top of the enclosure. Works great.
I also left the LCD attached to the printer. There are a couple disadvantages of having it inside: (1) If you want to access it during a sensitive print (like to override speed or temperature), you could let in cold air that might be bad for the print, and (2) The display is a little harder to see with the doors closed, due to the metal bars at the center of the door. Neither of those are problems for me because I am using Octoprint to monitor and adjust during printing.
Hope that helps.
RE: Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
Thanks Scott! Got my vent adapter/air gate printed on my mini yesterday , I will add this model to the list, verdict still pending on moving the lcd, had not thought about the metal door strips and visibility . Hoping to run some test on the mk4 later today.
RE: Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
had not thought about the metal door strips and visibility
It isn't a big deal, just a bit of an annoyance -- you have to look at an angle from left and/or right to see the whole screen when doors are closed. But I am usually across the room at a computer, and monitor from there via Octoprint.
I really like the enclosure, very sturdy and holds heat well when needed, though I mostly print PETG so usually have exhaust fan running to keep it around 35C. My only real complaint with the enclosure (aside from the price, lol) is the plastic sheets used are VERY soft -- and very easily scratched.
RE: Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
All done. More involved than I expected but final results are worth it. Ran up on a few things that have changed since the instructions were published , but all resolved. I intend to post in the comments to the instructions, even with an ac infinity inline unit on 3" ducts the cabinet warms up quickly (big ol’ heatbed) may need an additional fan, need to run a few prints and observe stayed at about 80 degrees.
RE: Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
Looks good. I see you subscribe the same lighting philosophy as I do, "more is better". lol.
You are correct, the Prusa enclosure retains heat well and it can be a challenge to keep the temperature down. Can you expand a bit on which AC Infinity inline fan you used, how you connected to the enclosure, and how you are controlling it? Are you exhausting outside the room? I have a bunch of AC Infinity stuff -- all very good quality -- and used one of their controllers on my old Lulzbot enclosure. But I have never tried their inline/ducted products.
RE: Couple of general questions about your enclosure usage…
Hi Scott
the lights are from Amazon, 12$. I may add 1 more . I made an adapter for the octagon hole in back plate. Down to 3” diameter, flex hose . each printer has it’s own shut off gate and connects to a T fitting which feeds to an acinfinity 110 inline unit stepped down for 3” flex and out of the studio to the outside, it am redesigning the T to include shut off gates there as well, as the run to the mini is about 7 ft. The air gates are necessary because it feeds to outside so they prevent humidity from back flowing into the enclosures when fans are off.
RE:
Little update, when I started running PETG the temp was getting too high , the inline 110 could not move enough air through all the hoses , and both cabinets, so…… I put a ac infinity cloudline s6 , on just the mk4 enclosure rated for 250 cfm, now with the exhaust fan running at half speed and doors closed keeps at 83 degrees on the floor of the enclosure, with about 80 degrees exit temp at the outlet and very quiet!