Venting with an inline fan - what to do about the enclosure fans?
Hello,
Due to hypochondria or actually something physical everytime I print PLA (I only printed PLA until recently) I get a headache (the printer is 1 meter away from me, in my office, I usually keep windows open when printing). Because this worries me and I might want to print other materials as well, I use a flexible duct and an inline fan to vent everything out through a nearby window. I think this works well enough but it's just a feeling ; lately I've been printing PHA and venting and have no headaches, I guess when I print PLA again I might be able to "feel" if it works.
I have air quality sensor (apollo AIR-1) and was never able to actually see change in VOC or particulate matter readings while printing . I don't do very long prints (I print rarely and rarely have prints longer than 4 hours) so maybe that is why but in this situation, I am not able to validate that my venting works. I do feel a "vacuuming" effect over the core one grill so I think it is working.
Thank you for reading the story above that has absolutely nothing to do with my question, just sharing the story in case someone has any ideas.
My question comes now: since I have a relatively powerfull inline fan sucking air out of the enclosure, I thought that maybe I should disable the enclosure fans since they are not needed anymore. I didn't manage to do that, but I can always unplug them from the xbuddy board.
Is it actually a problem if both the fans of the enclosure and my inline fan work at the same time? (my flexible duct is connected to the place where the enclosure fans are located)
Could the fans get damaged in any way if I am running the inline fan while they are also running? I am not pulling air in hard enough to move them if they are stopped (the inline fan is not that strong even at full power) .
Thank you again
RE: Venting with an inline fan - what to do about the enclosure fans?
Hi,
printing ABS (multiple vendors) despite Core One "advanced filtration" causes respiratory irritation for me. It actually even lingers in the room for several days. I had to leave the window open for quite a while to be able to use the room again.
I suspect some obscure allergic reaction. It disappeared when I moved the printer to another room, and I wasn't able to find an explanation (it's not styrene-related)
Common sense advice: if it makes you sick, stop doing it. What I did find in my web search is that allergic reactions are not necessarily fully reversible, so don't play with fire.
RE:
I don't expect there is any risk to keeping all fans activated. I designed a duct adapter as well, and run a (manual controlled) variable speed PC case fan at the far end of my duct to pull the air out through a floor vent in our garage. Remember that the chamber fans will only come on if the temps (and slicer chamber temp settings) call for it. If your in-line fan is doing the work to keep the temperatures from getting too high, the chamber fans either won't come on or they'll likely run slower or for shorter periods of time.
Like you I am sensitive to fumes, and I've noticed a significant improvement since installing this ducted exhaust.
I also designed and use a similar setup to remove fumes from the printer at my office. I just watch the chamber temp and adjust the fan to make sure it stays stable right where I want it.
-J
RE: Venting with an inline fan - what to do about the enclosure fans?
Thank you @mnentwig . Because I have so far no way to measure any emissions (my tools do not show any difference between when I am printing and when I am not) I am afraid to print ABS. I am thinking to maybe make a test with some incense sticks in the printer and the inline fan on ; if I can't smell them then that would mean things I working, I guess.
I appreciate the allergy information, I will be careful.
RE: Venting with an inline fan - what to do about the enclosure fans?
@TeamD3dp
Thank you for mentioning this. I had made a new filament profile for PHA and I think I got the chamber temperatures wrong somehow and that's why I have the enclosure fans on all the time during my print. I will make sure to fix that and then I don't have to worry anymore.
Regards