Heating a 3d printer enclosure

[rockpopandchips]

I have just got myself a enclosure for the resin printer but now I'm want to get some warmth in there and was thinking of.using a heat matt that are normaly used in reptile vivariums, if I get one with a thermostat anyone see any problems with this idear?

 

 

Cheers Brain

[Sebastien]

Hi,

 

I put the mat directly under the printer hood (an Elegoo Mars 4 Ultra), and no problem there, so I don't see why you should have any.

 

Cheers,

 

S.

[Ebf2k]

I have the same enclosure as you, I just turned it sideways so it fits 2 printers.   I have a Chitu Systems Resin 3D Printer Mini Heater placed in the back of the enclosure between the printers, and it keeps the whole enclosure heated.   I like it because you can set the temperature and it has a timer.

[rockpopandchips]

Cheers both, I have a small heat matt comming today, that I might fit to lid of printer, not sure how at the moment but I will figure something out. 

[sardaukar]

On 30/09/2024 at 17:27, Ebf2k said:

I have the same enclosure as you, I just turned it sideways so it fits 2 printers.   I have a Chitu Systems Resin 3D Printer Mini Heater placed in the back of the enclosure between the printers, and it keeps the whole enclosure heated.   I like it because you can set the temperature and it has a timer.

 

With the weather turning to the colder, I've suddenly had two complete fails, I was only printing 25mm bases for my 28mm wargamming figures which I'd bought a bottle of £16 a litre Elegoo ABS Like 3.0 for. I'm thinking now it must be so cheap for a reason, I was using Phrozen RPG resin which is way too expensive to waste on printing bases.

 

After researching my issues, the cold snap seems to be my main suspect anyway I've just got Chitu Systems Resin 3D Printer Mini Heater delivered from Amazon. have installed and tested the heater, (no prints yet) It heats up my phrozen mini 8ks pretty quickly. One thing I'd mention is that the seal it comes with for the printer lid does not fit my mini 8ks due to the pronounced lip round the lid. Ive instead had to get my hobby saw out and make a grove for the power cable in the lid.

 

Hopefully I am all set for the winter now and less fails. If I can get the cheap elegoo resin dialled in properly.

[JeffreyK]

I have reptile heater mats stuck to the inside of my printer lids as well, but I find the heating power varies hugely between even the same model mat from the same manufacturer. Some get decently warm, others barely exceed room temperature.

Also, the USB plugs on them start failing after a while. I've now had 5 or 6 failures already...

VAT heat bands are I think the best solution for heat transfer and efficiency as they put the heat right where it's needed but they make handling of the VAT for resin changes or changing FEP difficult and the commercially available ones are not cheap.

As my printers are all in an enclosure I may try mini space heaters next.

J

[rockpopandchips]

Hi all.

 

The heat matt is in place and after just an hour on it minimum setting it's maintaining 20 degrees inside the printer. I will try and push this up 2 or 3 degrees more and I'm good to run some exposure printes, I have also fitted a new FEP and understand this might need some bedding in.

 

I also cut a space for the cable with the hooy saw....😜

 

I did move the heat matt to the bottom of the lids so it's closer to the resin vat.

 

[rockpopandchips]

8 hours ago, JeffreyK said:

the USB plugs on them start failing

I order one with a 3 pin UK plug, with the hope it lasts a bit longer.