Do you need dual fans to achived best results with PLA filament

[additive3d]

Hi all,

Do you need dual fans to get best results with PLA filament or others non-official filaments ?

[Julia Truchsess]

Let's say they're highly recommended. I've been running duals so long I don't remember how it was with a single fan, but a number of other users who've just installed a dual setup have said that the improvement is undeniable, especially in terms of raft and support removal.

[luciancd]

Is there a tutorial on how to install a dual fan on the m200 ?

[Julia Truchsess]

Not that I'm aware of, maybe I'll do one sometime. It's pretty easy. The two fans just connect in parallel, red wire to red wire and black wire to black wire. You can splice the wires down below (first pic) or up at the board (second pic). You can run the wires through the block if you have time and patience, or outside the block if you're lazy like me

[luciancd]

Thank you ! I havent printed with pla that much. I was happy with the results i got with single fan, there was only a little warping present.

It would be nice to see some before / after images. 

[Cicio]

I often use the PLA, with single fan, the results are good, but   I'm reading, the dual fan would be recommended.
I would like to make the change, and I would like to know if a fan  40 mm x 10 mm DC 12 Volt height is correct.
Also if you could tell me the part stl files, I have seen many, but I ask you what is the best.
Thank you

[additive3d]

With a dual fans, is it possible to reduce this printing problem ?

[additive3d]

Hi Julia,

Is it possible, firstly, to coonect the second fan to an external electrical power supply (12V electric transformer ) ?

[Julia Truchsess]

40x10mm 12V is correct. I recommend the Noctua NF-A4x10:

http://noctua.at/en/products/fan/nf-a4x10-flx

It is quiet, reliable, and seems to blow just the right amount of air.

You can certainly connect the second fan to an external 12V supply for testing.

I think it would help with the Marvin problem. You could also try printing two of them at once for additional layer cooling. You'll get some stringing, probably, but the saggy problem will probably improve. You could also rotate the Marvin in Z axis and see if the saggy part moves, indicating uneven cooling air flow.

[additive3d]

I still have rotate the Marvin in Z axis and the saggy part moves with the rotation.
I also tries printing two of them at once but I still have saggy parts :-(

[Julia Truchsess]

Change to a better PLA

[additive3d]

 I get almost the same results with nearly all PLA filaments I tested : Colorfabb, eSun, Verbatim

[paulo]

im now on this same issue. ive tried to eliminate a few 'saggy' issues but its quite obvious two fans are better than one.

i can see there is space for two fans to plug in on the extruder head pcb but what about extended the aluminium heat sink to actually hold the second fan.

this guys set up is very good. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSQ3X9RAk84

[Julia Truchsess]

The two fan connectors on the extruder PCB have different functions - one is for the upper (extruder) fan, which is on full all the time, and the other is for the print cooling fan(s) which are software-controlled. When adding a second print cooling fan, you need to make a splice of some kind somewhere to put the two fans in parallel. The extruder fan should be left alone by itself.

Trhuster is an old friend, although he doesn't have an M200 anymore.

[paulo]

thanks julia. i pretty much figured it out soon after and sorted a dual fan straight away cos im so impatient. i had immediate improved performance and control. i love z temp!