Jesse Ransom (FFS)
Jesse Ransom (FFS) UltimaDork
1/17/21 3:46 p.m.

I'm slowly printing my way toward the IKEA-Lack-table enclosure for my Prusa so I can do ABS, and a thoughtful feature of the instructions is to stick a smoke detector in the ceiling of the enclosure.

I started searching around, trying to figure out whether for this application it made particular sense to get a photosensor or ionization sensor model, and on the First Alert site ran into the issue that they all seem to be recommended for for 40-100 degrees Fahrenheit, when the operating temperature in the enclosure could normally get to about 135...

So, bullet points.

  • Enclosure operating temps get outside range of smoke alarms
  • First Alert suggested heat alarms for higher-heat area which may have nuisance alarms, but sounds like they're meant to go off all of 5 degrees above operating temp.
  • I stumbled into a Kickstarter project for a smoke sensor and power cutoff so at least the power doesn't keep feeding, but that's may be shutting the door after the horse has bolted.
  • I gather there are some fire suppression systems that can connect to smoke detectors. I sure wouldn't want to use one if it wasn't A: less susceptible to false alarms than normal smoke detectors, and/or B: used whatever the replacement for Halon is, because coating the printer in the normal stuff would SUCK.
  • Apparently tons of folks have built these particular enclosures, using these instructions, so... is that any sort of feedback about normal alarms working okay despite the temps?

Curious about what anybody is doing about safety concerns and long prints...

 

Donebrokeit
Donebrokeit UltraDork
1/17/21 4:31 p.m.

What about adding a fresh air exchanger system? If you could keep the air from reaching 135* then I don't think there would be an issue. 

RevRico
RevRico UltimaDork
1/17/21 4:40 p.m.

I'd suggest starting with a good printer in the first place, then just extend your leads and lines so that the power supply and whatever else is actually OUTSIDE the enclosure.

The small handfuls of fires I've seen happen have been from garbage thermistors on the hot end losing connection and going thermal overload. MOST, not all but most, printers these days have good built in thermal runoff protection. It's like 3 lines of code to add to most firmware if it doesn't already have it. 

That said I don't have an enclosure yet cause I'm not printing ABS yet, so my advice is worth what you paid for it

Mr_Asa
Mr_Asa UltraDork
1/17/21 4:42 p.m.

In reply to Donebrokeit :

Part of the problem is that ABS likes a heated chamber to print well.

Nitroracer (Forum Supporter)
Nitroracer (Forum Supporter) UltraDork
1/17/21 8:30 p.m.

Have you looked into something called a flame detector?  We use them in test cells to monitor the exhaust for external combustion, or sparks within the test cell.  Not sure how cheap they run since it is a industrial style safety item.

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard Director of Marketing & Digital Assets
1/17/21 8:41 p.m.

One thing I do is use the Spaghetti Detective to watch all my prints, and pause them/turn off the heat if they start to fail. Not sure how much it helps, but it can't hurt. 

Keith Tanner
Keith Tanner MegaDork
1/17/21 8:47 p.m.

You can also use a laser-based air quality sensor to check for smoke. 

DrBoost
DrBoost MegaDork
1/18/21 10:49 a.m.

In reply to RevRico :

That's what I was thinking. Creality is a cheap, and inexpensive printer. 
now that I've owned a few printers, including a Creality, I see just how amazing the printer I got from Maker Farm. Truly top notch components. 

bentwrench
bentwrench SuperDork
1/18/21 11:13 a.m.

Maker Farm is gone?

APEowner
APEowner Dork
1/18/21 11:59 a.m.

If you're using Octoprint (and I recoment that you do) you can use the enclosure plug-in to monitor temperature and sound an over temp alarm. You could also use one of the GPIOs to kill the printer power on an over temp.

DrBoost
DrBoost MegaDork
1/19/21 10:51 a.m.

In reply to bentwrench :

The site is gone, but I think  he is still in business. But with no website, for how long?

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