So, you've built an enclosure for your 3D printer (like mine). Now it needs a heating system to keep it at constant temperature. Typical "off the shelf" heaters aren't an option because it only needs about 300W of heat. Here's my solution...

The Enclosure Heating System in Brief

  • A 1500W hairdryer put on the lowest (of 3) heat and fan speed, which delivered the target 300W of heat
  • A temperature controller (STC-1000, easily obtainable via TradeMe/eBay)
    WARNING: Wiring up the temperature controller involves mains voltages. If you're unsure how, then get someone who knows what they're doing (e.g., an electrician). Or, buy a fully assembled unit
  • The temperature probe is put close to the fan that blows onto the part to cool it (want the ambient air temperature round the print head)

Verdict

The heating system is acceptable. There's a slight hot spot in one corner, but it's within limits (i.e., cool enough that it doesn't cause trouble). Ideally, there would be no hot spots, but's good enough that I can move on to actually using the printer instead of tinkering with it. Plus, it was pretty cheap to build (I swiped an old hair dryer from the cupboard ;-) ).

NOTE: I recommend using a hairdryer with 3 heat and speed settings. I tried a different one with two settings, and the hot spot was enough to affect the print (it made the part stick to the bed rather solidly and negatively impacted quality).