There are a lot of “gap spacers” for the Sunlu S2 dryer (model 2024 with fan) on makerworld and similar sites. These spacers are supposed to open the dryer a bit to let the humid air escape. The consensus among the designers of these spacers seems to be that a nearly completely closed dryer (except two tiny filament holes) cannot work. I find this hard to believe. It would mean that the machine was designed by morons. Surely Sunulu could have added more ventilation if that’s necessary. What do you think? Has anyone taken measurements? Is opening it for 6-12 hours, if only by the width of a finger, a waste of expensive energy or necessary?
It’s a great dryer, but it was design flaws.
At my last count, there have been 3 different versions of this dryer.
Spacer with/without fan…Yes.
I don’t use a spacer but I do periodically open the lid to let the humid air out, I also put a Calcium Chloride desiccant pack in (the ones that Bambu sell for the AMS) - silica gel doesn’t work well up at 60-70C.
You can do either or both - if you have fresh AMS desiccant packs then just sticking one in and leaving the lid closed works just fine.
Thank you!!!
Finally someone who did not overthink the solution.
Look, I am the first guilty party when it comes to over-engineering a solution. That’s half the fun of this hobby, seeing if you can make your Amp go to 11!!
However, while I am not knocking the Sunlu modification—let’s face it, it wouldn’t be necessary if they had designed the product properly in the first place—sometimes it’s the inelegantly simple solutions, like the one you suggested, that can achieve the same result, if not better.
The Creality Space Pi and other models also seem to be completely closed designs, except for their filament holes. Perhaps these tiny holes are sufficient or even ideal (from an energy consumption point of view) for a process that takes 6-12 hours, and the gap spacers only make a difference for users who limit drying to a shorter time?
Yeah the holes, whilst small, will eventually allow enough escape of humidity but too slowly - the ideal solution would be a small fan that exhausts air for but only runs for maybe 1 minute every hour or so.
A continuous flow of exhaust air is too much and would mean the heater could not reach up to 70C without more heating elements…