1 Topic by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
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  • From: Delray Beach, FL
  • Registered: 2012-10-22
  • Posts: 730

Topic: Replace stock fan on SD2 extruder?

My fan has started making annoying noises when I first turn it on. I suspect it may die one of these days, so I was just looking at the whole assembly to see if I could tell what is involved in replacing it, and I see the wires on the existing fan disappearing under the yellow tape which has a big warning about not removing it :-).

So if I did have to remove it to replace the fan, what would I do to get it back again? (Or something that serves the same purpose, anyway).

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2 Reply by dtengineering

  • dtengineering
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  • Registered: 2012-10-24
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Re: Replace stock fan on SD2 extruder?

I replaced a broken fan on my SD2 with one that I picked up for a few bucks at the local electronics shop. Sorry, I don't have a part number or online reference, but if you're in Vancouver by any chance, I got it at Lee's. In any case, it would seem to be a fairly  generic fan.

All I did was snip the fan wires, slide the heat shrink on, solder them together and then position and shrink the heat shrink tubing. In the event you wire them up backwards, you can just flip the fan connection on the main board 180 degrees. I had to do that on a friends' SD3 when he got it... sounds like solidoodle is hooking them up backwards at the factory occasionally. It doesn't seem to hurt them.

I'm sure you could trace the wire all the way back.. but sometimes it is easier just to snip and splice. This, I think, is one of those times.

Jason

3 Reply by Claghorn

  • Claghorn
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  • From: Delray Beach, FL
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Re: Replace stock fan on SD2 extruder?

OK, I can certainly solder the wires if it becomes necessary to replace the fan (all I gotta do is remember to slip some shrink wrap over the wire before I solder it - always one of my favorite things to forget about :-).

Thanks.

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4 Reply by rickq

  • rickq
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  • Registered: 2013-07-11
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Re: Replace stock fan on SD2 extruder?

1. Unscrew the fan from the extruder stepper motor.
2. Peel the label off the center of the fan to expose the bearing.
3. While the fan is running, drop some alcohol or acetone onto the bearing.  The fan should speed up and smooth out.
4.  Put a drop of synthetic motor oil on the bearing (Or a thin machine oil if you have it, but everybody has a car. Pull the dipstick if you don't have a quart handy, "dirty" oil is not really dirty).
5. Slap the label back on and reassemble.
6. Be surprised how long this lasts.