As a teacher who has a hot classroom workshop I am so so dissapointed

Problems and Support
#1

So I was SO pumped as a tech teacher to get this thing, we went with this a more expensive one. First print was good, however i am trying right now (its very hot here today) and im stuck on the “cooling” screen. I have the pro version.

My school was so pumped to get this and now were just a lame duck. I cant just move the laser, or suddenly get air conditioning for a huge classroom. I guess i only can use the laser in the damn fall and winter? Such high hopes for the ease of use, but now im not even sure we will be able to use it 60% of the time…

Not to mention we have WAP2-Enterprise wifi, so have to waste my data connecting to my phone and then another computer, unless there is support for this that i didnt see.

#2

What’s the ambient temp in your room? If it’s close to the upper end of the GF’s range, you might have luck with as little as just pointing a fan at the air intake (lower right front corner).

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#3

and, while it’s probably not ideal (and you may not have the budget for it), you can take @geek2nurse’s idea to another level by using a portable AC unit. and your room may not make sense because it’s too large for a portable unit, but some folks have found ways to rig the cool air coming out of the AC unit to blow directly at the intake vent on the GF to always be pushing cool, conditioned air in.

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#4

If it helps, my portable a/c with an extra blower fan directly underneath the machine’s frame helps us engrave in a room that’s over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s a balmy 70 degrees in and around the machine when it runs while I’m melting a few feet away :wink:

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#5

Did you try the methods described below to connect your Glowforge to your school’s WiFi?

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#6

Will try this is a positive sign!

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#7

Hmm interesting, is there any negatives to using when its that hot? Any reason why the unit wont do it unless its cold?

#8

Will get one and try.

#9

As I understand it, the upper temperature limit for operating the GF is to (1) allow the unit to operate without an external cooler/chiller, and (2) to lengthen the lifetime of the laser tube itself.

Standard Disclaimer: This is a hopefully helpful, but non-authoritative answer. YMMV.

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#10

Running the laser tube hot (not enough cooling) can seriously shorten its life. The Pro buys you a little margin, but the heat still has to go somewhere…

(I parked mine in front of an old window AC for the time being)

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#11

While it is frustrating, it does protect your investment from being permanently damaged and extends it’s life! I have only had my pro go into “cooling” once when it was like 95F in my room. There are lots of work arounds! Don’t give up or get frustrated, I have been running my Glowforge in a makerspace for over a year and the students absolutely love it!
I have had students from the age of 2-45 design and build on it and were blown away!
Keep up the faith, you won’t be disappointed.

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#12

Awesome! Ill try a portable AC, yeah i like the ability of the glowforge to be simple for kids.

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#13

In addition to tube life, power drops off rapidly as the coolant gets too hot.

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#14

Thanks for the help and encouragement everyone.

@cooperl

  • Were you able to reconnect with the WAP2-Enterprise Wi-Fi instructions @cynd11 linked?

  • Regarding cooling:

Your Glowforge Pro features a closed-loop liquid cooling system that uses the air from the room to remove heat. It’s boosted by a solid-state thermoelectric cooler that allows for heavier use at higher ambient temperatures than the Basic. It is designed to be used when the temperature next to your Glowforge is between 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 Celsius) and 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius). To check, put a room thermometer next to the right hand side of the Glowforge; it draws in air from underneath, on the right.

You can try any of these things to improve warm-weather performance:

  • Try printing with no material on the bed (so as not to generate smoke and fumes) and no exhaust hose attached. If this works, then the problem may be that your exhaust hose is constricting the flow of air out of the unit, preventing cooling.

  • Examine the bottom-right side of your Glowforge, and ensure that there is no fabric or other flexible material underneath it, like a tablecloth. There are air intake vents, and if they become obstructed, it makes cooling less effective.

  • Try pointing a fan at the right side of your Glowforge. If there is warm air around the intake, this could help it cool off.

  • Power off your Glowforge when you are not using it. When your Glowforge sits idle, the fans are off, so heat can build up

  • Just wait. Your print may take a little longer when it’s warm, but your Glowforge will protect itself and make sure it cools enough to prevent any loss of power or damage. It’s clever enough to pick up from exactly where it left off, even if it needs to pause to cool down during the print!

  • Ensure that the sun isn’t shining on the lid. This could cause the inside of your Glowforge to heat up.

  • If you are venting outdoors, ensure that extreme temperatures or humidity do not enter the Glowforge unit through the exhaust hose. Disconnect the hose from the outside air when the Glowforge is not in use.

  • Turn your Glowforge off and open the lid for a few minutes before trying again. It’s possible for the air in your Glowforge to heat up, just like a car in the sun on a hot day, opening the lid will help that warm air to escape and your Glowforge to cool down.

If you are still running into trouble, please let us know the following so that we can investigate further:

  1. A description of the things you tried and what happened

  2. If possible, place a thermometer next to your Glowforge on the right hand side and measure the temperature there; if not, estimate the room temperature

  3. The date and time (including time zone) when you had the problem

  4. Take a picture of the exhaust hose behind your Glowforge that includes the part where it connects to your Glowforge, and the part where it exits the room

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#15

This worked very well!

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#16

Yay!

#17

One heat related issue I run into is if it is crazy hot outside (like yesterday was 100 even though in Boston that is pretty rare) the heat comes back down (heat does go down I guess?) the exhaust hose. I do have louvers on the outlet too, which help but in real high heat or super cold (like -20) it still gets into the GF. I found leaving it open in the room helps (not the room smells, but the temp)

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#18

I have a blast gate installed to keep hot/cold outside air out of my unit when not in use.

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#19

I almost always keep my venting hooked up and ready to go. Haven’t had an issue yet with the Pro and up to 113 degree temps outside. Ac was working hard to keep it at 78 inside but Glowforge chugged along great.

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#20

It’s been a little while since I’ve seen any replies on this thread so I’m going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.