Cleaning Air Assist Fan?

So it’s gotten to the point that my air assist fan isn’t running at proper speed before every fresh print (back to back prints are fine), and I have to go in and clean every time.

Are there any official instructions on doing a full proper cleaning? Same question for the main vent fan since I feel like I have to clear it out to keep a little more often for a decent air pressure coming out the hose.

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You can find the process right here… The support page gives you all the information to clean you GF even the exhaust fan,

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Well that’s what I’m talking about… I have to go through this process every time I do a fresh print. I can practically do it with my eyes closed now… literally… entirely by touch, lol.

I clean mine once a week I take it off the gantry and clean it with air, alcohol and some Q-Tips…

As for the main vent, if you machine is under warranty then their process is the best as way.

Hmmm, I’ll try the alcohol with q-tips thing. Hopefully things will get a little less gunked up… but no, my GF isn’t under warranty anymore (I was an OG pre-order).

Wee then, i take my exhaust fan off but you need small hands and lots of patience in taking the screws out and putting them back in, it takes me about hour all total now. The first time it took me 4 hours and a lot of cussing…

I see that the community has provided some good advice on the next best steps. I’ll keep this thread open a little longer, and see if any of those steps helped. Let us know how it goes!

Hmmm no luck. Just tried a print right now (first of the day) and it still says my assist fan isn’t running at the correct speed. I checked and it’s spinning freely.

I put everything back and the print is running fine now. I literally did nothing to the fan.

Could you please do the following:

  • Check the four contact points on the bottom of the printer head. Press down gently on each of them and let me know if any of them fail to spring back up when released.

  • Take a photo of the back of the printer head similar to the one below and send it to us:

The 4 connectors spring back no problem, and I’ve attached a shot.

I’d just like to add that I tried running a print right now and got the same problem…

I then took the assist fan off the track, did nothing to it but make sure the fan spins freely (it does), and put it back on. Running my print with no issues again.

This happens every time I do a fresh print. Every. Time. lol

Thank you for working through those instructions, and for sending over the images of the back of your Printer Head. After reviewing the log files from your Glowforge, and compare it with the details you’ve provided, I would advise having the Carriage Plate Assembly replaced on your Glowforge.

I’ve emailed over the next best steps directly, and will now close this thread.