Loud fan during startup

My fan is super loud upon startup. I’ve thoroughly cleaned the machine, including the exhaust and examined the area by/inside the fan for debris and haven’t found anything. I’ve blown the fan out with air.

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Super loud fan can happen when there is buildup on the front of the fan blades, and you aren’t going to see that easily.

But yes, it sounds like you need to clean it, it’s running out of balance.

There is a procedure for cleaning the exhaust fan here:

It’s much easier to clean on a Basic and Plus model machine than for a Pro.

(I prefer to not use that spray, since I saw someone had trouble with it along the way, so i clean by hand periodically.) That takes a lot longer, but the writeup is here:

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I actually started using your cleaning procedure last year when I had buildup problems :slight_smile: Thanks so much by the way. I regularly do heavy runs and have to do this cleaning once every month or sooner. I think this might be my next step: First Modification

I’ll keep you posted.

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So sorry that you’ve hit a snag. The advice @Jules provided is an excellent next step. Thanks Jules! Will you let us know how it goes after you’ve run the fan cleaning utility again?

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I’ve cleaned the machine as good as I’m able to and it’s still making the noise. Is it possible one of the fan bearings is bad?

Sorry to hear that the noise is still occurring. I had a colleague listen to the fan with me as well. Have you tried the cleaning process using degreaser? Over time, residue from printing can collect on the fan. This causes it to make more noise spinning than it did before.

Here’s a cleaning method to follow which uses degreaser to help break down any built up residue:

First, you’ll need to obtain a can of 3M Novec Electronic Degreaser, which you can purchase from Amazon or Digikey.

That page will walk you through the cleaning process. Brief summary:

  1. Turn off and unplug your unit and move it outside. Make sure it’s in a location where it has power and Wi-Fi

  2. Using the fan maintenance page, you’ll be able to turn the fan on

  3. Following all manufacturer’s safety instructions from 3M, spray the degreaser into the fan while it’s running for approximately 5 - 10 seconds, or until the fan is clean.

  4. When you’re done cleaning, turn off your unit to stop the fan, and return it to its usual home. You should now see considerably better performance from your exhaust fan!

Please let us know how it goes, and reach out if you have any questions!

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Sorry I took so long to get back, I was waiting on the 3M spray to come by UPS. I finished a meticulous full clean, and also did th 3M spray. It’s still making the noise. I did 5 clean runs with spraying the 3M, and that was after cleaning meticulously. I really do think it’s a bearing.

Oh no! I’m so sorry to hear that.

Unfortunately, we’ll need to arrange a repair or replace your unit.

I’ll reach out to you via email so we can get this sorted out right away.