Over the last few days I’ve been making some laser cut (cardstock) wedding invitations for a friend. On the first day after about 5 invitations (doing one at a time at 2.5 minutes each) my GF shut down, no warning, just shut down. Gave it 20-30 minutes then manually restarted it and started over.
Currently I’m running 2 invitations at a time and I can only make about 3 runs, giving it 5-10 minutes in between runs or it stops to have a cool down period. Each set of 2 takes just over 5 minutes to print. I’m running 400 speed and 50 power.
At first I thought this was cooling down a bit much, but today on my first print of the day it shut down at 1.5 minutes into the print. This seems to be way too frequent. As of yet I’ve waited 15 to 30 minutes each time it goes for a cool down and still won’t restart on its own.
I’m running it in an approximately 60-65 degree room and have it vented out the window (which is allowing 40 degree ambient air in on the side of the room it is on right now.
Anybody know what’s going on? I’m getting really frustrated that I can’t do more than 3 5 minute cardstock prints in a row on a pro. And then you have today, where it apparently can’t run for 2 minutes… please help.
Is the air intake clear? Fan working? (Just suggesting a few things for the checklist). Because that wouldn’t be a problem for a basic. Also, just a suggestion: if the rest of the window is open, it may be allowing the heated exhaust air back in while the GF is running.
Intake is clear, exhaust is clear, fan working fine. Window is about 4’ high and exhaust is running out a vertical crack the width of the hose, and the hose is aimed slightly upward. It’s definitely cooler on that side of the room. GF is sitting on its own on a 3.5’ tall workbench, GF is 1’ from the window and 2’+ from the wall. Thanks
Sounds like it’s not a cool down issue it’s a warming up issue. The operating temperature window is from about 65° F- 81°F, and you might be hitting the lower end of the range.
A small space heater might help, and disconnecting your hose from the outside colder air when the machine is not in use.
I agree the room temperature would suggest the environment is at the low end of the operating range, but
it seems to me if it was able to start, once it has been running the coolant temperature would rise, bringing the machine further into the operating parameters… 
Maybe it’s not rising enough, and once the temperature gets taken, the software is shutting itself down.
That makes sense, but I wouldn’t think it would’nt take minutes for the sensors to respond… I wonder if the temperature is sensed and controlled locally or if the readings have to be sent upstairs and orders to be communicated back to the machine.
@scott.wiederhold?
I agree that it’s probably a warming issue (too cold) but the real operating specs are (from the tech specs page on the GF website):
Recommended Operating Temperature: 60F-75F (16C-25C) Basic; 60F-81F (16C-27C) Pro
Thanks for the correction. Didn’t realize it was that low for ambient temp.
Probably the cold 40° air coming into the machine from the vent then. Maybe a vent flap arrangement or blast gate for when the machine is not in use would help. It’s probably colder inside the machine where the temperatures are measured.
That and if it’s coming in through the intake on the bottom (OP noted that it was chillier on that side of the room) the sensors could be reporting low temps.
They should have driven the Peltier TEC with an H-bridge and then it would be able to heat as well as cool. That would mean it could work right down to freezing with just a little warm up time.
Once started there will be something like 100W going into the coolant when running at 50% power. That should easily keep it warm enough simply by backing off the cooling a little.
Of course, not long after I posted this today it randomly re-calibrated and began running perfectly fine. We’ll see if it stays that way over the next few days while I make 120 of these invitations…
The window is closed and the vent is brought inside when not in use. I measured the temp in the room at 65 F and the intake while it’s running can drop to about 60-62 F.
As for not warming up enough; I began having problems only after printing multiples in a row, and that was Sunday when it was a little warmer. This morning is the first time it has shut off on the first print.
I would hope it would say something other than “cooling down” if it’s running too cold. 
Thanks for the input!
Never tried to cut when it’s too cold but often turned the unit on and received a orange light when the temp is below about 52F in the room. Assume that means it’s too cold. Always just turn on the heat and go eat breakfast. Light is gone before I go back.
I’m sorry for all the trouble you’ve experienced. We will look into the behavior you saw.
Since things are better now, I’m going to close this post. Please post a new topic or email us at support@glowforge.com if you see these issues again or have any other questions.