So loud!

Community Support
1

Suddenly my fan is running rough and loud. I have been using my unit since Nov. 1st. Could it be the update? Or should I clean the fan? It has never made this sound before, and it ran just fine yesterday.

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2

How much have you cut on it?

It certainly could need cleaning if you’ve used it often

you can take the hose off the back and peek inside (while it’s not cutting anything!)
I’d suggest safety glasses too!

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Would you please clean and inspect the exhaust by following these instructions:

Remove Hose from Unit
Squeeze the two ends of the ring clamp together and pull the clamp and the hose away from your Glowforge to remove them.

Vacuum Exhaust Connections
Use a vacuum to remove dust and debris from your Glowforge unit’s exhaust connection as well as from your outdoor exhaust vent. Then take a photo of the exhaust connection like the one below and attach it to your reply.
exhaust_fan

Try a Print

  1. Remove any material from the bed, leaving the crumb tray
  2. Turn the Glowforge on and go to app.glowforge.com
  3. Upload or select a simple, quick design, such as a single outline cut
  4. Click “Unknown” to select a material
  5. Search for and choose “Thin Natural Leather” as your material
  6. Start the print (Note: This may create some odor, but it is not hazardous)
  7. Take a video of the print
  8. Reply to this email to let me know how it goes, and send me the video
4

If you’re still having noise, there is a more in depth method to clean your fan.

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!

I’m going to close this thread - if the problem reoccurs, go ahead and post a new topic. Thanks for letting us know about this!