Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

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Sneakers
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Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Sneakers » Wed Jan 16, 2019 10:35 pm

So I've got the original 12 Volt A30 and I was thinking about upgrading it to 24 Volts. When I first received the A30 I replaced all the fans with nice quite Sunon fans, So I don't particularly want to replace all the fans again. Is there a downside to running the Control Box and Hotend Fan with a buck converter? I plan to change out the Layer fan to a 24V 5015 Fan and use the Petsfang.

Here's my parts list if anyone is interested:
Mean Well 24V PSU (Link)
Resolder the bed for 24V (Link)
Replace Heater Cartridge (Link)
Run Hotend and Control Box fans from Buck Converter (Link)

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Admin
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Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Admin » Wed Jan 16, 2019 11:33 pm

;) Good job

advil
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Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by advil » Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:17 pm

I'd recommend getting the 600W Meanwell. Or at the minimum the 500W. Especially if you plan to run long prints or unattended.

My 24V A30 when the heater bed, hot end and steppers are all active at once it will draw 350W at the wall... maybe even a hair more.

advil
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Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2018 7:12 am

Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by advil » Mon Jan 21, 2019 2:21 pm

Can't give you a definitive answer on the buck converter. It will work fine... but you might lose RPM control on the part fan?

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Sneakers
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Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Sneakers » Mon Jan 21, 2019 8:11 pm

Thanks for the suggestion! Which Mean Well model are you using?

I plan on running the control box and hot end fan on buck converters. For the part fan I'll run a 24v 5015 so I can control the RPM.

hybridsix
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Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by hybridsix » Wed Apr 10, 2019 4:33 am

Did you end up doing the upgrade? looking at doing this to my printer as well.

Macflame
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Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Macflame » Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:21 pm

I want to do the same thing, upgrade to 24v 600w PSU. Will I have to change to 12v case fans that run off the Mini S control board or is the output voltage controlled by the board? TIA

Macflame
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:18 pm

Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Macflame » Wed Sep 18, 2019 12:36 am

I installed my buck converters, after setting them up on a 24v power supply.
Connected up the control box fans with the converters. I then installed my new 24v PSU.
Turned the control box on and the noise was really deafening! It sounded like my vacuum cleaner was on the table next to me.
My control box was really vibrating which exacerbated the noise.
I had set my buck converters to 12v. Could I have had 6v fans? lol
I shall strip it down again tomorrow and retest the converters and maybe halve the voltage again.

Macflame
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:18 pm

Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Macflame » Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:16 pm

I disabled my control box fans and the noise was just as bad.
I had not noticed that the relay had an active cooling fan running on it! It was damn near breaking off it's mount. lol
After stripping it down I found that it is also 12v. Thank goodness I bought quite of few of those handy buck converters.

Macflame
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Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 10:18 pm

Re: Downside to running fans from a buck converter? 24V Upgrade

Post by Macflame » Fri Sep 27, 2019 10:29 pm

Added another buck converter. The fan seems to be going just as fast. I have now ordered a new hopefully quieter fan.

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