Great video as always. Let me offer an alternative. After experimenting with various printed containers, I ended up settling on small drawstring mesh bags. A 100-pack is under $7 on Amazon. I measured 50g of beads per bag, then triple-knotted them. They can easily slip into the front of the AMS or the center holes of the spools inside the cereal boxes I use for storage. They can also be thrown directly into my filament dryer (a jerky maker) as well. No concerns about spillage or melting. For the hygrometer visibility issue, I use a Zigbee sensor and an external display, all powered by Home Assistant. That also gives me graphs of the humidity over time, and phone notifications if the AMS or any of the cereal boxes gets too moist.
@BV3D: Bryan Vines - I'm humbled beyond words, thank you so much for the kind words and review, as the description says - this is a set of remixes of an original design by Cagriahiskali, who created the beautiful grid look, I my contribution improved upon it theirs and the contributions of several others. Something that comes up in every set of comments about these is - is the hygrometer measuring the desiccant or the AMS? special care was taken to prevent contact between the hygrometer and the desiccant chamber, and allow the air behind the container to reach the hygrometer without passing through desiccant; while providing a narrow enough shape to allow removal and insertion without removing spools from the AMS. Thanks so much for this video, I'm besides myself.
I don't have yours, I have a different design from a while back but one main problem with the ones I have is you need to remove the spools to then pull out the boxes. Do yours suffer from this same issue? Yours definitely look easier to empty and refile though as the ones I have use a funnel in the top.
I can't believe how well this works!. I was at a 3-4 rating on water in the air on my AMS on my X1 Carbon. When I started the Hydrometer read about 55% and within a short while it has maintained 10% (1 rating). Great idea!
Great video, great tip! I got around to doing this today. Be careful opening that package from Amazon! Mine arrive in a plastic bag/envelope. Inside was suppose to be the desiccant in a zip lock. Somebody forgot to zip the lock! The beads were floating around the envelope. Luckily for me, minimal spillage and was able to finish this up. Model, print & video all on target!!! Well worth it!!! Nice job!
I use the ones that go in the middle of the spool, mainly because it also helps keep the spools turning when they get low on filament. I added scale calibration weights in them. But since you can never have too much desiccant, I'll probably add these too. Great video!
I did that at first + 3 pods in the front of the AMS and found that the spool ones are not needed. If you are storing your filament in sealed containers (with dessicants as well) the AMS pods dont need to do much and mine only need changing every 4-8 weeks.
@@nucleochemist Well, except that I'd need something to weight the spools anyway, and I also live in an area with very high humidity. Even with the spool ones and using the original desiccant chambers, I still have to dry my filament routinely, so whether they're needed kinda depends on circumstance.
I decided to commit and ordered a couple Roshal electronic dehumidifiers from Chip45 website. As long as they last a number of years...should be nice. Chip45 has the 3V usb power supply and frames you can print out. I don't have them yet - I'll be doing my AMS and a decent sized dry box.
@6:28 yes, they can definitely leak bad and they’ll ruin your AMS/circuitry and there’s no reasonable warning of this on the printer out-of-box and probably very worth a design upgrade. Source: personal experience!
When I asked, Bambu said it was factory dried, and although the spools are vacuum-packed, and the plastic bags are airtight, humidity can still pass through the bag. Someone else in the comments said the same thing about humidity being able to pass through airtight plastic bags. So apparently that's why nylon and other super-hygroscopic filament is packaged in metallic/plastic bags instead of clear plastic.
@@BV3D the response I got was "well, we told you" which I thought was odd. I've bought so much filament from them and even bought two rolls of the HF. One roll came out dry, the other roll came out unusable.
@@probablynotian I was getting poor surface quality on my red PETG HF for sure until I dried it, but the white was doing fine. The red did a lot better after I dried it.
Do the PETG-HF spools come in the clear bags or the metallized/foil bags? I know that moisture can pass through the clear ones. I would be extremely surprised if that's the case for the foil bags. I've done moisture testing with these bags and I find it hard to believe that moisture would go through them.
On my Bambu PET-CF and PAHT-CF spools, it recommends drying on the box before use but also has the foil bags. My theory was the time from drying the spool to sealing varies as the packaging batch is exposed to air during the bagging/sealing stage. Basically the last spool to be sealed would theoretically absorb more moisture than the first sealed spool if they were exposed at the same time. Drying on the customer end would ensure the moisture levels are more consistent.
That was Stefan @CNCKitchen. It's cool technology but yes, it's pricey. For anyone reading this and wanting to watch, here's a link to the video: th-cam.com/video/n7EWexck8NE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=0TghHVADqOasvAhX
I've been 'recycling' silica gel beads for a decade or more using a microwave oven. I always weigh the beads before I microwave them and weigh them afterwards as you can see immediately how much moisture has been removed. This is definitely the way to go.
Missed a chance to paraphrase A Knight's Tale at 2:00. "His spirit is gone, but his stench remains." which could be changed to "It's usefulness is gone, but it's slime remains."
I highly recommend printing the dessicant holders in ASA. That way when it's time to recharge you just throw it in the microwave on defrost for 10 minutes. No need to every open or touch the beads. DO NOT use the oven. Less than half way through my attempt the ASA was already starting to melt in the oven.
@@nucleochemist I personally find a few hours in my filament dryer at 65-70 degrees does great, and its right by the printer. it's also worth noting that the indicating desiccants are pretty toxic, so best kept away from appliances used for food.
Thanks Bryan for sharing. I have been using AMS Desiccant Boxes for about 2 months and works gr8. Have not needed to recharge yet - still hovering 10% humidity inside the AMS and no issues with PLA filament breaks.
I use a couple of those automotive dehumidifier packs in my filament box. They are not as good as silica desiccant, but they get the humidity down far enough, and recharging is as easy as zapping it around in the microwave for 5 minutes. Very convenient. I might give this stuff a go, though you have to be careful with toxic substances when drying out desiccant in an oven you also use to prepare food.
I’ve heard with this design that the Hydrometer can read more dry than the spools are experiencing. This is because the hydrometer is against the desiccant. I’ll probably leave the center pocket either half full, or even empty to compensate.
These were designed with solid walls seaprating the hygrometer's sensors from the desiccant with a clear path of air from behind the box. the area it's pulling air from would of course be affected by the desiccant, but to a much lesser extent than designs where the hygrometer is literally sitting inside of desiccant with no barrier. tests show a variance of RH% with the same model hygrometers sitting in the front center position in the box with desiccant, vs hygrometers placed in spool centers, and the back of the AMS as 3-5% difference after 12 hours.
I’ve had my P1S and AMS for a few weeks. Very pleased. I understand relative humidity and how to use SG. So I looked, and discovered holders on MakerWorld and printed the 5 front ones, centre with humidity gauge, and fillable ones for the 2 rear slots. A bag of SG costs about £6 in the UK, and this is twice as much as is required. The benefit is this allows the SG to be rotated once the RH goes above say 15% and the used SG dried, ready to be reused when required. 😊.
Just a little suggestion when using the rechargeable beads. Be sure to use a stone or ceramic bowl if you microwave them. they'll melt into a plastic dish and ruin themselves and the dish.
I went with "KYZ FF2 High Airflow Spool Desiccant Holder" and put it in every roll of filament. The advantage is that I can also pre-dry the rolls in my Creality dual roll dryers and also vacuum seal them after use. Basically, the desiccant stays with the roll until the roll is empty, gets re-dried when I think it's needed with the roll, and when the filament is done, it's time to microwave the beads! I used PETG to print them because I think the threads are smoother. If you want to print them, please, for the love of what you pray to, do NOT print with support. It doesn't need them, and adding supports will ruin your print. Don't ask how I know. Oh, I also use them with my son's A1 Mini and AMS Lite. Instead of mounting the filament on the AMS, we leave them in dedicated Creality dryers and loop them into the AMS from there. I wish you could do the same with the AMS for the P1/X1 but their filament travel is too long fot it to work. But you can use the AMS bypass to feed directly from the dryer if you print a lot of especially hydrophilic filament. (Yes, the sucker I am, I bought 2x double packs - that's almost another A1 Mini in price.)
@@JohnVanderbeck PETG, ABS, or ASA works great my dryer setting is 50c the trick is air flow, make sure they are in the way of the fan that's what's most important. They clear up very quickly too.
@@EatingCtrlV Interesting. I have mixed luck with ABS but I might try printing these up in PETG and see if that works out. It would be a HUGE benefit to be able to just put the whole thing in the dryer, rather than emptying them out, putting in new beads, drying out the old ones, etc. It's a chore I hate doing.
What part of town has the desert?! lol I'm in aurora near DIA and in the house with the AC running it's 35% most of the time, lol, I'm lucky if I get it around 25% in my cabinet. this house is pretty old though, might need some weather stripping upgrades - very jealous!
Also, for rejuvenating the beads, there is also a printable "screen" you can put on a Bambu reusable spool to pour the beads in and then use in any normal filament dryer (home-made from a dehydrator or consumer product). The screen also lets the small chips and bits fall out, keeping only the larger beads (and the large chunks of broken beads).
Random note here. The audio you use for your intro music is the same music that Costco Wholesale uses for their managment training videos when they're showing the companies timeline.😂
Printed my containers out of polycarbonate. I just pull out the containers and stick them in the oven at 190 f (88 c) No more spilled beads all over the house. ABS and ASA would work and PTEG probably would.
I've noticed is that the desiccant trays at the bottom of the AMS (I have both) soak up moisture significantly quicker than the front set. I guess this makes sense since moisture is heavier than air and should thus naturally sinks. Who knew? :P In short, my ANS finds it easier to stay dry with the bottom trays and I'm not sure the front ones contribute much until the bottom are near saturated. A shame, since they hold a LOT more beads.
@@Trust_me_I_am_an_Engineer I'm confused. You say moist air sinks and give reasons why but then wonder why the gell at the bottom absorbs more water? Because the heavier than air water falls down into them, no? "Humid (or moist) air rises , because it's lighter than dry air.", says who? Then why does it rain downward?
@@Trust_me_I_am_an_Engineer Maybe you were actually replying to someone else? In any case, to address: "Humid (or moist) air rises , because it's lighter than dry air."
@@gruvinnz Says who? Everybody who has had scientific training :) But you don't need to believe me. Go on google and type " is moist air heavier than dry air ?" Cya.
@@gruvinnzSo the tricky things about water is it actually is lighter than air when it is a vapor (MW of 18 instead of 32). Water is only a liquid at room temperature because of the strong attraction between water molecules.
I have a similar setup for my AMS and just recharged my beads for the first time in the microwave - they get super hot, so use a glass microwave-safe pyrex bowl and try not to do too many at once or they don't dry out well. Also, avoid the blue beads that have cobalt in them, as you don't want to be touching cobalt. Finally, note that the hygrometer is right up against the beads, so it is going to show a lower humidity than the average would be throughout the AMS.
note that the hygrometer is separated from the beads by a solid wall and the sensors of the hygrometers face the rear of the boxes through which the grid allows air to reach them without passing through desiccant. the closest sensor location to desicant is an average of 15mm away from eachother, this was specfically designed for this purpose as most of these have the hygrometer sitting in a nest of desiccant. ;)
The organic dyed (green-orange) beads are worse in the long run. Their performance degrades and they will progressively smell worse and worse (as the organic dye degrades and starts to volatilise) if you regenerate them at temps over 100 degC (which is the normal temp minimum that should be used for silica gel). The cobalt chloride doped beads are fine as long as you wash your hands after handling them and arn't somehow making a lot of dust and inhaling it all day long.
I've been using the older style Bank of squarish boxes that go in the front of the ams. I like the new additional ones to go on the left and right edge. Also running cylinder-shaped canisters that go inside each spool. That comes in handy on very light spools that tend to lift out on rewind
Just a small update for those who've asked: 9 Variations have been added for hygrometer variations, including different snap mounts for this round hygrometer (horizontal, vertical and 45 degree)
I have never been successful when trying to recharge silica gel beads in a nukro wave box. Much more successful with a dehydrator (same one I use to do initial dry on printer food) 90 C for about an hour.
FWIF, that stuff in BambuLabs dessicant must be calcium chloride, aka "road salt" (the salt that's laid on roads to melt snow). It's actually quite cheap stuff -sold either in bulk for cooking (it's a great preserver) or in bags of some kind. The real tricky thing is to keep the goo contained -I use 3D-printed polypropylene containers, as it's the only material that keeps it on the long run (not PETG, not PLA...). There are some some bags designed to be put in your car or closet (to keep your clothes dry) that are self-contained, quite like the BL stuff. So there may be a supplier out there that sells something that may fit and has no abhorrent shipping expenses. As for the goo, when it's quite saturated, a huge drop in temperature may cause it to turn solid. That may or may not help with removing a spillout in your AMS. (That often happens to my containers in winter, with a 10-15 ºC drop.) As @kellizielinski9633 commented, though, activated alumina (and maybe molecular sieves too) is a superior alternative to silica gel; also reusable and with superior drying power, but far more expensive. Thanks for the video!
I've switched to Activated Alumina, have had it everywhere in my workflow for 2 months now, and it hasn't lost potency - I'm dreading recharging it though lol, I bought a second jug so that I can swap and recharge id separately.
Love your videos. I think I'm just going to store my saturated beads in a gallon jug until I get a bunch of them, then just dry them all at once. Then I can simply microwave them on a low setting in a 9x13 lass pan (stirring occasionally) until I get a nice even orange.
1. I recommend the oven for drying silica gel. I found the microwave made the beads sticky and clumpy. (I could just be my microwave). 2. A friend just recommended activated alumina which he says works better and last longer.
Desiccant is a blanket term, you're refering to Silica Beads used as Desiccant. to make it easy to reuse- there are two types of color-changing silica beads that when heated change colorfrom one color to the other. These do wear out however, and don't last forever, but most can withstand several hundred rechargings. The problem with non-colored silica is that you can't tell when they are good or bad, and can't tell when they're spent and no longer rechargeable. In addition to Silica Bead desiccants used for 3D printing, other populars are calcium chloride (the kind Bambu Lab give you in the AMS which are not rechargeable, and thus disposable), and Activated Alumina - a larger white beads which last much longer, but do not indicate color. these are considered forever desiccant however because you can reharge them indefinitely. They require a much higher temperature than silica however, for longer - e.g. most require 400F for 8-12 hours, where as silica can be recharged in a microwave for around 10 minutes. Specifically, everyone who owns a Bambu Lab AMS has run into desiccant that is not reusable.
Hi, you can find my version of it here: www.printables.com/model/499365 I remixed the one I found on Thingiverse to add alignment pins for the legs and head. I used it in my 3D Printed Dad Jokes video, here: th-cam.com/video/fRofqug0WKE/w-d-xo.html
Been using these beads for months in small jewellery bags, then put them in the filament vacuum bags with the dry filament spools. ps. the humidity here in the west of the UK is constantly 70%.
Why limit this to a AMS? I use plastic storage totes (zip lock, they have the best seal) i do not have a drying issue, this is just something i have done sense i started 3d printing. when i open a new roll i just toss the packet in the tote. on some of the Qidi filaments with CF I use a SH02 and dry it from 6-12 hours depends on what filament im using. Im going to make one and put it in the tote.
Recently I got a Dry Cabinet from Production Automation Corporation (PAC). They are made by eDry. So the smallest one is just $200 and keeps 4 filaments very dry. Currently mine is at 4.7% humidity. It CAN dry wet filament, but it does take a few weeks, but no heat. And unfortunately it doesn't work for an AMS, but it is very handy to keep those filaments lying around very dry. Indoor air is about 40% and in the cabinet, under 5%. Nothing to heat, replace or recharge.
This is much better than what i have. What do you think of those bags that you vacuum seal? I have been using them with descant containers in them, but not sure if that is effective or not.
I printed a different design of holders for the front of the AMS using polycarbonate and the whole thing goes in the oven. Works perfectly at 105 degrees C. I dont have anything in the original dessicant things in the bottom of the AMS.
I'd strongly advise to steer clear of microwaving the beads, they can and do crack when they get too hot, and you don't want them anywhere near your food. 1 they will chip your teeth if you eat them, and 2 they are toxic I put them in my filament dryer at 65-70 degrees(celcius) for a few hours, never gone wrong.
So far im also using the color changing ones, but with the hygrometer inside i start wondering if the ones without the color indicator wouldn't be more effective / last longer. I've read that a few times, but haven't done a A/B comparison yet.
The Bambu Lab dessicant can leak, found that out on the weekend. Comes out an oily consistency. Printed the in desiccant holders already, adding these in now. Already had colour beads for spool wieght.
if you want to microwave them, ASA is your best bet, the microwave as you know, won't heat up the plastic, but the beads get so hot they'll melt PLA right through.
I have similar dryers in my AMS, but you have to take the spools out to take them in and out. Can these ones be inserted while the spools are in? Also, I use my filament dryer to dry out the beads. Just make sure you don't print them out of PLA.
My intention is to remove the beads from the boxes and put them in a pyrex dish or something similar. You're right, though. Microwaving a hygrometer wouldn't be good for it. 😇
I had a slight mishap with recharging my silica beads... The packet said 7 - 12 minutes at 700W. My microwave is 800W, so I turned it down to med-hi instead of full power and left it for 7 mins. The beads at the top and sides of the ceramic bowl I'd put them in had dried out, but the ones in the middle and bottom of the bowl were almost all still green or brown, so I put them back in for another 3 mins., which cracked the bowl. I also tried microwave safe plastic, but the beads melted straight through it... So now I need to order a new pack of beads, as most of the ones I was using are now covered in plastic 😆 So I guess those little beads are getting up to temps of well over 100 degrees C, possibly over 200? My conclusion: either do them in small batches (e.g. the contents of 1 of those AMS boxes at a time), or make sure you have something seriously heat resistant like a pyrex baking dish to put them in...
I use tea infuser/strainers made from stainless steel as containers for the silica gel. The ones I use are cylindrical with 4 cm diameter, 6 cm height. I got them from Aliexpress, I guess Amazon has them too. That way I don’t have to empty out the containers to put them in the oven. BTW, you shouldn’t microwave silica gel, because the microwave creates hotspots and degrades the silica over time.
While I'm sure I could find it in his back-catalog, can anyone point me to the model of the ATAT with @-symbols to his left in the middle shelf? Turns out searching for the @ symbol does not have the intended effect :) Thanks!
Now that my 4 rolls of filament are at 10% relative humidity in my AMS with this modification...Do I need to use my new SUNLU S4 dryer now? Currently it's a storage box for changing rolls out.
The only issue with desiccant is that even when you’re not using it it’s absorbing moisture from the air, which is why I keep it in a dry box with some desiccant
Microwaving is quick and nasty and will damage the beads or risk burning people. Oven is much safer. If you are paranoid about having cobalt chloride dust in your domestic kitchen oven, buy a small digital fan forced oven such as a Breville Smart Oven, there are many others on the market. Avoid cheap infrared toaster ovens, those have very poor thermal control and monitoring (about as poor as your microwave ;) )
Only issue with this is that a drier does that dries filament on spool, A desiccant can not pull moisture out of filament, it only pulls from the ambient air. Filament still needs to be dried properly whether in the bambu printer with the drier setting and then placed in the AMS or with an external filament drier. Thank you for the great info nonetheless :)
This. Wet or moist filament still needs to be dried externally. I use heatbed method (heatbed to 40C with spool laid directly on it and the box it came in with one side removed over it).
The Bambu Labs desiccant is calcium chloride. Technically, that chemical _can_ be dried out and used again, but the drying temperature is around 250˚C (close to 500˚F) for an hour. I don't think the package containing it would survive those temperatures. I also don't know if it would dry into a solid that would then have to be crushed into a powder again. So although calcium chloride is a more efficient desiccant, I think silica gel beads are probably the way to go for ease of re-use. Also, you get bonus points for Python recognition. 😄
@@BV3D hmmm, I see, I see, I get the picture. Not great from a sustainability but I guess it is what it is. I love your solution to the issue though. Keep up the great work.
@@BV3D I've actually tried this and its not worth the effort. It smells due to impurities decomposing and creates a rock hard solid that you can't easily break apart. Everything is difficult and impractical . CaCl2 is sold as beads in bulk and they're pretty cheap at deparment stores and hardware stores but I still prefer to use silica gel because its cheaper in the long run and less wasteful. Also the dust from handling CaCl2 is a irritant, moreso than from silica gel.
sigh.. ok I won't call this clickbait but saying you never had to replace desiccant again made me think you had something that didn't need maintenance. I've used re-usable desiccant since I got my AMS but changing it every week and recharging the beads is a real PITA. In my mind you're still replacing the desiccant in your AMS. You are replacing it with fresh beads and recharging the olde ones, but you are still replacing the desiccant.
Quite too many words and too much importance for the simple design solutions used to keep desiccant into AMS. There are probably 20 variations for these boxes everywhere. Other solution is to have spools with dessicant towers - and you have protection for material even when it is not placed in AMS.
I want to see an affiliate link for the t-shirts you wear :) I totally need this one lol . Really great design which I will use one day when I can get an ams unit and a bambu lab printer :(
Surrounding the hygrometer with desiccant measures the humidity of the desiccant. Your AMS did not reach 10% RH in 20 minutes. You would likely get the same result if you didn’t put the unit in the AMS.
It really only shows when the silica gel is completely saturated, the problem is that there is not many other good places to put the hygrometer in the AMS and so a lot of designs just attach it to the dessicant pods. Mine goes from about 10 % nominally to about 14 or 15 % if the AMS is opened, so it still kinda indicates when its doing something.
@@nucleochemistThe AMS has its own hygrometer, knowing moistness on a scale of 1-5 is enough to know when it’s time to change. Also color-changing beads help.
Definitely do NOT microwave the beads. Microwaves aren’t nearly consistent enough. It works, but it not well and breaks down the beads a lot faster. Baking them in the oven at ~225°F/107°C for 1-2 hours works better.
IDK the manufacturers all recommend it, Dry and Dry puts it on their container, I've been microwaving mine in a big pyrex baking dish for years, never had it 'break down', how exactly would someone know they were breaking down? they didn't last any less long, nor physically change in any way.
I tried microwaving yesterday for first time. Dry & Dry said 10 min on defrost. I put on microwave safe plate (i.e., paper plate). Some turned orange almost immediately. After about 1 minute I was afraid I was cooking them. I stopped. Some are orange, some are still green and some are nearly black. I’m not so sure microwave is a good idea.
@@iansabrewolfe I've also had less-than-satisfactory results using a microwave oven. I just throw the beads (contained in mesh bags) into my jerky maker for 8 hours alongside filament spools. Low and slow heat, plenty of air circulation. Works great.
@@aeonjoey3d by break down I mean physically. If the beads are heated too quickly, they can fracture. Because microwaves vary so much in power output and because they don’t heat evenly, hot and cold spots are a problem. An oven (convection is best) does the job far better and gives you more room to spread the beads out.
G'day Brian ol son.... i use my Sunlu S4 as a AMS system and love the machine......im not a fan of Bambu, with their Apple type of ecosystem, with a semi closed system. this vid about the basic de moisturising of the AMS and using the propriertry sylica is just one case. I use the desicant from all my filament rolls and dry as need be, im on the poorer side, being on a disability pension so i must save every cent as costs here in Australia can be expensive for all things makerspace. Cheers for your insight, From A M8 Downunder
One thing to note, it may have already ben said - Using the desiccant beads in the same container using the hygrometer is in will give it a false reading. this is because the sensor in the hygrometer sits deeper in than the container, so "drier" surrounding air effects its reading. To prove this, use the system with desiccant in that box, note the reading, then empty it and put the container back and note the difference. Without the surrounding desiccant, you should see a higher reading since it is sampling "untreated" surrounding air. You will also notice a slower lowering of humidity as the overall air is dried versus the immediate nature of the just the surrounding air. - I learned this through trial and observation using 3 hygrometers in the AMS unit in different locations.
note that the hygrometer is separated from the beads by a solid wall and the sensors of the hygrometers face the rear of the boxes through which the grid allows air to reach them without passing through desiccant. the closest sensor location to desicant is an average of 15mm away from eachother, this was specfically designed for this purpose as most of these have the hygrometer sitting in a nest of desiccant. ;)
Just trying to help. Also my personal opinion. The transitions are nice. But the hexagon style one that starts in the middle of the screen isn't the nicest. Colors and animation is fine. But when it starts I can see the video around the border when the transition starts. I think it would be better to have the animation fill the entire screen except for the center. Great video otherwise.
Also ditch the sound effects. I know TV now uses sound effects for all their animations, I think it’s real dumb and unnecessary. If we’re watching the screen, we can see the animation, so we don’t need a sound cue. If we’re not watching the screen, we can’t see the animation, so we don’t need a sound cue. Who decided this was a good idea? Also get off my lawn
That slicer trick note is more than worth the cost of admission! This just simplified a Raspberry Pi case design I'm building.
love it!
Great video as always. Let me offer an alternative.
After experimenting with various printed containers, I ended up settling on small drawstring mesh bags. A 100-pack is under $7 on Amazon. I measured 50g of beads per bag, then triple-knotted them. They can easily slip into the front of the AMS or the center holes of the spools inside the cereal boxes I use for storage. They can also be thrown directly into my filament dryer (a jerky maker) as well. No concerns about spillage or melting.
For the hygrometer visibility issue, I use a Zigbee sensor and an external display, all powered by Home Assistant. That also gives me graphs of the humidity over time, and phone notifications if the AMS or any of the cereal boxes gets too moist.
I use those bags for my dryboxes, my wife says they're "organza bags".
Mix in some potpourri and have the best smelling prints on the block! 😆
@BV3D: Bryan Vines - I'm humbled beyond words, thank you so much for the kind words and review, as the description says - this is a set of remixes of an original design by Cagriahiskali, who created the beautiful grid look, I my contribution improved upon it theirs and the contributions of several others. Something that comes up in every set of comments about these is - is the hygrometer measuring the desiccant or the AMS? special care was taken to prevent contact between the hygrometer and the desiccant chamber, and allow the air behind the container to reach the hygrometer without passing through desiccant; while providing a narrow enough shape to allow removal and insertion without removing spools from the AMS. Thanks so much for this video, I'm besides myself.
Hi Joey, I'm super glad you liked the video! 😃
I don't have yours, I have a different design from a while back but one main problem with the ones I have is you need to remove the spools to then pull out the boxes. Do yours suffer from this same issue? Yours definitely look easier to empty and refile though as the ones I have use a funnel in the top.
I can't believe how well this works!. I was at a 3-4 rating on water in the air on my AMS on my X1 Carbon. When I started the Hydrometer read about 55% and within a short while it has maintained 10% (1 rating). Great idea!
Planning on doing exactly this with my P1S very soon. Thanks for the vid!
Great video, great tip! I got around to doing this today. Be careful opening that package from Amazon! Mine arrive in a plastic bag/envelope. Inside was suppose to be the desiccant in a zip lock. Somebody forgot to zip the lock! The beads were floating around the envelope. Luckily for me, minimal spillage and was able to finish this up. Model, print & video all on target!!! Well worth it!!! Nice job!
Lovely Monty Python soliloquy!
Remarkable bird, innit? Beautiful plumage!
@@BV3D”I’ve got a slug.” Subscribed just for the dead parrot callout.
@@aspectratio703 Haha! Thank you!
I use the ones that go in the middle of the spool, mainly because it also helps keep the spools turning when they get low on filament. I added scale calibration weights in them. But since you can never have too much desiccant, I'll probably add these too. Great video!
I did that at first + 3 pods in the front of the AMS and found that the spool ones are not needed. If you are storing your filament in sealed containers (with dessicants as well) the AMS pods dont need to do much and mine only need changing every 4-8 weeks.
@@nucleochemist Well, except that I'd need something to weight the spools anyway, and I also live in an area with very high humidity. Even with the spool ones and using the original desiccant chambers, I still have to dry my filament routinely, so whether they're needed kinda depends on circumstance.
I used to do that until one day for some odd reason the insert was actually causing one of my spools to not spin properly.
I decided to commit and ordered a couple Roshal electronic dehumidifiers from Chip45 website. As long as they last a number of years...should be nice. Chip45 has the 3V usb power supply and frames you can print out. I don't have them yet - I'll be doing my AMS and a decent sized dry box.
That's next-level! Cool!
thank you this was great info i never knew
Instant win for ex-desiccant rant
@6:28 yes, they can definitely leak bad and they’ll ruin your AMS/circuitry and there’s no reasonable warning of this on the printer out-of-box and probably very worth a design upgrade. Source: personal experience!
Oh, ouch! I'm sorry that happened to your AMS!
That PET-HF filament is the first filament I've bought from them that needed to be dried out of the factory packaging. Wild stuff.
When I asked, Bambu said it was factory dried, and although the spools are vacuum-packed, and the plastic bags are airtight, humidity can still pass through the bag. Someone else in the comments said the same thing about humidity being able to pass through airtight plastic bags. So apparently that's why nylon and other super-hygroscopic filament is packaged in metallic/plastic bags instead of clear plastic.
@@BV3D the response I got was "well, we told you" which I thought was odd. I've bought so much filament from them and even bought two rolls of the HF. One roll came out dry, the other roll came out unusable.
@@probablynotian I was getting poor surface quality on my red PETG HF for sure until I dried it, but the white was doing fine. The red did a lot better after I dried it.
Do the PETG-HF spools come in the clear bags or the metallized/foil bags? I know that moisture can pass through the clear ones. I would be extremely surprised if that's the case for the foil bags. I've done moisture testing with these bags and I find it hard to believe that moisture would go through them.
On my Bambu PET-CF and PAHT-CF spools, it recommends drying on the box before use but also has the foil bags. My theory was the time from drying the spool to sealing varies as the packaging batch is exposed to air during the bagging/sealing stage. Basically the last spool to be sealed would theoretically absorb more moisture than the first sealed spool if they were exposed at the same time. Drying on the customer end would ensure the moisture levels are more consistent.
That's a lovely Norwegian Blue Dessicant.
Someone somewhere here on youtube used a chip that moves moisture out. It runs on a batery and keeps the filament dry. The catch is the price.
That was Stefan @CNCKitchen. It's cool technology but yes, it's pricey. For anyone reading this and wanting to watch, here's a link to the video: th-cam.com/video/n7EWexck8NE/w-d-xo.htmlsi=0TghHVADqOasvAhX
I've been 'recycling' silica gel beads for a decade or more using a microwave oven. I always weigh the beads before I microwave them and weigh them afterwards as you can see immediately how much moisture has been removed. This is definitely the way to go.
Missed a chance to paraphrase A Knight's Tale at 2:00. "His spirit is gone, but his stench remains." which could be changed to "It's usefulness is gone, but it's slime remains."
I highly recommend printing the dessicant holders in ASA. That way when it's time to recharge you just throw it in the microwave on defrost for 10 minutes. No need to every open or touch the beads. DO NOT use the oven. Less than half way through my attempt the ASA was already starting to melt in the oven.
Microwaving has no thermal control. Not a good idea. Use a good digital oven with fan (i.e., not a thermostated or analog convection oven.)
@@nucleochemist
I personally find a few hours in my filament dryer at 65-70 degrees does great, and its right by the printer.
it's also worth noting that the indicating desiccants are pretty toxic, so best kept away from appliances used for food.
Thanks Bryan for sharing. I have been using AMS Desiccant Boxes for about 2 months and works gr8. Have not needed to recharge yet - still hovering 10% humidity inside the AMS and no issues with PLA filament breaks.
I use a couple of those automotive dehumidifier packs in my filament box. They are not as good as silica desiccant, but they get the humidity down far enough, and recharging is as easy as zapping it around in the microwave for 5 minutes. Very convenient.
I might give this stuff a go, though you have to be careful with toxic substances when drying out desiccant in an oven you also use to prepare food.
I love your T shirt.
Haha! Thank you! My wife got it for me.
@@BV3Dmay I ask where?
Thank you sir.
Most welcome!
I’ve heard with this design that the Hydrometer can read more dry than the spools are experiencing. This is because the hydrometer is against the desiccant. I’ll probably leave the center pocket either half full, or even empty to compensate.
These were designed with solid walls seaprating the hygrometer's sensors from the desiccant with a clear path of air from behind the box. the area it's pulling air from would of course be affected by the desiccant, but to a much lesser extent than designs where the hygrometer is literally sitting inside of desiccant with no barrier. tests show a variance of RH% with the same model hygrometers sitting in the front center position in the box with desiccant, vs hygrometers placed in spool centers, and the back of the AMS as 3-5% difference after 12 hours.
I’ve had my P1S and AMS for a few weeks. Very pleased.
I understand relative humidity and how to use SG. So I looked, and discovered holders on MakerWorld and printed the 5 front ones, centre with humidity gauge, and fillable ones for the 2 rear slots.
A bag of SG costs about £6 in the UK, and this is twice as much as is required. The benefit is this allows the SG to be rotated once the RH goes above say 15% and the used SG dried, ready to be reused when required. 😊.
Please test with the hydrometer in an opposite corner from the desiccant.
Just a little suggestion when using the rechargeable beads. Be sure to use a stone or ceramic bowl if you microwave them. they'll melt into a plastic dish and ruin themselves and the dish.
Gotta love the tshirt
I want one
I went with "KYZ FF2 High Airflow Spool Desiccant Holder" and put it in every roll of filament. The advantage is that I can also pre-dry the rolls in my Creality dual roll dryers and also vacuum seal them after use. Basically, the desiccant stays with the roll until the roll is empty, gets re-dried when I think it's needed with the roll, and when the filament is done, it's time to microwave the beads!
I used PETG to print them because I think the threads are smoother. If you want to print them, please, for the love of what you pray to, do NOT print with support. It doesn't need them, and adding supports will ruin your print. Don't ask how I know.
Oh, I also use them with my son's A1 Mini and AMS Lite. Instead of mounting the filament on the AMS, we leave them in dedicated Creality dryers and loop them into the AMS from there. I wish you could do the same with the AMS for the P1/X1 but their filament travel is too long fot it to work. But you can use the AMS bypass to feed directly from the dryer if you print a lot of especially hydrophilic filament. (Yes, the sucker I am, I bought 2x double packs - that's almost another A1 Mini in price.)
I printed these in clear filament and just heat them up in my filament dryer when I can see the color shift.
What did you print them in that holds up enough to recharge the beads without deforming the material?
@@JohnVanderbeck PETG, ABS, or ASA works great my dryer setting is 50c the trick is air flow, make sure they are in the way of the fan that's what's most important. They clear up very quickly too.
@@EatingCtrlV Interesting. I have mixed luck with ABS but I might try printing these up in PETG and see if that works out. It would be a HUGE benefit to be able to just put the whole thing in the dryer, rather than emptying them out, putting in new beads, drying out the old ones, etc. It's a chore I hate doing.
I am blessed to live in Denver where the relative humidity indoors is regularly
I envy your low indoor relative humidity. 😊
What part of town has the desert?! lol I'm in aurora near DIA and in the house with the AC running it's 35% most of the time, lol, I'm lucky if I get it around 25% in my cabinet. this house is pretty old though, might need some weather stripping upgrades - very jealous!
I live in Phoenix, AZ where its 15% outside, but inside your house is much different. 35%-40% is typical, which is too damp for most filament.
@@A1N0 I want that big filament closet Filament Stories has ;D
I liked the Monty Python homage. My storage dry box is a 5 gallon hardware store bucket with the tight sealing lid and some of that same desiccant.
Also, for rejuvenating the beads, there is also a printable "screen" you can put on a Bambu reusable spool to pour the beads in and then use in any normal filament dryer (home-made from a dehydrator or consumer product). The screen also lets the small chips and bits fall out, keeping only the larger beads (and the large chunks of broken beads).
Yeah I've used a couple of these (hint, don't print them in PETG LOL, use ASA/ABS)
Can you share the link to the printable "screen"? Thanks!!
Random note here.
The audio you use for your intro music is the same music that Costco Wholesale uses for their managment training videos when they're showing the companies timeline.😂
Haha! That's funny! It comes with Final Cut Pro (or iMovie, I forgot which).
You can use dessicant packs too. Also microwaveable.
Printed my containers out of polycarbonate. I just pull out the containers and stick them in the oven at 190 f (88 c) No more spilled beads all over the house. ABS and ASA would work and PTEG probably would.
Great tip!
The first time a dried mine in the microwave I put it in what I thought was a microwave proof bowl, it wasn't and it exploded!
Yikes! 😧
I've noticed is that the desiccant trays at the bottom of the AMS (I have both) soak up moisture significantly quicker than the front set. I guess this makes sense since moisture is heavier than air and should thus naturally sinks. Who knew? :P In short, my ANS finds it easier to stay dry with the bottom trays and I'm not sure the front ones contribute much until the bottom are near saturated. A shame, since they hold a LOT more beads.
@@Trust_me_I_am_an_Engineer I'm confused. You say moist air sinks and give reasons why but then wonder why the gell at the bottom absorbs more water? Because the heavier than air water falls down into them, no? "Humid (or moist) air rises , because it's lighter than dry air.", says who? Then why does it rain downward?
@@Trust_me_I_am_an_Engineer Maybe you were actually replying to someone else? In any case, to address: "Humid (or moist) air rises , because it's lighter than dry air."
@@gruvinnz Says who? Everybody who has had scientific training :) But you don't need to believe me. Go on google and type " is moist air heavier than dry air ?" Cya.
@@gruvinnzSo the tricky things about water is it actually is lighter than air when it is a vapor (MW of 18 instead of 32). Water is only a liquid at room temperature because of the strong attraction between water molecules.
I have a similar setup for my AMS and just recharged my beads for the first time in the microwave - they get super hot, so use a glass microwave-safe pyrex bowl and try not to do too many at once or they don't dry out well. Also, avoid the blue beads that have cobalt in them, as you don't want to be touching cobalt. Finally, note that the hygrometer is right up against the beads, so it is going to show a lower humidity than the average would be throughout the AMS.
note that the hygrometer is separated from the beads by a solid wall and the sensors of the hygrometers face the rear of the boxes through which the grid allows air to reach them without passing through desiccant. the closest sensor location to desicant is an average of 15mm away from eachother, this was specfically designed for this purpose as most of these have the hygrometer sitting in a nest of desiccant. ;)
The organic dyed (green-orange) beads are worse in the long run. Their performance degrades and they will progressively smell worse and worse (as the organic dye degrades and starts to volatilise) if you regenerate them at temps over 100 degC (which is the normal temp minimum that should be used for silica gel). The cobalt chloride doped beads are fine as long as you wash your hands after handling them and arn't somehow making a lot of dust and inhaling it all day long.
I've been using the older style Bank of squarish boxes that go in the front of the ams. I like the new additional ones to go on the left and right edge. Also running cylinder-shaped canisters that go inside each spool. That comes in handy on very light spools that tend to lift out on rewind
Just a small update for those who've asked: 9 Variations have been added for hygrometer variations, including different snap mounts for this round hygrometer (horizontal, vertical and 45 degree)
I have never been successful when trying to recharge silica gel beads in a nukro wave box.
Much more successful with a dehydrator (same one I use to do initial dry on printer food) 90 C for about an hour.
FWIF, that stuff in BambuLabs dessicant must be calcium chloride, aka "road salt" (the salt that's laid on roads to melt snow). It's actually quite cheap stuff -sold either in bulk for cooking (it's a great preserver) or in bags of some kind. The real tricky thing is to keep the goo contained -I use 3D-printed polypropylene containers, as it's the only material that keeps it on the long run (not PETG, not PLA...). There are some some bags designed to be put in your car or closet (to keep your clothes dry) that are self-contained, quite like the BL stuff. So there may be a supplier out there that sells something that may fit and has no abhorrent shipping expenses.
As for the goo, when it's quite saturated, a huge drop in temperature may cause it to turn solid. That may or may not help with removing a spillout in your AMS. (That often happens to my containers in winter, with a 10-15 ºC drop.)
As @kellizielinski9633 commented, though, activated alumina (and maybe molecular sieves too) is a superior alternative to silica gel; also reusable and with superior drying power, but far more expensive.
Thanks for the video!
I've switched to Activated Alumina, have had it everywhere in my workflow for 2 months now, and it hasn't lost potency - I'm dreading recharging it though lol, I bought a second jug so that I can swap and recharge id separately.
Love the shirts! Oh and your content is awesome too. 😊
Haha! Thanks, my wife gets these shirts for me as birthday and Christmas gifts. 😁
Your old desiccant was probably just pinning for the fields.
If it hadn't been held down by that snap cover, it would've muscled up that AMS lid and VOOM!
Love your videos. I think I'm just going to store my saturated beads in a gallon jug until I get a bunch of them, then just dry them all at once. Then I can simply microwave them on a low setting in a 9x13 lass pan (stirring occasionally) until I get a nice even orange.
1. I recommend the oven for drying silica gel. I found the microwave made the beads sticky and clumpy. (I could just be my microwave).
2. A friend just recommended activated alumina which he says works better and last longer.
Make sure you only use LOW power, don’t let the SG get too hot and gently stir every few minutes.
It's pining for the fjords.
It's resting. 😂
AFAIK, ALL DESICCANT is REUSABLE! Just dry it in your oven, dehydrator, etc. I have not run into any desiccant that is not reusable.
Desiccant is a blanket term, you're refering to Silica Beads used as Desiccant. to make it easy to reuse- there are two types of color-changing silica beads that when heated change colorfrom one color to the other. These do wear out however, and don't last forever, but most can withstand several hundred rechargings. The problem with non-colored silica is that you can't tell when they are good or bad, and can't tell when they're spent and no longer rechargeable. In addition to Silica Bead desiccants used for 3D printing, other populars are calcium chloride (the kind Bambu Lab give you in the AMS which are not rechargeable, and thus disposable), and Activated Alumina - a larger white beads which last much longer, but do not indicate color. these are considered forever desiccant however because you can reharge them indefinitely. They require a much higher temperature than silica however, for longer - e.g. most require 400F for 8-12 hours, where as silica can be recharged in a microwave for around 10 minutes.
Specifically, everyone who owns a Bambu Lab AMS has run into desiccant that is not reusable.
Great video! I intend on doing this project. However, I don't see the dry box files for the Rectangular Hygrometer.
Great MP reference! Also...I really want to know where i can find that @@ model
Hi, you can find my version of it here: www.printables.com/model/499365 I remixed the one I found on Thingiverse to add alignment pins for the legs and head. I used it in my 3D Printed Dad Jokes video, here: th-cam.com/video/fRofqug0WKE/w-d-xo.html
@@BV3D Thanks!
Been using these beads for months in small jewellery bags, then put them in the filament vacuum bags with the dry filament spools. ps. the humidity here in the west of the UK is constantly 70%.
Why limit this to a AMS? I use plastic storage totes (zip lock, they have the best seal) i do not have a drying issue, this is just something i have done sense i started 3d printing. when i open a new roll i just toss the packet in the tote. on some of the Qidi filaments with CF I use a SH02 and dry it from 6-12 hours depends on what filament im using. Im going to make one and put it in the tote.
Does it matter which type of PLA? Great video.
Recently I got a Dry Cabinet from Production Automation Corporation (PAC). They are made by eDry. So the smallest one is just $200 and keeps 4 filaments very dry. Currently mine is at 4.7% humidity. It CAN dry wet filament, but it does take a few weeks, but no heat. And unfortunately it doesn't work for an AMS, but it is very handy to keep those filaments lying around very dry. Indoor air is about 40% and in the cabinet, under 5%. Nothing to heat, replace or recharge.
This is much better than what i have. What do you think of those bags that you vacuum seal? I have been using them with descant containers in them, but not sure if that is effective or not.
Check out the Eva-dry E-333 Mini Dehumidifier. You can plug it to dry it out. Someone needs to design an enclosure so this can fit on the AMS.
Good idea though they do make rechargeable desiccant packs now.
I printed a different design of holders for the front of the AMS using polycarbonate and the whole thing goes in the oven. Works perfectly at 105 degrees C. I dont have anything in the original dessicant things in the bottom of the AMS.
I'd strongly advise to steer clear of microwaving the beads, they can and do crack when they get too hot, and you don't want them anywhere near your food. 1 they will chip your teeth if you eat them, and 2 they are toxic
I put them in my filament dryer at 65-70 degrees(celcius) for a few hours, never gone wrong.
So far im also using the color changing ones, but with the hygrometer inside i start wondering if the ones without the color indicator wouldn't be more effective / last longer. I've read that a few times, but haven't done a A/B comparison yet.
Hi Brian, would love to see what you could come up with trying to print "glass" with clear PETG.
The Bambu Lab dessicant can leak, found that out on the weekend.
Comes out an oily consistency.
Printed the in desiccant holders already, adding these in now.
Already had colour beads for spool wieght.
Question: what is the best material to print the boxes with? Would PLA be an issue in the microwave?
if you want to microwave them, ASA is your best bet, the microwave as you know, won't heat up the plastic, but the beads get so hot they'll melt PLA right through.
I have similar dryers in my AMS, but you have to take the spools out to take them in and out. Can these ones be inserted while the spools are in? Also, I use my filament dryer to dry out the beads. Just make sure you don't print them out of PLA.
Just make sure to remove the hydrometer before putting in the microwave.
My intention is to remove the beads from the boxes and put them in a pyrex dish or something similar. You're right, though. Microwaving a hygrometer wouldn't be good for it. 😇
I had a slight mishap with recharging my silica beads...
The packet said 7 - 12 minutes at 700W. My microwave is 800W, so I turned it down to med-hi instead of full power and left it for 7 mins. The beads at the top and sides of the ceramic bowl I'd put them in had dried out, but the ones in the middle and bottom of the bowl were almost all still green or brown, so I put them back in for another 3 mins., which cracked the bowl.
I also tried microwave safe plastic, but the beads melted straight through it... So now I need to order a new pack of beads, as most of the ones I was using are now covered in plastic 😆
So I guess those little beads are getting up to temps of well over 100 degrees C, possibly over 200?
My conclusion: either do them in small batches (e.g. the contents of 1 of those AMS boxes at a time), or make sure you have something seriously heat resistant like a pyrex baking dish to put them in...
I use tea infuser/strainers made from stainless steel as containers for the silica gel. The ones I use are cylindrical with 4 cm diameter, 6 cm height. I got them from Aliexpress, I guess Amazon has them too. That way I don’t have to empty out the containers to put them in the oven. BTW, you shouldn’t microwave silica gel, because the microwave creates hotspots and degrades the silica over time.
While I'm sure I could find it in his back-catalog, can anyone point me to the model of the ATAT with @-symbols to his left in the middle shelf? Turns out searching for the @ symbol does not have the intended effect :)
Thanks!
www.printables.com/model/499365
@@BV3D thank you very much!
@@chrischtea You're quite welcome!
Now that my 4 rolls of filament are at 10% relative humidity in my AMS with this modification...Do I need to use my new SUNLU S4 dryer now? Currently it's a storage box for changing rolls out.
Regarding drying in the microwave, don't be like Mike and assume level 5 = defrost. It turns out it's 3 on my microwave.
The only issue with desiccant is that even when you’re not using it it’s absorbing moisture from the air, which is why I keep it in a dry box with some desiccant
Watching that % drop......wow.....
Yes, desiccant is dry…who knew? 😆
(The hygrometer is surrounded by desiccant so does not display the humidity of the AMS)
Nod to Monty Python's Parrot Sketch.
It’s just resting😂
Wait is it a dessicant or a parrot? 🤔🤪
Original Bambu Lab packs can leak after a while.
Yeah I've seen some nasty pics on reddit
Microwaving is quick and nasty and will damage the beads or risk burning people. Oven is much safer. If you are paranoid about having cobalt chloride dust in your domestic kitchen oven, buy a small digital fan forced oven such as a Breville Smart Oven, there are many others on the market. Avoid cheap infrared toaster ovens, those have very poor thermal control and monitoring (about as poor as your microwave ;) )
Only issue with this is that a drier does that dries filament on spool, A desiccant can not pull moisture out of filament, it only pulls from the ambient air. Filament still needs to be dried properly whether in the bambu printer with the drier setting and then placed in the AMS or with an external filament drier. Thank you for the great info nonetheless :)
This. Wet or moist filament still needs to be dried externally. I use heatbed method (heatbed to 40C with spool laid directly on it and the box it came in with one side removed over it).
He very clearly explained that difference in the video.
Great video, Escuse me Miss, but I have a question. Can the Bambu Labs gel be dehyrdated? Or are they really just disaposable? Sorry I have a cold.
The Bambu Labs desiccant is calcium chloride. Technically, that chemical _can_ be dried out and used again, but the drying temperature is around 250˚C (close to 500˚F) for an hour. I don't think the package containing it would survive those temperatures. I also don't know if it would dry into a solid that would then have to be crushed into a powder again. So although calcium chloride is a more efficient desiccant, I think silica gel beads are probably the way to go for ease of re-use. Also, you get bonus points for Python recognition. 😄
@@BV3D hmmm, I see, I see, I get the picture. Not great from a sustainability but I guess it is what it is. I love your solution to the issue though. Keep up the great work.
Thanks!
@@TsiolkovskySportingLocks Calcium chloride is probably less bad for the environment than silica beads.
@@BV3D I've actually tried this and its not worth the effort. It smells due to impurities decomposing and creates a rock hard solid that you can't easily break apart. Everything is difficult and impractical . CaCl2 is sold as beads in bulk and they're pretty cheap at deparment stores and hardware stores but I still prefer to use silica gel because its cheaper in the long run and less wasteful. Also the dust from handling CaCl2 is a irritant, moreso than from silica gel.
Oh they can leak!
literally 45 PLN (10$) per kilogram (2,2 pounds) in Poland
sigh.. ok I won't call this clickbait but saying you never had to replace desiccant again made me think you had something that didn't need maintenance. I've used re-usable desiccant since I got my AMS but changing it every week and recharging the beads is a real PITA. In my mind you're still replacing the desiccant in your AMS. You are replacing it with fresh beads and recharging the olde ones, but you are still replacing the desiccant.
everyone one entered de AMS world and i`m still stuck on my old 2020 ender3 v2...hmm OK!
Quite too many words and too much importance for the simple design solutions used to keep desiccant into AMS. There are probably 20 variations for these boxes everywhere.
Other solution is to have spools with dessicant towers - and you have protection for material even when it is not placed in AMS.
I want to see an affiliate link for the t-shirts you wear :) I totally need this one lol . Really great design which I will use one day when I can get an ams unit and a bambu lab printer :(
Reusable stuff is always better not only due to reduced cost, butt also significantly reduced waste 6.6
Your desiccant is unavailable.
Hi, thank you for letting me know. I have added an alternate supplier in the description. 😅
Surrounding the hygrometer with desiccant measures the humidity of the desiccant. Your AMS did not reach 10% RH in 20 minutes. You would likely get the same result if you didn’t put the unit in the AMS.
It really only shows when the silica gel is completely saturated, the problem is that there is not many other good places to put the hygrometer in the AMS and so a lot of designs just attach it to the dessicant pods. Mine goes from about 10 % nominally to about 14 or 15 % if the AMS is opened, so it still kinda indicates when its doing something.
@@nucleochemistThe AMS has its own hygrometer, knowing moistness on a scale of 1-5 is enough to know when it’s time to change. Also color-changing beads help.
imo don't microwave them. too easy to burn the indicator dye. burnt about $5 worth of beads. bake them instead.
Definitely do NOT microwave the beads. Microwaves aren’t nearly consistent enough. It works, but it not well and breaks down the beads a lot faster. Baking them in the oven at ~225°F/107°C for 1-2 hours works better.
IDK the manufacturers all recommend it, Dry and Dry puts it on their container, I've been microwaving mine in a big pyrex baking dish for years, never had it 'break down', how exactly would someone know they were breaking down? they didn't last any less long, nor physically change in any way.
I tried microwaving yesterday for first time. Dry & Dry said 10 min on defrost. I put on microwave safe plate (i.e., paper plate). Some turned orange almost immediately. After about 1 minute I was afraid I was cooking them. I stopped. Some are orange, some are still green and some are nearly black. I’m not so sure microwave is a good idea.
@@iansabrewolfe I've also had less-than-satisfactory results using a microwave oven. I just throw the beads (contained in mesh bags) into my jerky maker for 8 hours alongside filament spools. Low and slow heat, plenty of air circulation. Works great.
@@aeonjoey3d by break down I mean physically. If the beads are heated too quickly, they can fracture. Because microwaves vary so much in power output and because they don’t heat evenly, hot and cold spots are a problem. An oven (convection is best) does the job far better and gives you more room to spread the beads out.
@@kjdegraaf I use an oven since I use them loose and in bulk, but if you are using bags or the like, a dehydrator is a great alternative.
Wake up, Polly Dessicant!
G'day Brian ol son.... i use my Sunlu S4 as a AMS system and love the machine......im not a fan of Bambu, with their Apple type of ecosystem, with a semi closed system. this vid about the basic de moisturising of the AMS and using the propriertry sylica is just one case. I use the desicant from all my filament rolls and dry as need be, im on the poorer side, being on a disability pension so i must save every cent as costs here in Australia can be expensive for all things makerspace. Cheers for your insight, From A M8 Downunder
Bambu Lab desiccant is CaCl (calcium chloride); it is not proprietary.
One thing to note, it may have already ben said - Using the desiccant beads in the same container using the hygrometer is in will give it a false reading. this is because the sensor in the hygrometer sits deeper in than the container, so "drier" surrounding air effects its reading. To prove this, use the system with desiccant in that box, note the reading, then empty it and put the container back and note the difference. Without the surrounding desiccant, you should see a higher reading since it is sampling "untreated" surrounding air. You will also notice a slower lowering of humidity as the overall air is dried versus the immediate nature of the just the surrounding air. - I learned this through trial and observation using 3 hygrometers in the AMS unit in different locations.
note that the hygrometer is separated from the beads by a solid wall and the sensors of the hygrometers face the rear of the boxes through which the grid allows air to reach them without passing through desiccant. the closest sensor location to desicant is an average of 15mm away from eachother, this was specfically designed for this purpose as most of these have the hygrometer sitting in a nest of desiccant. ;)
Just trying to help. Also my personal opinion. The transitions are nice. But the hexagon style one that starts in the middle of the screen isn't the nicest. Colors and animation is fine. But when it starts I can see the video around the border when the transition starts. I think it would be better to have the animation fill the entire screen except for the center. Great video otherwise.
Also ditch the sound effects. I know TV now uses sound effects for all their animations, I think it’s real dumb and unnecessary. If we’re watching the screen, we can see the animation, so we don’t need a sound cue. If we’re not watching the screen, we can’t see the animation, so we don’t need a sound cue. Who decided this was a good idea? Also get off my lawn