Hey everyone! I'm diving into a DIY project to create a plastic filament dryer, but I'm a bit overwhelmed with all the choices out there. My plan is to use a microcontroller, a humidity and temperature sensor, a heating element, and a couple of fans. I only need to raise the temperature to about 60°C for an air volume of around 1-2 liters, so it shouldn't require too much heat or power. I also want to control when the fans turn on and off to recirculate warm air and vent out any moist air based on hygrometer readings.
I've been researching heating elements and found a 5W PTC heating element on DigiKey (link provided). Is a PTC heater a good option, or should I consider something else?
What do I need to power the heater? I saw a digital thermostat module on Amazon, but I'm wondering if I should just use a relay to control the PTC heater directly. If so, what type of relay would be suitable?
Lastly, I'm thinking about using a Raspberry Pi Pico since it's affordable and might allow for easy expansions like adding a display in the future. Is a Pico a safe choice, or are there better microcontrollers out there? I can't imagine my project being too complex, so I'm not sure if any microcontroller can drive the heater directly from its output pin. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
4 Answers
Have you thought about just using parts from an old hair dryer? You can grab the heating element and fans from one of those, and it can work really well for your needs! Just a thought to save you some hassle.
Ever thought about just grabbing a cheap food dehydrator? A lot of us end up modifying them by cutting the middles out of the trays for this kind of project. It's super straightforward and works really well!
Not directly related, but I've had great luck using color-indicating silica gel in a big plastic box. It's a simple setup that really gets the job done without any complex electronics! Just something to consider if you’re looking for an easy solution.
I recently went with a dehumidifier membrane that only uses a couple of watts, and it's been a game changer. I’ve got it installed in a 50L container that fits several rolls of filament, and after a few days, it really brought the humidity down to the low 20s. It's been great so far!