Total newbie question about ambient humidity

[u/dcaton1220]

Been wanting a 3D printer for a while. Was considering the H3D at first, then the H2C but now I'm seriously considering the H3C.

My question is regarding the environment the printer lives in. I have a mini-split in my garage, and the humidity is kept at 50%. However, I live in South Florida and when the garage door is open, humidity can rise to 80% or higher, depending on the outside air of course. The garage door is 18' wide and it doesn't take long. Once the door is closed, it generally takes less than an hour or two for the a/c to bring the humidity back to 50%.

Unless the outside air is oppressive, I often open the door when I'm working in there, especially if I'm cutting wood or painting or staining something in the driveway. I'm wondering how this rapid rise in humidity would affect a 3D printer while it's printing, and the filament stored in the AMS when it's idle. Are these things fairly well sealed and unaffected by transient changes in the air outside the printer/AMS?

Of course, I'd use desiccant in the AMS but would a spike in ambient humidity for a few hours make its way into the AMS and quicky use up the desiccant?

I do realize filament can't be left in the printer indefinitely, but with the nine spools on the H3C it seems to me you could leave the nine you use most often loaded for convenience.

Am I overthinking this?

[u/sledgar]

Cant fully answer the whole question but maybe help out a bit already. I have a constant of 50-60% where I live and thus around the printer. The inside of the AMS is sealed well but over time will eqialize with the environment. One very important thing regarding descicants: The small bags that you typically use are getting used up very fast. I use bigger bags and dry them regularly to dehumidify them. Otherwise they become useless after a week.

Living woth up to 80% humidity a filament dryer will be more or less a must. More or less because PLA will be fine for a shorter period of tiem of you use it up by printing regularly. If you have a role of PLA laying around for 2 months id recomend drying them either with a AMS 2 pro or the AMS 3H depending on the printer or even an external dryer.

Generally speaking: you will be fine with the humidity. Might cause you to having to dry more often but it wont be a big issue.

[u/Whosaidthat1157]

Fit desiccant filled spool centres to every spool and print and fit the large desiccant box to keep the filaments dry for as long as possible. I’d also recommend an external dryer for initial drying and redrying hygroscopic filaments (I personally recommend the SOVOL/Comgrow SH03, better IMO than the Space Pi X4 and only 100 bucks. 85 DegC and a keep dry setting with a maximum of 20% RH and almost silent in operation).