How to Fix Loud Fans and Buzzing in 3D Printers – Ender 3, Prusa
It can be annoying when you hear the noise of loud fans and buzzing in your 3D printers. This can happen with the Ender 3, Prusa, or any other 3D printer you may have.
To fix a loud fan or buzzing on your 3D printer, clean the fans, then lubricate the bearings, and upgrade the stepper motors. Ensure that screws, belts, and components are tightened properly. Replacing loud fans with quieter fans and placing your 3D printer on a stable surface also reduces the noise effectively.
That’s why I wrote this article, to teach you different ways to fix loud fans and get rid of buzzing in 3D printers. Continue reading to find out all the details about it.
How to Fix Loud Fans in 3D Printers
Solving this problem is easy if you know the actual cause behind fans being loud.
Here are the main ways to fix loud fans in 3D printers:
- Lubricate Fan Bearings
- Clean Filament Strings From Fan
- Replace Stock Fans with Quieter Ones
Lubricate Fan Bearings
When 3D printer fans are emitting a high-pitch, raspy, or cracking noise, it might be because of bearings that have gone bad. Check the fan by spinning it manually and see if it moves freely. If the fan grinds or halts, the bearings have clogged or completely worn.
In this case, lubricating the fan bearings is the best solution. This happens mostly with the hotend fans but other fans are not an exception.
These are the main steps you’ll need to take in order to properly lubricate the fan bearings:
- Turn OFF the 3D printer and take out the power cord.
- Open the fan screws to have access to its backside.
- Remove the circular sticker (if there is any) to have a clear view
- Pour 1-2 drops of thin oil preferably sewing machine oil.
- Manually spin the fan for 5-15 seconds.
- Re-assemble the fan and turn your 3D printer ON.
Check out the video below that takes you through fixing noisy 3D printer fans and other useful information.
Clean Filament Strings From Fan
Dust, debris, wisp, and tiny filament strings can get inside the cooling fans which can cause a cracking or loud noise. Although this can happen in any 3D printer fan, the hotend fan is more prone to have filament strings because of its placement.
One user said that his 3D printer used to emit noise for about 60-90 seconds after turning it ON. He opened the fan shroud and found multiple tiny filament strings in it.
Cleaning the fan reduced the noise for some time but it started again and he ended up having to replace the fan because it was of bad quality. However, he suggested cleaning the fan at least once to see if the problem goes away.
Another user stated that his 3D printer fan suddenly started making a creepy noise while printing. He used the “Blow Off Duster” outside of the fan and a filament piece came out of it. After that, the fan came back to its normal sound.
Check out the video below to learn more details on how to repair worn-out 3D printer fans.
The procedure is the same for the power supply fan apart from the beginning as you need to open the power supply cover, remove screws, and take the cooling fan out.
Replace Stock Fans
The stock fans of 3D printers are of low quality and replacing them is better than investing your time and money to repair them.
Some stock fans do not have an open shaft on the backside which makes it impossible to lubricate or repair it. In such cases, replacing the fan is the best solution. Quieter fans are not expensive and can reduce the noise to almost one-third.
Although 3D printers have 4 main fans, the hotend fan requires most of the modifications as it works the whole time while the 3D printer is operating. Many users and experts recommend the Noctua NF-A4x10 FLX, Premium Quiet Fans.
These fans can reduce the noise from 50 dB to 14-17 dB and perform well for a long time. The fans also come in different sizes which gives you the flexibility to find a fan that perfectly fits your 3D printer.
One user claimed that the Noctua NF-A4X10 is so silent that you can’t hear it running, and it appears to move as much air as the noisy stock fan.
Noctua fans come with a voltage of 12V while most 3D printers run 24V cooling fans. For that reason, you will need to install a buck converter like these Valefod 3 Pack Buck Converter with LED Display from Amazon, to make the Noctua fans compatible with your 3D printer.
Users highly suggest this converter because they enjoy having the freedom to select the connections they want to utilize and do their own soldering.
Check this detailed video below by “Nathan Builds Robots” on how to replace the stock fans with silent ones on your Ender 3, Ender 3 Pro, Ender Stock V2, or any other 3D printer.
How to Fix Buzzing in 3D Printers
Here’s how to fix a buzzing noise in your 3D printer:
- Clean/Fix Cooling Fans
- Tighten Up and Fix the Loose Belts
- Tight Loose Screws & Components
- Install Motor Dampers
- Place the 3D Printer on a Stable Surface
Clean/Fix Cooling Fans
One way to fix a buzzing sound in 3D printers is to clean or fix your cooling fans. Remove filament strings and make sure that fan blades are not touching anything and that nothing is in contact with the blades.
Cooling fans are mostly the reason behind the buzzing sound in your 3D printer. They are open which allows dust, filament strings, and nearby wires to get in touch with the blades.
One user recommended looking for something caught in the fan such as a small piece of filament and also opening the fan shroud or power supply to take a look at the wiring and connectors. That’s because a loose wire touching the fan blades can also result in a buzzing noise
Another user who was experiencing buzzing solved his issue by cleaning his fan, which had loose bits of filament.
Other 3D printing hobbyists suggest making sure that either of the 3D printer fans is not rubbing against a wire or its cover. This mostly happens with the power supply fan as it drags/rubs against the supply’s body.
Try following the steps below in order to properly clean your cooling fan:
- Switch OFF the 3D printer and take out the power cord.
- Open the power supply cover
- Move the fan blades to see if they are spinning freely
- Clean the fan using a blow-off duster or by opening it entirely.
- Put everything back in place
- Plug in the 3D printer and turn it ON
Users also said that you should not let the fan work if it’s buzzing because it may lead to overheating and complete failure of the fan and power supply.
You should secure wires close to the fans so that they don’t contact the fan while it’s operating. You can use some basic Cable Ties that can easily be found on Amazon.
Tighten Up and Fix the Belts
Another way to fix a buzzing sound is to check the belts and make sure they are tightened properly and have tension at a perfect point (not too loose, not too tight).
Loose or damaged belts may not spin as smoothly as they should and can cause a buzzing or sometimes grinding sound.
3D printer making strange rattling/vibrating/buzzing sound? Should I be worried and is there some way to fix it?
byu/Dappercapart in3Dprinting
One user said that his 3D printer was making a buzzing sound like a higher-pitched vibration when the head dragged over an area of infill simply because of the infill overlay.
He fixed his issue by tightening the belts and inspecting their insides as there could be bumps. Inside bumps rubbing against the frame can cause a buzzing sound and replacing belts can address this problem.
Another user fixed his issue by 3D printing a tensioner to make adjustments with more accuracy as the teeth on the belt were rubbing against the pulley and generating a buzzing noise.
Tight Loose Screws & Components
It’s possible to fix a buzzing noise by tightening all screws and loose components, especially on the extruder as they tend to vibrate when the 3D printer is operating, emitting a buzzing sound.
One user reported that when printing, his 3D printer made a loud buzzing noise that went away when he put his fingers on the extruder.
After the print was completed, he went to tighten the hotend fan and found that the top bolt holding the extruder cover plate was loose. So, he tightened the cover and was able to solve this problem.
Another user said that tightening bolts worked for him.
One user found that the fan on the side of the hotend’s metal box encasing was vibrating. To fix this, he took off the box and put a few layers of tape under the fan.
Install Motor Dampers
Upgrading the stepper motor drivers by installing a silent stepper motor is another way to fix the buzzing sound in 3D printers. Just be aware that you may need to upgrade your mainboard.
You can also upgrade stepper motors by installing vibration or motor dampers. Some stepper motors, mostly the old-style, can sometimes cause a buzzing noise that’s quite loud.
Look into all perspectives before opting for this solution as changing stepper motors can have an impact on the 3D printer’s other operations as well.
One user who was getting this sound said the buzzing is long gone since he installed motor dampers. Motor dampers or vibration dampers are used to reduce noise coming from components by absorbing the vibration to a good extent.
Check out the video below for more information about stepper motor dampers.
Place the 3D Printer on a Stable Surface
Making sure that the 3D printer is placed on a stable, level, and solid surface is another method to stop your 3D printer from buzzing since placing it on a shaky surface will impact its mobility.
This can not only cause buzzing but can affect the overall print quality as well. One user suggested placing your 3D printer on a concrete slab that has rubber underneath.
Some people also said that rubber is not essential but there should be some soft padding that can absorb the vibration. You can put any other vibration absorbers under the slab such as:
- Packing foam that usually comes with the 3D printer
- Sorbothane Hemisphere Rubber Feet
- Anti-Vibration Rubber Landing Mat Feet
Many users really recommend the Sorbothane Hemisphere Rubber feet as it features Sorbothane rubber pads that will suppress vibration, reduce shock, and absorb unwanted noise.
They stated that you won’t hear any noise coming from your 3D printer, even if you crank the speed all the way up.
Other users suggest the Anti-Vibration Rubber Landing Mat Feet, which are made of rubber, are sturdy and durable and have a longer useful life. They safeguard the printer and are anti-friction and shockproof.
Some users think it is a great product as it works with many different printers and does the job well.