The Sovolsaurus Rex, a modified and upgraded Sovol 3D Dual Filament Dryer with activated carbon & silica drying cartridges, exhaust fan and LED indicator light. Dries twice as fast as the original design and looks cool doing it.
First, you will need to download and print these: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2523781 https://www.printables.com/model/604758-sovol-filament-dryer-seal-spacer/files https://www.printables.com/model/435170-fan-gasket-40mm-for-tpu
Credit goes to the makers for great designs. The filament dryer gasket goes UNDERNEATH the gasket that came with the dryer, so the box is airtight when closed.
The Sovol 3D Dual Filament Dryer is an OK dryer in its original form – but just OK. It doesn’t get very hot and in order to remove the moisture, you need to open the door a bit. This creates a problem because once you open the door a bit, the temperature in the drying chamber drops so much that it really isn’t drying the filament anymore. It works better if you keep it closed wait until it reaches the desired temperature, then open the two little filament ports at the top. Still, it doesn’t dry that good. I decided that when I replaced the power supply, I would remedy all of that.
I recived the filament dryer as a gift and shortly thereafter the power supply popped – like a d****d firecracker and my entire house smelled like burning plastic and metal. I contacted Sovol about a new power supply and they basically told me that since I didn’t buy it directly from them, it was my problem – terrible service there. Evidently some power supplies that shipped with this dryer aren’t rated for EU 220V – hopefully it’s a problem they’ve ironed out. If you have this dryer, I recommend keeping an eye on the power supply brick to see if it’s getting dangerously hot.
This is a big little project. If you are not 100% comfortable working with 12V electronics, soldering etc. I strongly recommend that you have a qualified person do the electrical bits for you.
You will need: W1209 temp controller with temp sensor 12V fan – I used a 40mm 12V LED light – I used one of these: https://www.amazon.it/FM2018XSL-Flessibile-Striscia-Lightbar-Rimorchio/dp/B0C9BPPRY1/ref=sr_1_5?__mk_it_IT=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=3T2BRRYXACST2&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.6BNZq8tUWXkMda8XHtHtyCQ39VnDWbBq_sRAe2J2wjixyi4aDedNH3iObypaY0owaXJ-itp9pbJyPPmEg1YDH67fDvUHx2_89VNvFT2VF3E3ShfWG5yVGJ7zCZIx8D7F4TRDpSFT_5mFEkhBdVYyQ15AEB5tkGJybbEXcOHXow6H-gGoKyMeprymumduyiC-W5NGgq9XTqmz-eBpeiFghbtpx7fC1rJoco6C91Kpo16_mCKPGkrhygvwW6n98NYhOwMpAWQ4G3gJyVYTRl9Nf1NN9AkIw0LjJ0jJGOVd33w.FGXBkT0ItGWKHLf_mnHUTh2EKyyjXpLcjeAyxzguKSI&dib_tag=se&keywords=luci+diurne+LED+17cm+rosso&qid=1728891557&sprefix=luci+diurne+led+17cm+rosso%2Caps%2C135&sr=8-5 NOTE - The wires on these LEDs are very thin, I recommend replacing it with 18-gauge wire. 18-gauge wire Nuts and bolts – I used M4 Hex & Allan head bolts TPU and PLA, PLA+ etc. Silicon caulking Shrink tubing
It looks complicated but it’s really very simple. It is necessary to unplug the power supply before doing the project. Mark and drill through the back of the box then enlarge the hole as much as needed. A STL file for a small wiring shroud is included if you choose to use it, I designed it to neaten up the installation. I use activator and superglue to mount the shroud over the hole for the wiring and it bonds perfect to the plastic body. Last, after everything has been checked and double-checked, tested and re-tested, I put some silicon caulking around the wiring to make everything airtight.
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The W1209 temp controller is wired into the 12V source.
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The 12V fan and 12V LED are wired to the W1209 temp controller.
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The probe (temp sensor) is placed where you want it – reference the photos for my approach.
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The temp controller is set to the desired temp. When the desired temp is reached, the fan comes on to evacuate the moisture and the LED indicator light comes on. I added the light as a visual cue when the target temp is reached, and it looks cool. I added the little chimney cartridges for carbon and silica to remove odors and reduce moisture coming back into the chamber when not in use. I also designed a snug-fit cap and cover for when not in use.
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I set the temp on the W1209 –and when the light comes on, I prefer to wait about an hour until the filament is really good and warm all the way through and then open the cap. I put a moisture gauge in the dryer and tested this several times, and the moisture level drops surprisingly fast this way. The moisture is cooked out the the filament and absorbed into the carbon, and because heat rises it will also gather in the carbon cartridge at the top – not inside the upper edges of the dryer like the original design. Pay attention Sovol!
I designed a collet and friction collar for the filament inlets. The collet glues to the inside of the lid with the neck sticking up and the friction collar goes over the Bowden tube. Slide the Bowden tube into the filament dryer and then push the friction collar over the collet. I use a VERY high-tech method for closing off the inlet ports when the dryer is not in use. NASA has been blowing my phone up wanting to know how I came up with my sooper-genius level design. I cut a cotton swab in half and jammed it in there. Done.
The LED light I use gets a little warm so the temp is now higher than the original design, by a few degrees. It doesn’t get hot enough to melt anything. I used one LED light, you can use more if desired but I would monitor the temps to be certain it’s not getting too hot. You don’t want to use a Cree type LED, they get very hot.
I use activated carbon pellets for filament drying. They work better than silica, are cheaper and easier to find. Activated carbon pellets work best if you rinse it thoroughly then dry it until it’s completely bone-dry then use as needed. I refill the cartridges every three months – you can get by with less often if you don’t use the dryer a lot. I included two rectangular desiccant cartridges. I wrap them with a rubber band and press them in the filament roll while drying – be sure to remove them from the roll when printing! With the carbon cartridges and the improved heating and exhaust – the dryer now dries much better.
The interior fan cover is optional. Some filament rolls are wider in diameter and may rub against the cover, so you may need to remove it or eliminate it altogether. I made it to complete the aesthetic.
Feel free to comment with any questions.
Dry your filament, eat your vegetables, don’t do drugs.