After doing a proper PID tune seems to hold the heat on the bed better with more even heat along the outer edges of the bed, according to my thermal heat camera.
Here’s where I got the Self-Adhesive Insulation Mat Sticker Hotbed Thermal Pad
Interesting. Sounds like a great idea to me. I haven’t tried a big print yet. This would also make the bed thicker, easier to calibrate. Question, temperature equal everywhere on the bed?
No, the temperature is lower in the outer sections of the board, but the insulation helps to spread it more even as the sides are more exposed without it. Also the heat is pushed up by it and cannot escape on the bed sides. .
In general the temperature you see on the display is usually around 5*C higher than the temperature at the top center of the print bed. If you want a full bed size print to work, I suggest to preheat the printer for at least 15 minutes. That way the heat can spread more evenly at your print surface and the temperature on the top is within that 5 *C window.
The insulation is saving a lot of power, as the heater interval gets bigger. In between print the bed also keeps the temperature better, somyou can faster start the next print. The initial heating is faster, too.
This is for sure a great and cheap investment. I have added this to all my printers years ago and it is a cheap upgrade without any side effects.
@Geit pretty much summed it up a lot better then I could have. As a matter of fact he was the one that suggested I do this upgrade. I have found what he says pretty accurate.
