DISABLING THE FAN
Hey all - for the AR4 MKII and later models (where the stepper drives are mounted closely together in the J1 base), has anyone ever had any overheating issues with the fan off?
For my desk arm, I want to disable the fan just for noise purposes but don't want to damage the stepper drives.
For the production arms, I think leaving the fan running would be a good idea.
I have run mine with the fan off for extended periods while recording videos because the microphone picks up the fan noise, and I have not had any issues. That said, the fan is there to cool the electronics, so I recommend leaving it on during normal operation, particularly for extended or heavier use. For short periods of light-duty operation, I would not expect it to be a problem, but I would avoid letting the enclosure get excessively warm.
I have also recently acquired a supply of quieter fans, and these will begin shipping with new kits in the near future.
Thanks, Chris.