Flooded/spilled resin (SL1) | Prusa Knowledge Base

How it can happen

The SL1 features a built-in resin level sensor, so in case there’s too little or too much resin, the printer will pause and display an on-screen info message. Because of that, the resin cannot spill during a print due to overfilling the tank.

A protective tray accompanies the Original Prusa SL1. Use it during object removal to prevent any spilled resin on the printer. Around the LCD there is also a small channel designed to prevent smaller amounts of resin to get into the machine.

The resin being spilled is usually the result of an accident. In case any resin is spilled on or into the printer, turn off the printer immediately and disconnect the power cord. Pour any resin still left in the tank into a bottle through the filter before you start the cleanup. The resin needs to be poured in a bottle that offers complete protection from UV lights, like the one provided with the new resin, always poured through the filter.

Always wear gloves when handling resin.

Clean the spilled resin as soon as possible, before it hardens.

Clean up

Wipe all resin you can see with paper towels. Make sure that there are no drops left. A paper towel with IPA can be used to clean the resin, except in delicate surfaces, like the display and the acrylic lid.

In case there is a larger resin spill or the resin tank floods, soak all the excess resin with a paper towel before cleaning the surface with a paper towel and IPA. Open the eight screws holding the bottom cover and check the inside of the printer for any resin that might have spilled. Check if the tilt mechanism and sensor do not have any resin. Use the SL1 assembly manual as a guide for accessing the inside of the printer.

In case you find any resin on the main-board, motion controller, or UV LED, take pictures of the damage and contact our Support.

After the printer has been cleaned, check your FEP foil for any damage, as this might have been the cause for the resin spill.

If the spilled resin has been cured, it needs to be very carefully scraped off. In case there is cured resin on the inside of the printer, but it is not on any movable part like the tilt mechanism or electronics, there is no need to clean the resin, as more parts may be damaged in the process. Please note that any damage resulting from this process will not be covered under warranty.

We recommend curing the paper towels soaked with liquid resin in a curing chamber. Another option is to leave them in direct sunlight to cure the resin, then treat them as plastic waste.