Instead of using a heated bed or a heated enclosure it is easier and safer to use a heat fan. These can be found, for little money, on amazon and they are much safer and friendly than dealing with a heated bed/bed thermistor.
We have tested using the Optimus 300 watt 9" Dish heater (http://www.amazon.com/Optimus-H-4110-9-Inch-Dish-Heater/dp/B000GG8DTS) with great results. The bed held a decent high temp, due to the acrylic, and the model retained high temperatures for the duration of the print. It is recommended to use two heaters, of a lower strength, at opposite ends of the print surface for optimal printing.
Using said heaters did not add any more strain to the arduino board and were easy to manage. Keep in mind if the heaters are shut off or stopped during a print, the model may form cracks as it is cooling down before the print finishes.
Current tests were performed with PLA and ABS is up next to test with.
We have tested using the Optimus 300 watt 9" Dish heater (http://www.amazon.com/Optimus-H-4110-9-Inch-Dish-Heater/dp/B000GG8DTS) with great results. The bed held a decent high temp, due to the acrylic, and the model retained high temperatures for the duration of the print. It is recommended to use two heaters, of a lower strength, at opposite ends of the print surface for optimal printing.
Using said heaters did not add any more strain to the arduino board and were easy to manage. Keep in mind if the heaters are shut off or stopped during a print, the model may form cracks as it is cooling down before the print finishes.
Current tests were performed with PLA and ABS is up next to test with.