What Is the Elegoo Mercury Plus V3.0 and What's Included?
The Elegoo Mercury Plus V3.0 is a 2-in-1 wash and cure station for resin 3D printing that combines both functions in a single motorized unit. It features a 7.5-liter wash capacity and 24 UV LEDs at 405nm for curing. It cleans and cures resin prints after printing, all in one machine.
It's the direct upgrade from the Mercury Plus V2.0, and the first thing you'll notice out of the box is that there's barely any assembly required. Mr Resin wash and cure stations typically follow this modular approach, and Elegoo executes it well here: simply swap the wash bucket for the curing turntable depending on what you need to do.
The box comes essentially ready to use right away. Compatible Elegoo printers fit without any workarounds since the station is designed around their own ecosystem. What's included:
- Main unit (motorized base with UV light tower)
- 7.5-liter wash bucket
- Acrylic curing turntable
- Reconfigurable plastic wash basket
- Two adjustable build plate holders
- Power adapter, tools, and spare hardware
There's no real assembly: just attach whichever module you need for the mode you want — wash or cure — and you're good to go. It measures about 30 cm across and weighs under 5 kg, so it takes up roughly the same desk space as a small resin printer.
How Does the Wash Mode Work on the Mercury Plus?
Wash mode uses a 7.5-liter bucket filled with isopropyl alcohol or water, where an agitator creates a vortex that strips uncured resin from your print. The V3.0 offers two modes: basket mode (loose print) and hanging mode (build plate mounted on holders). Wash time is adjustable up to 30 minutes.
At the heart of the system is an upgraded POM bearing that delivers smoother rotation and stronger high-speed liquid agitation, which in practice means more thorough removal of residual resin. When you switch it on, you can clearly see the vortex forming at the center of the bucket and spinning with real force.
What makes the V3.0 interesting are its two wash modes: in basket mode, you remove the print from the build plate and place it directly in the basket, which supports a maximum volume of 230 x 135 x 260 mm; in hanging mode, you mount the build plate directly onto the adjustable holders — compatible with plates up to 10 inches — with a maximum print size of 214 x 135 x 180 mm. Hanging mode is especially convenient because you go straight from printing to washing without ever touching the print, keeping resin contact to a minimum.
For the liquid, if you're printing with standard resin, high-purity isopropyl alcohol works best with the pump system. I always keep isopropyl alcohol for the Mercury Plus on hand, because 7.5 liters goes through a bottle fast, and using too much water leaves your prints poorly cleaned. A trick I use: run the part through a pre-wash bath of used alcohol before putting it in the main tank — that way your "clean" IPA lasts more cycles.
And yes, filling 7.5 liters for the first time stings. But compared to cleaning by hand with a bottle and brush like some kind of punishment, I'd rather pay for the alcohol.
How does UV curing mode work?
Curing mode replaces the wash tank with a rotating acrylic turntable where you place your dry parts. A tower of 24 UV LEDs at 405nm, combined with reflective mirrors beneath the transparent platform, bathes the part from every angle as it rotates 360°. Close the UV-blocking cover, set your time, and you're done — up to 30 minutes.
This is the most noticeable upgrade from the previous generation. The machine features a 360° rotating platform with 24 UV LEDs at 405nm for fast, even curing, combining lamp columns with reflective mirrors beneath the transparent tray to bounce light upward and cure parts thoroughly from top to bottom. That mirror system is what sets the V3.0 apart: instead of a handful of LEDs pointing upward, light is distributed evenly across the entire part.
On the safety side, the UV-blocking cover stops virtually all ultraviolet radiation, and a microswitch instantly halts the curing cycle the moment you remove the lid — a thoughtful detail when there are kids or curious onlookers around your workspace. The 405nm wavelength is standard for most common resins, so Elegoo resins for use with the Mercury Plus cure without any surprises. On timing: the manufacturer doesn't provide a fixed chart, but in my experience, a few minutes is plenty for small parts; for large, solid figures it's worth running longer and checking by touch.
What print sizes does it support, and which printers is it compatible with?
The Mercury Plus V3.0 handles parts up to 250mm in diameter and 290mm in height for curing, and up to 230 x 135 x 260mm for washing in basket mode. It's compatible with most LCD, DLP, and SLA printers on the market, and is optimized for Elegoo resin printers including the Mars, Saturn, and Jupiter series.
The station handles parts up to 250 x 290mm for curing and 230 x 135 x 260mm for washing; to reach the maximum curing volume you'll need to use it without the plate. That capacity covers virtually anything coming off a Saturn 4 Ultra, which is exactly the kind of large-format printer this station is built for. I've seen reviews from users running it with the Saturn Ultra 16K and even a HeyGears, so it's far from being exclusive to the Elegoo ecosystem.
Regarding official compatibility, it's designed specifically for all Elegoo resin printers. For the Jupiter series, you'll need to remove the build plate before washing; on other models, check the "maximum wash volume" to decide whether the plate needs to come off depending on your model's height. If you're using a different brand printer that fits within these dimensions, there's no real technical issue.
What does the V3.0 improve over previous versions?
The V3.0 improves on the V2.0 in both capacity and curing: 7.5-liter wash capacity versus the V2.0's 3.5 liters — more than double — a significantly larger curing area, a dual wash mode system, improved POM bearings, and a reflective mirror curing setup instead of a handful of upward-facing LEDs.
The size jump is the obvious headline. The V2.0 had a maximum capacity of 3,500 ml, the XS model bumped that up to 7,000, and the V3.0 reaches 7,500 ml. The expanded curing area is the figure Elegoo pushes hardest in their marketing — and fair enough, it's real — but worth noting: you'll only feel the difference if you're printing large parts. If you're doing tabletop miniatures, that extra size is capacity you're paying for and not using.
Beyond volume, there are some genuinely thoughtful design improvements. The V3.0 debuts a new lightweight, reconfigurable plastic basket that works across both wash modes, compared to the V2.0's maximum wash size of 131 x 90 x 220 mm. The curing system also takes a different approach: where the V2.0 used a small rectangular array with four upward-facing LEDs, the V3.0 uses a pair of rectangular mirrors that extend from the light towers down to the center. Here's a table with verified specs:
| Feature | Mercury Plus V2.0 | Mercury Plus V3.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Wash capacity | 3,500 ml | 7,500 ml |
| Max. wash size (basket) | 131 x 90 x 220 mm | 230 x 135 x 260 mm |
| Curing system | 4 upward-facing LEDs | 24x 405nm LEDs + reflective mirrors |
| Wash modes | Basket and hanging | Basket and hanging (redesigned basket) |
| Max. adjustable timer | Not specified | 30 minutes |
One important compatibility note: the V3.0 uses a completely redesigned wash vat that is not backward compatible with V2.0 vats, so if you're upgrading from the previous version, your old spare parts won't work with it.
When is the Mercury Plus NOT the best choice?
The Mercury Plus V3.0 isn't the best option if you only print small miniatures, where a more compact and affordable wash and cure station will do the job just as well; nor if you primarily work with water-washable resin, since its impeller is optimized for alcohol; nor if you're after a premium metal-finish build, as it's constructed from plastic.
To be honest: this machine makes sense when you're printing large. If you have a Mars printer and you're making small figures, you're paying for 7.5 liters of capacity that you'll only ever fill a third of. The station itself sits in the space between basic wash containers and industrial post-processing solutions, so for smaller volumes there are better-value options out there.
There's one important nuance about water-washable resin. While you can get away with plain water, a 50/50 water and alcohol mix works noticeably better, since the wash station is designed for IPA or similar solvents. In other words, even with water-washable resin, you're leaving performance on the table by using water alone. It gets the job done, but the machine doesn't feel like a premium tool in that setup.
My Real-World Experience After Weeks in the Workshop
After several weeks of hands-on use, my verdict is clear: if you regularly print large parts, the V3.0 solves the bottleneck of washing and curing XL-format prints with an undersized station. The new wash modes and redesigned basket make a real difference day to day — especially the hang mode, which saves me from handling freshly printed parts and cuts down on resin dripping onto the work surface.
The mirror-based curing system distributes light more evenly than the four-LED setup in the previous generation, and that shows on parts with complex geometry that used to come out with under-cured spots. The amber UV-blocking cover and safety microswitch work exactly as they should. My main complaints: the large vat eats through alcohol quickly, and the fact that V2.0 accessories aren't compatible means you'll need to buy station-specific replacement parts.
My straight-to-the-point take: the Mercury Plus V3.0 is going to become the default wash and cure station for anyone running a Saturn 4 Ultra or similar large-format printer, because the curing volume finally matches the build volume. If you only print miniatures, this is more machine than you need — I wouldn't recommend it for that use case. And as always: work with gloves on, in a well-ventilated area, and cure your spent alcohol in direct sunlight before disposal — uncured resin is hazardous waste, not something that goes down the drain.
Keep creating 😎
5 Liters of 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol by Mr Resin, for Resin and FDM 3D Printing
To get the most out of your Mercury Plus V3.0, you need the right liquid in the tank. Mr Resin's 99.9% isopropyl alcohol cleans resin without leaving residue and keeps your prints coming out perfect cycle after cycle — so your wash process works exactly the way it should.