¶ Wiring in general
We highly recommend you take a look at the other articles on wiring in our electronics section before starting down this journey, and make sure that you have all of your tools out and available!
This article goes through the components and where to expect them to be landed and connected! There may be different variants which will be called out, may it be IDEX, 4 vs 3 Z leadscrews, high temperature, but those variations will be addressed in the individual sections.
¶ Safety Guidelines
When working with your printer’s electronics, you’ll be handling line voltage wiring (120V / 220V AC). Follow these precautions to ensure your safety:
- Unplug the Printer: Always disconnect the printer from the power source before touching any wires or terminals.
- Allow Capacitors to Discharge: Wait until the capacitors in the power supplies have fully discharged, as they can retain a charge even when the device is unplugged.
¶ Risk of Equipment Damage
To prevent damage to your printer’s components:
- Never Connect or Disconnect While Powered: Avoid plugging or unplugging any devices while the printer is powered on. This can create a safety risk and potentially damage electronic components.
- Stepper Motors: Be especially careful with stepper motors. Connecting or disconnecting them while the motors are engaged is a great way to break your stepper drivers!
- Metal is conductive: Be careful with metal-tipped tools as they can conduct electricity, either shorting out components or grounding through yourself!
Always take these precautions to ensure both your safety and the longevity of your equipment
¶ Suggested other articles & references
¶ Electronics Bay
Well, this one is the most obvious, where most of the wires are taken care of!
This will contain the following, bare minimum:
¶ Low Voltage Side
- Computer/host (commonly a raspberry Pi)
- Main controller (commonly an Octopus pro from BTT)
- Voltage Busses (24v, and potentially 48v)
- USB Hub
- Case Cooling Fan
- All of your electronics external to the electronics box excepting the bed or the (optional) chamber heater will land in the low voltage side
¶ High Voltage Side
- Power Supplies
- 24v
- 48v (optional)
- Power inlet
- Power Switch
- SSRs
- Bed
- Chamber (optional)
- High Voltage Bus (120 or 220v)
These are just the components that will be routed within the electronics bay itself - there's plenty more on the outside!
¶ Rear Panel
The rear panel is the busiest for all Stablebots, as there is not only the Ebox but also the other components on the machine mounted there!
Things external to the Ebox that need to be wired:
- XY steppers/servos
- 2x if standard corexy
- 3x if Extended Corexy single toolhead
- 4x if IDEX
- CPAP Fan + Driver
- Filament Sensors (one per toolhead)
- Booster Extruder
- Thermistor - upper chamber
- Connect Power Inlet
- Networking
¶ Underneath Printer
- Z axis motors (3x if standard, 4x if XXL printer)
- Chamber Thermistor (optional)
¶ Toolhead
- Extruder Motor
- Thermistor (PT1000)
- Heater
- X Endstop
- Beacon bed leveling sensor
- Toolhead Fan (optional)
- Hotend fan (optional)
- Head-mounted filament sensor (optional)
- RGB (optional)
¶ Internal to Printer
- Bed Heater
- Bed Thermistor
- Chamber heater (if optioned)
- Chamber Thermistor (if optioned)
- Circulation fans (if optioned)
- Camera
- RGB LEDS (optional)
- Y Endstop (if not running sensorless)