3D Printing Public Service Announcement: Update your firmware

[cwbullet]

I know I posted this in two threads. The bottom line is to research your printer and make 100% sure it has thermal runaway protection. Many Crealities do not have this. I have updated my Ender 3 and CR-10S Pro to ensure they are protected.


My printer has some gastronomical distress. This is Gold eSun ABS. It is not the problem from the filament. That printing beauty broke my thermister wire and I had a thermal runaway. If your printer does not have this protection (Most Ender 3s) beware. This shutdown was the only thing between me and a fire.

 

[cwbullet]

I am not slamming Creality, but I felt like I should share this. Octorprint warned me when I set them up to use it. I did nto put 2 and 2 together until I called support today.

After I had this failure, I chatted with Prusa, I asked what I need to replace after the errors to return to safe print. I was happy to hear it was just a thermistor. They told me to be glad the Thermal Runaway stopped the heating or I might have had a fire.

 

[cwbullet]

One more thing:

The tech on the phone pointed me to this in the Marlin Firmware. Reportedly, Prusa helped develop this after a few dangerous outcomes.

 

[alexzogh]

Very good advice. Many years ago, I backed a kickstarter called "smoke signals" which was basically a smoke detector that cut the power to the printer if it detected smoke.

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...l-a-safety-system-for-3d-printers/description
It works a little too well - very sensitive, but lets me sleep better at night when my printer is in the garage working on a 150-hour print. I put it inline between the battery backup and the printer. Most modern firmware(s) have a power-recovery capability to continue a print (ressurect.g)

The original maker said he was going to sell these post kickstarter, but never did. I've seen a variation of it on thingiverse, but it looks a little to0 Rube-Goldberg for me.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2148191

 

[cwbullet]

Very good advice. Many years ago, I backed a kickstarter called "smoke signals" which was basically a smoke detector that cut the power to the printer if it detected smoke.

https://www.kickstarter.com/project...l-a-safety-system-for-3d-printers/description
It works a little too well - very sensitive, but lets me sleep better at night when my printer is in the garage working on a 150-hour print. I put it inline between the battery backup and the printer. Most modern firmware(s) have a power-recovery capability to continue a print (ressurect.g)

The original maker said he was going to sell these post kickstarter, but never did. I've seen a variation of it on thingiverse, but it looks a little to0 Rube-Goldberg for me.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2148191

I will have to make a number of these.

 

[alexzogh]

Here is a variation for sale on Tindie:

https://www.tindie.com/products/niujl123/smoke-alarm-for-3d-printer/

Looks a lot cleaner. I'll need at least one more so I'll give it a try.


Alex

 

[cwbullet]

thanks

 

[Greg Furtman]

Here is a variation for sale on Tindie:

https://www.tindie.com/products/niujl123/smoke-alarm-for-3d-printer/

Looks a lot cleaner. I'll need at least one more so I'll give it a try.


Alex

This looks like good insurance. Thanks for the link.

 

[Greg Furtman]

I know I posted this in two threads. The bottom line is to research your printer and make 100% sure it has thermal runaway protection. Many Crealities do not have this. I have updated my Ender 3 and CR-10S Pro to ensure they are protected.
View attachment 422281

My printer has some gastronomical distress. This is Gold eSun ABS. It is not the problem from the filament. That printing beauty broke my thermister wire and I had a thermal runaway. If your printer does not have this protection (Most Ender 3s) beware. This shutdown was the only thing between me and a fire.

Chuck, as you know I ordered the latest version of the Ender 3, the V2. It has a 32bit Marlin board with silent stepper drivers. I am assuming that since this is brand new that it will have some sort of thermal protection but assuming can be very dangerous. My question is to the newest Creality firmware have thermal protection written in? Is there some way I can determine if my V2 has thermal protection, like looking at some code?

I'm also going to order the unit Alex posted a link for from Tindie.

 

[Charles_McG]

Chuck, as you know I ordered the latest version of the Ender 3, the V2. It has a 32bit Marlin board with silent stepper drivers. I am assuming that since this is brand new that it will have some sort of thermal protection but assuming can be very dangerous. My question is to the newest Creality firmware have thermal protection written in? Is there some way I can determine if my V2 has thermal protection, like looking at some code?

I'm also going to order the unit Alex posted a link for from Tindie.

The silent board 1.1.5 from Creality does have the heater watchdog function in the as-received firmware. I’ve triggered the bed watchdog accidentally by wiping with a pretty wet iPrOH cloth while hot. The evaporation cools the bed enough to trigger it.

 

[Greg Furtman]

The silent board 1.1.5 from Creality does have the heater watchdog function in the as-received firmware. I’ve triggered the bed watchdog accidentally by wiping with a pretty wet iPrOH cloth while hot. The evaporation cools the bed enough to trigger it.

Charles - thanks!

 

[Kelly]

Very good advice. Many years ago, I backed a kickstarter called "smoke signals" which was basically a smoke detector that cut the power to the printer if it detected smoke.

Just what I need - a device which ruins my print every time my wife decides to use the kitchen.

 

[John Kemker]

Just what I need - a device which ruins my print every time my wife decides to use the kitchen.

/rimshot

 

[cwbullet]

Chuck, as you know I ordered the latest version of the Ender 3, the V2. It has a 32bit Marlin board with silent stepper drivers. I am assuming that since this is brand new that it will have some sort of thermal protection but assuming can be very dangerous. My question is to the newest Creality firmware have thermal protection written in? Is there some way I can determine if my V2 has thermal protection, like looking at some code?

I'm also going to order the unit Alex posted a link for from Tindie.

New ones should have it built-in. The early non-silent board versions do not. There is an upgrade that I suggested everyone perform.

 

[John Kemker]

Bout the TH3D EZABL kit with Arduino Bootloader option. One of the features that the TH3D Unified Firmware provides is Thermal Runaway protection.

I'm also ordering the Tindie 3D Printer Smoke Detector.

 

[cwbullet]

Bout the TH3D EZABL kit with Arduino Bootloader option. One of the features that the TH3D Unified Firmware provides is Thermal Runaway protection.

I'm also ordering the Tindie 3D Printer Smoke Detector.

Smart man

 

[John Kemker]

Smart man

Unfortunately, TIndie says the smoke detector is coming from China, so it'll have to wait until SWMBO and I move. We'll be closer to you after 1 Aug 2020, Chuck. Moving to Covington, GA.