3D Touch ABL installation questions

bbandu

n00b
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Dec 29, 2020
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Ok so I have decided to install a 3D touch ABL on my Ender 3 Pro. I have never been very good at working on electronics and had a few questions as the included instructions are not very good.

Do I have to upgrade from the original control board to either the SKR Mini E3 V2.0 Control Board or the Creality Ender 3 Pro New Upgrade Motherboard Silent Mainboard V4.2.7/V4.2.2 to do this?
Do I have to upgrade the firmware once the 3D Touch has been installed?

There have been no modifications to my printer and everything is original at this point.
 
You don't _HAVE_ to upgrade the main board to an SKR Mini E3, but it looks to help in both the wiring department and the flashing.

From what I gather (I haven't used my OEM mainboard in over a year and moved to an SKR Mini E3 sometime ago) you need an intermediary like an arduino to help flash most OEM boards.

Plus the wiring looks a little more involved and janky with the OEM vs SKR.

Haven't done the BLTouch upgrade myself, but now you have me thinking about it.
 
In all seriousness, ask yourself what problem do you want the bltouch to solve. Many get them because they are printing on a very uneven surface, you actually should replace that if that is the case. I just don't want you to go down a path that could cause more problems. You will have to reflash your board firmware and as said you will need to load it with a bootloader using an arduino or usbasp and you will have to connect wires to the correct points on the board. Skr mini e3 is a much 'better' solution IMO as it does move it to a 32bit system which can give you more room for smaller steps on your motors.

Honestly I am likely to remove the bltouch from my two printers, still have to always babystep it a little anyways so IMO it really isn't doing its job. Was much easier to just tram the bed, then make a small adjustment as needed during the skirt print.

If you have done no modifications to your printer, i would spend the money on solid bed mounts and a mirror or pei on steel print surface first.
 
You don't _HAVE_ to upgrade the main board to an SKR Mini E3, but it looks to help in both the wiring department and the flashing.

From what I gather (I haven't used my OEM mainboard in over a year and moved to an SKR Mini E3 sometime ago) you need an intermediary like an arduino to help flash most OEM boards.

Plus the wiring looks a little more involved and janky with the OEM vs SKR.

Haven't done the BLTouch upgrade myself, but now you have me thinking about it.
Well, to tell you the truth I thought about doing this upgrade right after I got the printer but decided to wait. Had I not got the 3D Touch for free the other day I would not be thinking about installing it at all right now.
 
Gotcha. Well.. depending on your board it seems like "a thing" and a number of hours chucked at it.

The BTT SKR Mini board was a really super nice upgrade if you have a spare fifty laying around. For me I would think that would provide a substantial upgrade than a bltouch sensor.
 
Gotcha. Well.. depending on your board it seems like "a thing" and a number of hours chucked at it.

The BTT SKR Mini board was a really super nice upgrade if you have a spare fifty laying around. For me I would think that would provide a substantial upgrade than a bltouch sensor.
Am I missing something with the BTT SKR Mini board as far as bed leveling goes. I didnt think that it addend any bed leveling upgrades at all.
 
Another option, depends how deep your pockets go, in my CR-10 i put in the th3d ezboard. it is a nice drop in solution and the firmware can be created using their online wizard and just dropping the file they send you onto the sdcard. Connectors are also in the same place as stock so nothing needs stretched or rewired
 
In all seriousness, ask yourself what problem do you want the bltouch to solve. Many get them because they are printing on a very uneven surface, you actually should replace that if that is the case. I just don't want you to go down a path that could cause more problems. You will have to reflash your board firmware and as said you will need to load it with a bootloader using an arduino or usbasp and you will have to connect wires to the correct points on the board. Skr mini e3 is a much 'better' solution IMO as it does move it to a 32bit system which can give you more room for smaller steps on your motors.

Honestly I am likely to remove the bltouch from my two printers, still have to always babystep it a little anyways so IMO it really isn't doing its job. Was much easier to just tram the bed, then make a small adjustment as needed during the skirt print.

If you have done no modifications to your printer, i would spend the money on solid bed mounts and a mirror or pei on steel print surface first.
I am just trying to make things a little easier and not have to level the bed all of the time. Plus as I stated above I got it for free and thought it would be a good upgrade to the normal manual bed
leveling.
 
I am just trying to make things a little easier and not have to level the bed all of the time.
i hear ya. Honestly, get some silicon solid mounts, the reason the bed moves so much is the springs relax and give when you move it around too much to get a print off. Also if using glass, mark the front of it so you always know which way you are placing it back on there.
 
Another option, depends how deep your pockets go, in my CR-10 i put in the th3d ezboard. it is a nice drop in solution and the firmware can be created using their online wizard and just dropping the file they send you onto the sdcard. Connectors are also in the same place as stock so nothing needs stretched or rewired
What is the th3d ezboard?
 
Now I see why you said depending on how deep your pockets are. About $70 more then the SKR Mini E3 V2.0
 
Am I missing something with the BTT SKR Mini board as far as bed leveling goes. I didnt think that it addend any bed leveling upgrades at all.
Oh, no, not a whole mess to do beyond being a marginally better platform for making firmware upgrades and specific ports for the sensor wires.

The other benefits, quite, a tad faster, power and thermal protection, etc made it the first major upgrade I did to my Ender3Pro beyond the bag of parts.

I guess I don't have a whole hassle with bed leveling and I move the printer from a closet to a counter regularly when I need to print something.
 
Oh, no, not a whole mess to do beyond being a marginally better platform for making firmware upgrades and specific ports for the sensor wires.

The other benefits, quite, a tad faster, power and thermal protection, etc made it the first major upgrade I did to my Ender3Pro beyond the bag of parts.

I guess I don't have a whole hassle with bed leveling and I move the printer from a closet to a counter regularly when I need to print something.
Did you upgrade the springs from the stock ones? It seems that my bed get unlevel pretty regularly
 
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