I had a 4.2.2 stock Ender 3 board and have picked up a new 4.2.7 board. Looking at the Creality firmware options I am wondering what the “HW” in some versions refers to. I am assuming that since I don’t know what it is, odds are I don’t need that version but I do wish that Creality made use of the release notes or something to add a description for people less in the know so we could make a confident choice and learn something.
Both seem to be for bare bones 4.2.7 boards without any additional accessories.
I also have a BLTouch that I want to install next and am looking at the options for that - there is one that says it’s for 4.2.7 with a bltouch, can I just assume it’s ok to use with the 5pin connector? In some tutorials on installing the BLTouch on this board I see ppl still using the split 3 and 2 cable or having to modify the firmware to change it from the 3/2 setup to the 5 pin connector setup. Since Creality has this 5 pin port on there specifically for BLTouch, I would assume that is the preferred way to connect this now but I may be missing something…
I would agree Creality naming convention is a little off and it’s not noted very well. Yesterday If you asked me what the HW stood for I could have told you not an issue, Now that I am trying to remember I cannot.
I usually use the JYERS firmware for the ender 3 V2. He has it already compiled and just works.
You can update the screen firmware as well, It gives you a couple of more options.
’
Hope this helps
Jason
It’s good to be back! Thanks for your help! After my last attempt to install a BL Touch, my printer was done for. Pretty sure I killed the board when I carelessly flipped the connector around the wrong way when I installed the BL Touch. I just picked up my new board over the holidays (after my printer has collecting dust for about 10 months).
My printer is actually just the old school Ender 3. Not a V2. It looks like all the releases Jyers has on GitHub are specific to the V2.
I installed the second option for the firmware from Creality (the one without the HW) and it seemed to work fine. The test print came out fine.
Now I am on to installing the BL Touch - but after last time (even though I am quite sure it was a hardware issue, not a software incompatibility that resulted in smoke) I am a tad wary. I really don’t want to fry another board. I’m mostly confused about the two ways there seems to be to hook up the BL Touch with the two different styles of cable (the 5 pin and the 3/2 pin) and if the firmware is compatible with either way of connecting or not. I’m not sure if I can use this firmware without having to go in and make any changes to the code and recompile. I can compile code if I have to but would rather not.
I even reached out to Creality to ask them if I am looking at the right firmware and they responded with a request for proof of purchase and some photos of my board and the barcode, so I have yet to get a real answer from them. Given that my printer has passed the 2 year mark since purchased, I am wondering if they are going to say they won’t help me at all.
I have the BL Touch wired up again. I’m feeling a bit paranoid… My understanding of the pin layout on the BL touch is the the far left brown wire is one of the grounds and should go into the board to the inside. In the picture below the ground is the pin furthest to the right. If anyone sees anything wrong with this setup let me know. I really don’t want to have to buy another board!
This actually confirms that I should have it the right way around! Thanks for that. I think I just need to take the plunge and update the firmware. And hope I don’t see smoke again…
Ok I did it. I may have held my breath when I hit the power switch but I did it and it turned on and there was no smoke! I have some other issues now that it’s working but that may be for a new topic.
I can’t say for sure that the Jyers will work but it is made to work on 4.2.2 or 4.2.7 MB’s so it might be fine. If you have either of those boards on an E3 then the only real difference between your printer and a E3V2 is the display (there are some Physical differences but those won’t matter). It is not necessary to update the display with Jyers so it might work fine.
That’s good to know. I may try it just to see. While I have everything running now it’s not exactly working. The grid the BL touch runs through isn’t centered on the bed. It’s quite a bit too far to the left and it almost probes right off the bed along the front. When I ran a level test print it showed that the front right corner was too low while the other 8 points seemed to print ok.
FYI I tried this and the .bin file just didn’t seem to load at all. I grabbed “E3V2-BLTouch-3x3-v4.2.7-v2.0.1.bin” from jyers’ github, tried to load it and the screen just stayed sort of blank. I gave it some time but didn’t get any further. I guess it’s not compatible.
I may have it! The probe grid isn’t perfectly centered yet but it’s a lot better than it was. All I did was not use the firmware that a support person sent to me. I just used the best match I could find myself on the Creality site. :\ I may still look at fine tuning the offset but at least I have made progress and the level test print looked better to my novice eyeballs.
If you are using a micro swiss or the metal bracket from a creality printer the offset is X-39, Y-9
negative 39 and negative 9, will get you within an mm or 2.
You can always change it with an M851 command, I think the Jyers has the offsets built in if you select the BLtouch option. His firmware is super solid though
Jyers’ firmware definitely looks like it’s a better option vs the Creality firmware. As I mentioned, I have an Ender V1, not a V2 and when I tried to flash it with the appropriate .bin, it wouldn’t load. I haven’t had any issues loading any other firmware (aside from the printer not functioning quite right afterwards), and it’s a very simple process to flash it so I assume this means it’s not compatible. Have you tried it on a V1 Ender 3 and had it work?
For this stage of the game, the video didn’t really help me any - it just shows the standard way to flash the firmware - put it on the card, stick it in the printer, turn the printer on. But the screen just stays blank.
It seems very strange that it didn’t work because the 4.2.7 MB doesn’t know if it is on a V1 or V2 printer it should work the same. Configuring after loading could be problematic. I know that the V2 printer and maybe all Creality printers? are particular about using an 8MB card to load software. Does it make a difference???
I’m using the SD card that came with the Ender 3 so that shouldn’t be a problem. I will try again, maybe I grabbed the wrong .bin file or something but I am pretty sure I didn’t. I will give it another try just to be sure though.
I will admit, I am now a bit tempted to upgrade the display now. Not sure I will be running out to do it tomorrow or anything but to my understanding - aside from the V2 being able to do a higher max nozzle temp, the display is the only thing left that I haven’t already upgraded anyway. I have upgraded to a glass build plate, I just updated the board to a 4.2.7…
Is there anything else that differs between the Ender 3 and Ender 3 V2?
There are/were two version of the original Ender 3, an early one and a later one with some upgrades like different mother boards but basically the same. I have no info on this or how it could affect things.
The power supply is different and is mounted in a different position, both the E3V1 and V2 are 24 Volt and I can’t see how it would make a difference.
The extruded beam that the table is mounted on, I can never remember if it is the X or Y axis, is smaller on the V1. It was upgraded on the V2 to increase stability but should not affect any thing you are doing.
The V2 belts have better tensioning (screw adjusted) but you can print similar tensioners out, files at Thingaverse.
Extruders and hot ends are the same but the fan casings are different but seem to operate the same way.
The V2 has a drawer under the front, files to print a similar drawer and mountings are at Thingaverse.
Cooling fans, steppers and the rest of the frame seems to be the same. The V2 was an upgrade not a new printer so they are basically the same. Same print area etc.
The display is obviously different and maybe itdoes matter, I don’t know. Maybe someone else here knows or the people at 3DPC might be able to help. Ask Jason.
The main strength of the Ender series printers is that they are infinitely repairable and most important infinitely upgradable. You can go so far that the printer you end up with bears little resemblance to the one you bought IE: Different hot ends, different MB’s and displays, the print area and print height can be increased a considerable amount with upgrade kits or without one (do it your self with off the shelf frame and screw stock). There are a lot of aftermarket suppliers and a good community designing printable upgrades. Many more expensive printers can fail in both areas.
Be warned, modding a printer can become very addictive. Pretty soon you could be out trying to score a new hotend or jonesing for a dual axis upgrade.
