Ethernet Cables

[KDog]

Hi All,

This is a request to Roxy to show us a bit more detail of the ethernet cable hack on her extruder/hot end. I'm getting tired of all the extra wiring on my printer and am interested in trying this. Please?

Thanks in advance.

[Kingoddball]

That sounds cool - I had an idea awhile back to use RJ45 (or similar) connectors and cut up cables as my servo connectors; This is the same?
Awesome!!
Show show show

[Roxy]

Hi All,

This is a request to Roxy to show us a bit more detail of the ethernet cable hack on her extruder/hot end. I'm getting tired of all the extra wiring on my printer and am interested in trying this. Please?

Thanks in advance.

I think you misunderstood me! My 3D-Printer has a PrintrBoard in it. That is connected via USB to an old, obsolete Dinosaur laptop computer. That computer drives the PrintrBoard. And that computer is on my wireless network. I have opened up 'Shares' to where my GCode files get generated and placed.

So once a design is ready to print, I use Tight_VNC to open up a 'window' into the remote machine and control PronterFace. PronterFace gets told to 'Load a File' and that file just so happens to be on a remote machine (my real machine). It pulls the file in and becomes isolated from what ever else is happening on the network. If my real machine crashes or gets bogged down... No worries... The Dinosaur keeps chugging along.

-------------------
I misread the post... I'm leaving the original response... But here is a 'correct' response:

I took some pictures, but I had to retake them with some paper blocking the view through the printer. There were too many dirty dishes in the sink!

Here are some more detailed pictures of my 3D-Printer. I designed some extra plastic pieces that bolt onto the extra motor holes and hold CAT-5 Network Jacks. And I added those jack holders to the standard Prusa Z-Axis ends. That way I can have all my wires soldered but still very quickly and easily disconnect all the wiring. That is helpful if you are doing things to your extruder. It is also comforting if you worry about your wires getting fatigued from all the movement. You can replace any of those network cables for $1.25 I also color coded the X-Axis wires. They go into a jack of the same color. I didn't have any pink CAT-5 jacks or I would have done that on the Z-Axis too.


0527141750-01.jpg 0527141755-03 - Copy.jpg 0527141756-01 - Copy.jpg 0527141755-01 - Copy.jpg 0527141755-02 - Copy.jpg

Source code for the CAT-5 Network Jack Adapter in the next post.

[KDog]

Yes,

I understood how you were controlling things. it was the ethernet cables you use to connect your extruder stuff to your printrboard that I think is cool. I really like the idea of having a cable to unplug when I want to mess with the stuff on the extruder. Otherwise, I have to cut cable ties, figure out what cable is which, unplug from printrboard (i.e. turn the printer upside down) and then live with a big bundle of loose cables while I'm testing everything. I have some instruments at work that use ethernet cables to connect everything. Very convenient. You are the first one I have seen with this set up and I find it very cool.

[Roxy]

Here is the source file and the .STL file for the RJ-45 Jack mounts. There is some problem where the jack looks solid on the parts laying down. I'll have to take a look at that. If you are going to print these parts, let me know and I'll hurry up and fix what ever the problem is. Otherwise... I'll get to it when ever.

Assuming you have some Prusa variant... It shouldn't be too hard to take the RJ-45 Jack code and paste it onto the right spot on your plastic parts and do something similar to what I did.

I put the various parts all in one file. You can see the single RJ-45 jack usage and the double jack usage. On my Z-Axis, one jack has plenty of wires. On my extruder I have LED's lighting up the end of the nozzle so I can see stuff better and one Jack isn't enough with the bed leveling stuff on the there.

Update: The parts look fine in the .STL file. It must be an Open_SCAD rendering problem.

[KDog]

Thanks! No problems with wire gauge at all? I was actually thinking of trying something like this at either end: http://www.amazon.com/Modular-Connec...ernet+breakout but not sure where to put it.

Cheers,

KDog

[Roxy]

I was concerned at first that the ethernet wires could carry enough current for the stepper motors and the resistor being used as a heater. On the original setup I used 4 (of the 8) connections for the stepper motor and then used 2 more for the heater and 2 more for the thermistor. On the X-Axis, I used 4 for the motor and 2 for the endstop switch.

Later, I wanted to add the Z-Probe for Auto_Bed_Leveling and that took 3 for the servo and 2 more for the switch. At that point I was stuck and needed to add another RJ-45 jack for the extruder. What I ended up doing was combining a ground, which gave me 4 extra wires with the second jack. I decided to use one entire jack (and cable) for nothing but the motor. I doubled every wire going to the extruder motor. I don't think I needed to do that, but I did it anyway. My X-Axis motor has always had just one ethernet wire per motor wire.

[paradiddle65]

Very much a fan of being able to disconnect cables that easily. I'll definitely have to look into setting this up when I have more time on my hands. Thanks for the files Roxy!

[ciutateivissa]

Roxy,

great idea and many thanks for the file. I´ll definetly rework my printer with this mod, that ´s what i need to change the two different extruders (single and double).

[Roxy]

Very much a fan of being able to disconnect cables that easily. I'll definitely have to look into setting this up when I have more time on my hands. Thanks for the files Roxy!

Roxy,

great idea and many thanks for the file. I´ll definitely rework my printer with this mod, that ´s what i need to change the two different extruders (single and double).

Those files are kind of 'Quick & Dirty'. And I put that funny ledge coming off of the Z-Axis screw threads to make sure the cables don't catch. If your Rep-Rap plastic pieces look different, and you have problems merging the RJ-45 jack holders onto them, just let me know... But it seems than any RJ-45 jack you buy on eBay is standardized and should snap in and lock to that jack mount.