Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
Hi there. I just recently finalized and locked my day-2 order for a 5-head machine. After some research, I am seeing a fair number of setup reviews discussing weird intermittent errors and failures during the initial setup/calibration.
Knowing that there is a much newer firmware now (the 5.1 alpha), when my unit arrives, would it prudent to do the hardware assembly, then immediately flash the 5.1 firmware before doing any of the self-tests and calibration? Knowing that the assembly of the fully-assembled printer will take a few hours, I would really like to avoid wasting any time with ghost errors and strange behaviors.
Since this is my first Prusa product, I am unfamiliar with the order of operations and if immediately flashing to a newer firmware would screw me up somewhere.
Thanks!
Brand new to 3D printing and my 5-tool XL is my first 3D Printer! I have done massive amounts of research though, so I'm not starting completely from square one....
RE:
would it prudent to do the hardware assembly
I guess it is ok if you not afraid of alpha firmwares. There could always be a chance for a failure. I have the alpha on my mini+ and there are still issues. If you want to be absolute safe, use the firmware the printer came installed with. It is also easier to argument on support if you have a stable firmware on your printer i guess. 😉
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
My concern is that I am not so sure the default firmware is all that stable to start with. I have seen many reports of people setting it up and having the initial tests/calibrations fail and have to go thru the process 3-4 times with no actual changes to the printer before it succeeds. Knowing that, I assumed the newer firmware may have fixed some of those bugs.
I guess it is ok if you not afraid of alpha firmwares. There could always be a chance for a failure. I have the alpha on my mini+ and there are still issues. If you want to be absolute safe, use the firmware the printer came installed with. It is also easier to argument on support if you have a stable firmware on your printer i guess. 😉
Brand new to 3D printing and my 5-tool XL is my first 3D Printer! I have done massive amounts of research though, so I'm not starting completely from square one....
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
For me, the current beta firmware has an uloading bug. They changed the uload filament procedure in some kind of way. Now i can not uload any filament without pull it first out of the nozzle and cut it before unloading. the stable firmware does not have this problem on my printer.
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
Odd. The beta doesn’t do that on my printer. Maybe try reflash the FW?
OP, I’d upgrade straight away. They’ve improved a lot of things in the beta
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
I changed the nozzle now back to a 0.4. Now the unload works. Nevertheless i am changing my hotend to a revo micro hotend because of permanent issues with clogging and underextrusion.
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
I'd say yes, flash right away and ensure you're also using the Prusa Slicer beta (maybe RC now from @ssill2's post).
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
Sounds good, guys! Thanks for the feedback. In theory, my XL5 arrives tomorrow. I just built a low table for it over the weekend, and also purchased a filament dryer, so I think I have the prerequisites ready to go!
Brand new to 3D printing and my 5-tool XL is my first 3D Printer! I have done massive amounts of research though, so I'm not starting completely from square one....
RE: Flash newest firmware before initial setup?
I'd look into getting an enclosure for it too. The plate is huge so if you are printing stuff with a large contact area with the plate you could get curling if your temp inside the print area isn't reasonably stable. If you're going to print with abs/asa for sure. I've got the enclosure on mine I just haven't hooked up ventilation yet and tried abs/asa printing on it.
Sounds good, guys! Thanks for the feedback. In theory, my XL5 arrives tomorrow. I just built a low table for it over the weekend, and also purchased a filament dryer, so I think I have the prerequisites ready to go!