Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
All of the add-on accessories arrived today. They were packaged in the standard 8-spool Prusa-branded boxes. As with everything Prusa packages, these were exceptionally-well protected with custom-cut foam padding. I'll break-up the accessories:
PSU Cable Quick-Release
This is a fairly small package. The quick release kit comes with pre-wired connectors with terminations already installed. And there are three black thumbscrews. The connector is tight and difficult to disconnect so I'm envisioning some sort of tool that will be created to make this easier with the constrained conditions at the back of the printer inside the enclosure. The connector has locking side clips, but they're really thin and I feel like they will likely break after continued use. For what this part is, it seems like an extremely overpriced (USD 47) addition that is simply an inexpensive connector and some short wires. I think it would be a smart move to just purchase your own connector and wire it yourself, saving probably 90% of the cost.
White LED Strip
This is a nice, bright, custom LED board that goes in the front left side of the enclosure and runs from top to bottom. There is a diffuser panel, a small connection wire and some printed parts and screws. At USD 76, this was also expensive but you also get the PSU so this would probably be more difficult to source yourself for drastically less money. Shame that it is only white and not RGB but only Prusa knows where they will go with their smart lighting in the future. The board has solder pads that look like you can add strips.
Advanced Filtration System
The kit is all packaged together. There is a large, custom-made blower fan, a charcoal filter box, a large printed part, and some small parts like screws and an O-ring. This add-on was USD 114. OMG that is an expensive fan and filter - I hope it lasts a long time and that the filter replacements are not crazy expensive. I think just making your own filter would be an excellent choice here especially if you can source the activated charcoal. I think you are basically paying for a large fan. Of course, you also get the PSU and board, but again, at this point you would probably save a lot going the DIY sourcing route. Note that the filter does not go in the spot on the back that has a pre-cut fan cutout. It goes on the other side and does not vent out. I don't know why there is a fan cut out on the clear panel, but maybe they found out the temps get too low with the fan on if it vented out. That being said, this means the filter system is not creating any negative pressure so if you really want to eliminate odors you will need to close every little hole in the enclosure and probably put weatherstripping around the doors too.
Basic Board and PSU
This is included if you order the LED or filtration system. You get the PSU (standard Delta 24V), a cool but bulky AC splitter so you will only take up one outlet still, a small PCB and a little printed part. Note that my package did not come with the printed part that holds the PSU so you may need to print this yourself. Also note that the PCB has a connector labeled 'extension' so maybe that'll be some other thing like the smart board that comes out later.
The basic enclosure without the add-ons is a good deal. But at nearly USD 200, all of these parts are fine I guess. But it seems like we are paying more for the R&D than the actual products themselves. If you don't have the time to source all of these parts yourself, it may be worth it to you even though you will still need to spend time to install everything. But I think there are better options, especially with the filtration system, that use standard, off-the-shelf filters and fans, and the PSU connector, that you can find locally for around USD 10.
LED strip update...
The LED strip does indeed have RGB in addition to white LEDs. But only the white ones turn on. This is probably going to change when they come out with the smart board. Note that this is a custom LED strip, it is not off the shelf. And there is a cool graphic on the back that we will unfortunately never see as it's hidden when installed.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
If anyone is interested in a DIY version of the PSU quick release, I made my own using Anderson PowerPole connectors (using the pins that are rated for 30 or 45 Amps it is acceptable/safe to double up the positive and negative wires into the same pin), please see: https://www.printables.com/model/297700-prusa-enclosure-supplemental-parts
Follow-up LED / Filter review
After using the LED and filter for a while now I have the following thoughts:
• The LED is just okay. It's not really that bright and the included diffuser is not very diffusing. The LEDs run along the left side and the printers are off to the left of the work area. So when they're on, they kind of create glare with the way they are angled towards the front. I think placement along the top would work a lot better but the included wires are too short and the terminations are difficult to source. I turn them on when I am at the printers looking in, but they don't work well enough to look at the printers' progress from a distance because of the glare. I will be replacing them with a more diffuse panel that is mounted to the top.
• The filter is okay. When I first installed I found out quickly not to turn them on until the bed was up to temperature else I would get bed heat errors during warm-up. It seems like the fan blows air down and under the bed and maybe that messes with the PID tuning. So maybe another PID tuning with the fan on would help - I haven't confirmed this yet.
• I hope there is a mod that somehow mounts the crazy-long power cable splitter. It looks a mess on the side with all of the big wires.
• Someone asked about how the vibration is when stacked. I mounted them together using screws going through the feet (I did not install the pads). I also braced the top one to the wall with a bracket. I don't really notice any abnormal vibration with them stacked 4-high. I tried stacking 5 high but the top one was way too high to access without a ladder (even at 4 high the top one is kinda tippytoes-status).
• I hate the PSU quick connector accessory. It is sometimes difficult to plug in because the internal connectors are a little loose and don't line up properly sometimes, so it is not as easy as my previous use of XT power connectors. And they did not even include another length of textile sleeve so you have to take the one off of the existing cable (at this price they should have at least included one).
RE:
• I hope there is a mod that somehow mounts the crazy-long power cable splitter. It looks a mess on the side with all of the big wires.
Thank you for all the information.
I only ordered the filtration kit and I'm still waiting on it but that cable looks bulky.
Looking at the assembly instructions seems a simple Y splitter like this work and then power cord of your choice?
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
Were you able to do a PID tuning yet? Did that solve this issue?
• The filter is okay. When I first installed I found out quickly not to turn them on until the bed was up to temperature else I would get bed heat errors during warm-up. It seems like the fan blows air down and under the bed and maybe that messes with the PID tuning. So maybe another PID tuning with the fan on would help - I haven't confirmed this yet.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
I received and installed my filtration kit the other day. The power splitter cable is ridiculously large and I replaced it with a short Y adapter like above that I ordered from Amazon.
If you have the hinged lid modification on your enclosure, it will not work with the filtration kit. I saw on printables someone posted a workaround, but I have not tried that yet.
I added some 1/8" split sleeve wire loom to the fan cable and it looks much better than the instruction pictures in my opinion.
ScoutStorm received the Delta PSU, I received the XP PSU and it has this dumb ferrite bead which looks weird, and hiding it behind the foot put too much stress on the cable for my liking.
I performed a PID tune on the bed and hot end with the filter running. Hoping to get input on what the proper procedure should be for the PID tune? Filter On/off? Doors closed? Just try to match my printing conditions most of the time? I've been holding off on printing ABS and ASA till the filtration arrived so recommendations welcome.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
Oh man, the non-Delta PSU has the ferrite bead on that end? I guess with supplies so short it is not surprising but they should have really thought of that and supplied at least a small extension so that the bead could be inside the enclosure.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
Were you able to do a PID tuning yet? Did that solve this issue?
• The filter is okay. When I first installed I found out quickly not to turn them on until the bed was up to temperature else I would get bed heat errors during warm-up. It seems like the fan blows air down and under the bed and maybe that messes with the PID tuning. So maybe another PID tuning with the fan on would help - I haven't confirmed this yet.
I have not done a new PID tuning yet. I can't seem to get some time when they are not printing. But I have found out that I really don't need to keep the fans running. I turn them on at the very end of the print for a while until the plate cools. It seems to clear out the smell from ABS / ASA quickly. I hope there is some sort of automation in the future to do this.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
Were you sent a tracking number when they were shipped? Or did the package just arrive? I have only gotten the email notice from Nov 11 that they were shipping the addons, but nothing since.
RE: Add-on accessories arrived - with pictures
Were you sent a tracking number when they were shipped? Or did the package just arrive? I have only gotten the email notice from Nov 11 that they were shipping the addons, but nothing since.
I got an email from Prusa saying the add-ons would be shipped soon, but they did not send a shipping notification with the tracking. I got a tracking update email directly from DHL when they were shipped - I think I probably signed up for DHL alerts at some point on their website because I get emails and text alerts every time someone ships to my address. But you can sign up for this kind of service with FedEx and UPS too, and I would highly recommend it.