Has anyone here installed/flashed Repetier firmware onto their Anet A8?
I need to dump the supplied firmware since it doesn’t support z-probing.
I did a trial run with the online firmware configurator for the Repetier firmware but there were a LOT of input options I didn’t/don’t have a clue about. (I’ve only had the printer for a couple of months).
I’ve spent two days a’googlin’ and can’t find anyone who’s listed the settings they used.
If need be, I’ll go at it on a trial and error basis – but I’d rather spend that time printing than puzzling.
If anyone can point me in the right direction, thanks!
I have the same question… the closest I have found is something called Skynet 3D which I think is based on Marlin. Did you consider that one ?
For now, I am able to print stuff successfully with simple manual bed adjustments and until I get the HW necessary for auto bed levelling I do not want to unnecessarily flash new firmware. But eventually I would like to upgrade my Anet A8 to auto bed levelling.
Just chiming in to follow the progress on this post !
The printer came with two sets of firmware. One without “auto-level” and one with. Turns out their idea of auto level is having the extruder automatically move to the four corners, one at a time, where you still manually adjust the height.
Even if you send a G29 through Repetier’s manual control, the printer just sits there. No problem with G28 and other commands – the firmware just won’t accept G29. And that’s been documented by a lot of Anet A8 users.
@JP_Roy Compared with Marlin? No idea! I was getting a little frustrated with Cura because it wouldn’t give me “manual control” (which I thought I might need to set up z-probing, and maybe make calibrating easier) and knew Repetier had it – so I downloaded it. Now that I have Repetier, in my newbie mind it made sense to switch to their firmware when I found out the Anet A8 firmware didn’t support z-probing. So it was more “following a trail” than a conscious decision. Marlin might be superior. Which – I guess – might lead me on ANOTHER advernture later.
Right now I just want to get z-probe auto-level working – then ignore any improvements and upgrades so I can have FUN printing for awhile.
A quick update for anyone who’s following. On the weekend, I got hold of the Repetier files, fixed a couple of errors with Arduinio, only to find the Arduino IDE can’t access my Anet A8 Board.
More research… looks like Skynet3D firmware comes come packaged with Arduino that includes the Anet in it’s board selection.
So, when I get a chance, I’m going to fire up their version of Arduino and see if I can use it for the Repetier.ino. If not, I’ll try Skynet.
Hi Allen, did you actually try the Arduino that came with that Repetier firmware download !?
I can’t make out the German details but it seems they also include their version of the Arduino environment that includes the Anet V1.0 board definition.
@JP_Roy The version I found didn’t include the Arduino. It also had some errors when I ran it on the Arduino I already had… so had to do some Googling. My Arduino skills are a LITTLE better from working with FastLED… but not nearly good enough to look at an error message and know what the problem is. Except for some fine tuning that may be needed, I think the file is good to go. Just need something that recognizes the Anet board.
and there is an Arduino version there. I am just not ready to actually install that Arduino version or a new Anet firmware but I am counting on you to iron out the bugs before I am ready…
I now have Repetier installed on my Anet A8. The induction probe works and stops the extruder when it triggers above the bed.
UNFORTUNATELY, when I home xyz, the sensor is no longer located over the bed, so the extruder doesn’t know when to stop.
I was assuming that I could manually move the extruder with Repetier manul control and set the Z-min stop – and that would be the reference point for z-home.
I can now see that wouldn’t be practical since the printer would not know where it was starting from when powered down and then back on.
More research! It looks like I can set up a z-max instead… but I’m using the z-switch socket for the induction probe – so I don’t even know where to plug the z-switch in.
I’m also wading through the documentation at the link below, but a lot of it is Greek to me (no offense intended to any Greek-speakers).
Sigh.
It’s only a hobby. It’s only a hobby. It’s only a hobby.
Nope. Like I noted, I can’t get it to home properly. I’m sure the answer is out there though.
Had some insomnia last night, so need to get to bed soon. Tomorrow I’m going to see if I can use what WAS the z-min switch as a z-max switch, and connect it “parallel” with the induction probe into the same socket – so the physical switch triggers maximum home, and the induction works for z-probe.
If I don’t find the solution soon, I’m reflashing to original Anet A8 firmware and taking a break for awhile.
Hi @JP_Roy . I’m keeping the x and y stop repositioning as a future possibility, but it feels like hitting the problem with a sledgehammer when I should be able to give it a small tap.
For the moment – unless I stumble on something in my spare time before then – I’ll probably reflash the original firmware so the printer is usable while I do some deeper research. When I have some possible solutions, I’ll take a day or two and try to implement them.
I noticed Skynet3D has something called “safe homing”. I didn’t look at the details yet, but it might be something useful. Other than that, using my now spare (formerly z-min) switch as a z-max switch and feeding it into the same socket as the z-probe seems possible too (but I want to solder up an adapter Y-socket so I can test it without making permanent changes (plus I need a working printer to make a z-max switch mount)).
Hi again Allan, I would like to be able to help you with this whole issue but I hesitate to flash new firmware at this time.
If you could temporarily just unplug that sensor and re-plug the original z-stop AND confirm that you can actually print stuff just as you were able to with the original SW, I would be willing to take the plunge and flash Repetier also. Then I could help you find a simpler solution to your homing problem. Two heads are better than one !!
I am not a programmer but I have played with Arduino enough to think I could help you. I am only guessing that the firmware code can be modified to make homing work with the sensor, something like move X and Y only until endstops are encountered then offset by some X and Y steps so the probe is over the bed then home-in the Z.
PS: I am also guessing that the steps I just described are already built-in that version of Repetier and you should be able to turn that on with some parameter updates in the configuration file !
Thank you for hitting me with a solid plank made of logic. Why would I go back to the original firmware when I have Repetier successfully installed?!?!
You’re right… I’ll swap back to the original z-switch and confirm that printing works. It should, since I was using Repetier Host with the original Anet firmware.
But keeping Repetier on my board will make future tweaking and tests easier.
I’m sure, as you say, the answer is in the code. But, as one example, if you search “home” in the code, you get dozens of hits… all with their own parameters.
Don’t take the plunge on my behalf – a little discomfort is good for me. But keep the suggestions coming!
I was getting a little frustrated with Cura because it wouldn’t give me “manual control” (which I thought I might need to set up z-probing, and maybe make calibrating easier) and knew Repetier had it – so I downloaded it. Now that I have Repetier, in my newbie mind it made sense to switch to their firmware when I found out the Anet A8 firmware didn’t support z-probing. So it was more “following a trail” than a conscious decision. Marlin might be superior. Which – I guess – might lead me on ANOTHER advernture later. 