If you’re looking for an affordable and convenient way to control your Ender 3 Pro devices, the BLTouch installation is hands down, a great option! In fact, it is one of the most popular add-ons for Ender 3 pro as it offers you customizable particles, fluid dynamics, and so on!
But if you aren’t familiar with the Ender 3 pro BLTouch installation, chances are you are away from getting its benefits. Thinking about your problem, I’ve come up with a step-by-step guideline on the BL-Touch installation so that you won’t have any panic attacks while performing it.
So let’s get into it without further chit-chat!
What Do You Need Before Installing Ender 3 Pro BLTouch?
Here, I will walk you through the necessary elements to install the BL Touch.
1. The BL-Touch Sensor
The Ender 3 Pro comes with a newly improved BLTouch sensor. It has been designed specifically to work with the original BLTouch. However, you can install the new BLTouch sensor before attaching the X-Axis belt.
2. Mounting Bracket
With the BLTouch, you will need to mount either the front or left side mounting bracket for your printer. You can include these brackets with your purchase parts, and their installation is relatively straightforward. You will need an Allen wrench for this process if you don’t have one already on hand.
3. Cable
When you purchased the Ender 3 Pro with Extruder Finder, you would need to install more cables. The cable allows the Ender 3 Pro to communicate with your printer and act as a home if the extruder fails. The cable is a micro USB, and you can plug it into Android or iOS devices. It may also connect with other printers with Extruder Finder installed on their systems.
4. ISP Adapter
If you happen to have the Ender 3 Pro with a kit, you will need to install the ISP adapter. The ISP adapter is an Arduino Uno that controls the movement of the X-Axis. Your Ender 3 Pro comes equipped with a power cable and connection cables.
5. Firmware
Last but not least, you will need to flash your Ender 3 BLTouch firmware. This process is relatively painless and can use the standard Windows interface. You will want to ensure that you navigate to the right directory to make sure that you install the correct firmware.
How to Install BLTouch Auto-Leveling on Ender 3: Step-by-Step Process
Here I have shared the ender 3 pro BLTouch installation process step by step. If you follow this, you will install BLTouch Ender 3 Pro easily to your Ender 3 pro.
Step-1: Unplug Your 3D Printer
Firstly, you have to unplug the power supply of the printer.
Step-2: Access Motherboard
Now, unscrew the bolts to remove the cover of the motherboard from the printer’s top side. When you open the cover, you can see the motherboard’s version number. You can take a note.
Step-3: Take Off the Limit Switch
The nozzle will recognize the BL Touch probe’s vertical position (Z-position) using the BL-Touch probe instead of the 3rd port limit switch’s Z-axis stop position indicator. As a result, it may be necessary to disconnect the cable between the third rail and port labeled Z
Remove Z and connector-labeled cable from the 3rd port. To completely detach the BLTouch wiring Ender 3 from the enclosure, unscrew the two front screws. Once you have undone the screws, you can separate the Z-axis cable from the gap.
After you’re done, you can re-install the screws. Then, remove the Z-limit switch. You can do it easily by loosening these 2 screws.
Related: How to Install BL-Touch on SKR Mini E3 V2
Step-4: Ender 3 BLTouch Wiring and Connecting Cable
Once you have detached the wire from the Z-limit control and motherboard, you need to connect this wire to the BL-Touch cable.
With the cable attached, you’re allowed to strip the wire behind the screen to plug it into the cable-tie break, or, for a neater look, you could drag the cable through the screen.
If you have a complicated cable rope, threading it can be work-intensive due to the cables. Instead of threading the wire from the inside, drag it through from the exterior of the net. You can re-install the motherboard cover once you finish accessing it.
Step-5: Bltouch Ender 3 Mount on the Nozzle Assembly
You need to place it in the hole of the bracket that comes as part of the BL-Touch installation kit, and you must set it on the holes. Install the shorter 2 X M3 6 from, the longer 2 X M3 6. After that, you should plug the power cable into the BL-Touch. Ensure that it is inserted into the wire completely.
Afterward, mount the BL-Touch with the other 2 included screws. A firmware update is necessary to update the motherboard to fully function with the BL-Touch.
Step-6: Update Your Printer Motherboard Firmware
You first have to obtain the correct firmware update file to do this. If you have downloaded the correct firmware, locate the ‘BLtouch Non-adapter board firmware’ file in the filename folder.
After that, extract the file to an empty folder. This is the unmodified file with no adapter board attached. Updating the Ender 3 V2’s firmware requires you to remove the contents of the microSD card you insert in your printer and load the downloaded .bin file inside it.
Then, insert the card into your printer and turn on its power; the flashing process will take only a couple of minutes. When the power is on, the motherboard will automatically update the current firmware. It will store the .bin file on the digital memory card.
Be aware that the display will be blank for a short period when the Creality Ender 3 Pro auto bed leveling Logo screen appears and that the firmware update will take about 5 minutes. Once the firmware update is complete, you should see a new option named Level on the main screen.
Note: If you do not turn on your screen after the firmware upgrade, check to ensure that the firmware file you are flashing is the correct one for the motherboard. To roll back to the previous version, use the file under the folder with “original firmware” of the downloaded zip file.
Step-7: Figure Out and Set Z-Offset
To assess the function of auto-leveling, you must first establish a Z offset. Before you test out the auto-home abilities, you must first go to prepare time out and then Z Offset. You will observe that the printer begins to nest in the middle of the bed.
To set the Z offset, choose Back Z Offset and stop to decrease the Z offset. You need to begin with decrements of 1, then you can follow 0.05, 0.1, etc.
Note: If the motor does not move after setting a new Z-offset value, revert the Z-offset to 0, auto-home, move the Z-axis up or down, and try again. When your nozzle has any excess ink left over from a previous print, safely heat the nozzle. Then pull away from the extra ink before disposing of it. The paper’s resistance to the pressure you feel won’t affect the extra ink.
Related: How do I fix BL-Touch blinking red during print
Step-8: Levelling the Bed of Your Printer
Now it’s time to test the auto bed leveling according to the Z-axis setting. Select the Level option on the main screen and automatically wait for the bed-leveling operation to complete.
The nozzle will move to nine positions on the bed, and each point on the bed will move vertically up and down. When you print a model, the printer calculates the offset values and prints accordingly.
If the printer has completed leveling, the next step is to do a test print to guarantee that the leveling went by as scheduled. Then you have set a special Gcode file from CHEP to this end.
Step-9: Test Printing!
Insert this microSD memory card into your printer and print the file from this memory card.
Press the print button, and the printer will begin heating up and printing the grid you see on your computer monitor.
Check if the test pattern is just right. If it is too low, you will not be able to see the filament print out, and, in worst-case scenarios, the nozzle will begin to scrape the blanket. If it is too high, the filament will print in the air.
You should rub your finger lightly on the print to determine the filament’s consistency. To modify the Z offset, you can do this during the print.
If you find that one corner of the level is too high, you can also change the extrusion manually during the print. While doing it, verify to ensure the firm level is all set.
Ender 3 Pro BLTouch Install: Wrapping It Up!
The Ender 3 pro BLTouch installation was a snap and took only a few minutes, and the result is great. If you follow the steps without skipping anything, you may finish the installation with ease as well.
In contrast, if you’ve missed any of the steps above, hurry and read it carefully because you can’t perform the task with precision if you aren’t familiar with the correct techniques.