Installing Klipper on TronXY X5SA by cab404

Last crawled date: 3 years, 3 months ago

** obligatory "your warranty in now void" disclaimer **THIS GUIDE IS FOR CHITU V6 BOARDS ONLY
So, you've decided to upgrade you printer software-wise. You are in for a ride!
Here's a gist on Github, cause tv can't format it's markdown properly
What can you expect
You'll get Klipper experience.
That includes speeds up to 300 mm/s (I've tested infill at 180, and it was pretty much flawless), proper linear advance, low vibration on high accelerations without relying on approximations like S-Curve, no lags on dense GCode files — it's nothing like Marlin or the stock firmware.
Also, you won't be able to control your printer from it's screen anymore.
IDK, maybe that's a deal breaker for you, but controlling printer from WiFi is much more comfortable IMO.
Getting a Klippy machine (Klipper host)
First of all, you need a Raspberry Pi 2 or later you want to use as a Klipper/Octoprint machine. Other ARM-based computers are good as well — e.g NanoPi, BananaPi, etc.
Follow this guide to get and install OctoPi, and follow this one up to "Building and Flashing" section to get Klipper on your OctoPi.
Use this printer.cfg as your printer config.
Getting Klipper onto the printer
Copy update.cbd onto SD card, insert it into your printer, reboot. If you heard some beeps, and then your screen does not light up anymore — it's been installed!
You can build your own update.cbd, instructions are on top of the config file, follow with regard to "Building and Flashing" section we skipped earlier.If you ever reconsider your life's choices, you can always reflash stock firmware the same way.
Now connect your printer to Pi via USB, and reload host in the Klipper tab in the Octoprint.
Enabling Linear Advance
If you would also want to enable Linear Advance, you'll need
Some skill with soldering iron
1k resistor.
Serial adapter
You can kind of live without that, especially if you aren't handy with a soldering iron.
Connect to your E-stepper as per this guide. Use ground from PSU, and connect uart pin to one marked with red arrow.
Open OTP tab and write 2.7 and 1.1. This will disable StealthChop, thus allowing you to use Linear Advance feature.
Graz, you successfully reprogrammed your stepper to be usable with Linear Advance! Your corners will look better than ever.
I use linear advance at 1.5, your's probably will be around that value.