Using Octoprint or a direct USB to computer solution has nothing to do with your choice or method of filament.
Only the original Zeepro Software is using the RFID in the cartridges for temperature settings and used meters of filament.
So without Zeepro Software you are free to use whatever you like.
After I switched to the alternative filament drive I broke off the beak of the cartridge I had left and used them.
But you could as well just open the cartridge and use the spool directly.
I should have been more clear, what I guess I’m asking is does the bottom filament drive/extruder still function. I have not changed things around to feed filament into the top. I completely realize that the RFID wouldn’t matter etc. Just wanted to know if it would still pull the filament up from the bottom.
Thanks again!
I use both filament motors bottom and top and it works fine if you change the lower filament drive. Otherwise the gear won’t be able to grip the filament. But that did not work either with the cartridges, so it has to be changed either way.
But other people use only the upper motor and it seems to work fine for them as well.
The only thing momentarily unclear is discussed in another thread. Its about if you should unplug the lower motor or leave it running empty if only the upper motor is used, regarding the current.
If you change filament often you should consider switching to only the upper motor as well. Because its a bit more work through the lower filament drive.
I unplugged (and completely removed) my lower steppers several months ago. The logic being that a motors only draws as much current as is required to maintain torque for holding/driving the stepper. Since they are tied in parallel, this should half the current draw on the driver chip. Other than that, I didn’t bother to change the current limit, since that its just a safeguard, and the original design didn’t account for where in the drive circuit the current might going anyway.
Thanks good to know.
I thought about cutting the lower motors off as well. They make filament changes unnecessary more work and mine get extremely hot.
If you disconnect them, be sure to only do so when the printer is off. You can damage the stepper driver if it is actively trying to drive/hold the stepper when it is disconnected. Safe to do with printer off though.
Probably already answered but im gathering all the needed itens for the “conversion”. raspberry Pi…is raspberry pi 2 the best option? I can see one possible deal poping up on amazon tomorrow at 9:00 (starter kit). Is it ok? It seems there are several RP versions…not sure what to get…
Thanks in advance!
Thanks to everyone here I’m doing my first zim print via pi! One question, has anyone compiled a list of custom commands for the Zim. I saw in jpod’s video some of them but was wondering if there is an easy way for me to see more?
Thanks again for all the great advice so far!
Come on. Please look at the threads.
Ryan decompiled some Zim specific G-Codes and Jpod was so kind to post them and the rest is standard which you can see at wikipedia or some site else.
A few threads down is this one:
I apologize in advance if this has been answered already and I swear I looked before asking 3DPrintEvangelist but can someone explain how the octopi Cura slicer works? How do I create a Cura profile for the zim? Thanks!
Most of the active forum users use Repetier (free) or Simplify3D (paid) or some other external Slicer.
The profiles and tips have been posted in several threads and either you just use them or take them as a starting point.
I have not tried the internal cura slicer from octoprint and from my point of view would not use it.
For every item I print I have to adjust the slicing settings and placement and support and so on.
At least you have several printing profiles ready.
Reptier and Simplify3D display the slicing result and you can modify things necessary.
After slicing the G-Code file is dragged to Octoprint in Browser and start print.
There are other options to share a folder and automatically upload all new files in the folder and so on.
I received my pi b+ ! yeah !
Seems to work great 
thank you all guys.
Do you know which command should I use to do an “urgent stop button” like repetier-host or simplify3d ?
OctoPi looks like the preferred method for Zims… but I backed the Astroprint guys on Kickstarter and have a premium account for life. Anyone try their system yet? https://www.astroprint.com I only got it as a backup in case something happened with Zeepro… $30 bux well spent I guess.
Is it worth the extra $10 for a RasPi 2 with OctoPi?
I wanted to thank everyone on here for all of the help recently. I was pretty lost as to what to do with my Zim with no support from the company available anymore. I have my OctoPi up and running and was able to print one of the best prints I have ever been able to do on the Zim last night!
Thanks again everyone for all the help and for putting all of this info up!
@Cal Happy to see you are have good luck with it, and great looking print!
@BDub, I haven’t looked into Astroprint, but OctoPrint is very capable and worth a try. There is definitely a higher learning curve jumping to OctoPrint than the original Zeepro software, but nothing too strenuous, and the configuration and capabilities of OctoPrint paired with external slicing allow for quite a bit more opportunity to review how the print is going to proceed prior to starting it, and for tweaking the slicer settings per print to get the best prints possible. So far I have no complaints about jumping to OctoPrint. I’m now liking it more than the Zeepro software, mainly due to added pre-print control, and better printer status during prints, plus it seems more stable than the Zeepro web implementation. I really like the gcode viewer during a print and customization options. Some of the plugins are really cool, like Pushbullet sending me a push notification that appears on my phone when a print completed. Also the webcam actually works now! 
@jpod That sounds amazing and I have every intension to try an OctoPi first! I’ll probably also explore the Astroprint solution after I know more about how to control the Zim with Octoprint. Thank you guys for paving the way on this!
Har har har!!! It lives!!!
(Victor Frankenstein)
I switched from my standard A10 Board to Octoprint on a RasPi 2B today.
After some minor problems, I just started my first print. Look s amazing!
I use a Standard USB cable to connect the RasPi to the ZimBoard (Yes, my USB socket works, even though it was a pain in the a** to remove all of the printed cap.).
But one thing is strange: While printing, the printer sometimes stops for a second. What could be the problem? Maybe the dataflow is too slow?
I’ve noticed this too and still looking for solution. The only answer for me has been to significantly slow down the speed allowed when slicing. I think you are right that there are times when the Pi doesn’t keep up with the next gcode instruction, so there is a brief pause. This results in a little blob at that spot in the layer being printed where the extruder oozed until the next move started. So far my prints have been coming out well enough, but if we can resolve this issue I think the prints really will come out amazing.
Well this is promising…
Marlin 1.0.2.1 has the following change from the version Zeepro used:
Zeepro version:
#define BLOCK_BUFFER_SIZE 4 // SD,LCD,Buttons take more memory, block buffer
Marlin 1.0.2.1:
#define BLOCK_BUFFER_SIZE 16 // SD,LCD,Buttons take more memory, block
According to the reprap link here “BLOCK_BUFFER_SIZE is the size of the movement block queue “block_buffer””. Sounds intriguing. A theory I had was that is was not OctoPrint pausing, but the Zim board not handling the number of commands being sent causing the periodic pauses. Apparently the Marlin firmware blocks until space is available in this queue. A series of rapid commands, like very short moves, could fill it I suppose, causing a pause.
I bumped up my version of BLOCK_BUFFER_SIZE to 16 to match the latest Marlin. I also removed any references to RFID in the code. I don’t think this was causing any issue, but somehow it was satisfying to rip it out.
So far it is working great! It appears to have resolved my pausing issues on short rapid moves generated by simplify3d, and I can now bump my print speeds from 40mm/s to 80mm/s without seeing any pauses and blobs (not that I would recommend this speed on a Zim, but it was my test for the pausing issue). This set of mods is not thoroughly tested however… And it certainly is no longer compatible with stock zeepro software (I removed some custom gcodes… OctoPrint only please). This has been pushed to my Marlin github fork (version 1.1.0.17).
Good luck, happy printing!
Thanks a lot!
I´ll give it a try tonight… I´m totally amazed that you can read and modify the code… I think I must have missed the point to learn a programming language some years ago… Damn!
(Instead, I know that your profile picture shows captain Kirk in the movie “Star Trek II - Wrath of Khan” shouting “KHAAAAAN!” when Kirk realizes that khan trapped him in the genesis-cave… And I love it!)