While I wait for my 4-pin DIN connector, I did a quick setup to add a heated bed to my printer. I had originally planned a more elaborate standalone solution, but after speaking to another Zim owner on a different forum, I’m going to eventually properly install a bed. But for now, I used a $12 temperature controller with an NTC sensor, a 12V switching PSU and a heated bed I had in hand. It’s clipped to the existing glass bed with a layer of wood in between to allow space for the thermocouple. It works well, and once it’s heated up the glass at the bottom helps it stay within about 1 degree in either direction. Since it’s not connected to the control board I have to manually turn it on and off, but that’s not a big deal. My original idea was to connect a relay to the hot end fan so that when the fan kicks on the bed turns on and when the fan turns off so does the bed. But since I’m going the route of actually connecting to the control board, I’ll just stick with what I have for now.
Quick and dirty heated bed
nice! Do you by chance have the pinouts for the stock heated bed connection and the connecter part number? I already have a spare 4pin for power but the output connector is what i can’t find. thanks in advance!
I am going to do mine based on the drawing at the top of this post: Create your own heated printbed!
As for connector part number, the 6 Pin looks to be the same that’s used in ATX power supplies, so I’m just going to cut one off a dead PSU so that I don’t also have to buy the crimps. Was that the connector you were referring to?
Also, I just saw your post about the springs between the black arm and the silver thumbscrews. That’s brilliant! I’m definitely going to give that a go. The dang bed is so wobbly!
that’s exactly what i was looking for, thank you. let me know how it works for you, . I am going to talk to a fab shop nearby and have them make me two 3mm plates so i can do a permanent solid attachment to the z axis frame, then have the 4 posts for leveling like a typical printer bed. i already have the silicone bed heater and whatnot so just need the plates cut and some hardware and it’ll be good to go. anyone have the specs on what the stock bed heater mosfet can handle?