Lighting Upgrade On The Sovol Zero

[Liberty4Ever]

I installed a significant upgrade to the LED lighting in my Zero yesterday.

I bought the supplies on Amazon:

8 mm wide 24 VDC LED light strip

Amazon.com: GXILEE COB LED Strip Lights 24V CRI 93+16.4ft Flexible &...

22 AWG hookup wire, although all black wiring would look better inside the Zero

BTF-LIGHTING 2 Pin 32.8ft/10m 20AWG LED Strip Light Ribbon Electrical Extension...

I 3D printed some mounts for the 15 mm T slot aluminum extrusions on the top of the Zero. Here is a short test print.

The full length mount is 80 mm long, printed vertically on the Zero from TPU-LW, but TPU should work, and more rigid filaments may work with some minor tweaks to the geometry and/or slicer settings. I used two of these mounts on the top front, two on the left side (facing the printer), two in the back, and one on the right side, behind the weak stock LED strip. Here is the full length LED mount shown on top of the Zero as a demonstration.

Unplug the Zero before wiring. Power is supplied to the LED strip on the right front top, where the original LED also receives power, and the LED strip is routed across the front, down the left, across the back and up the back of the right side. Approximately 7 W of LED lighting is added to the Zero.

The wire is routed parallel to the stock LED power wire on the inside of the right front corner. The camera is removed to route the cable behind it and then reinstalled.

The bottom cover is removed and the wire is routed along the front and up the side next to the power supply. The black wire is terminated in a spade lug connector and connected to the spare -V terminal on the 24 VDC power supply. The red wire is connected to a 1 A fuse and then connected to the +V terminal. I took the opportunity to finish tightening the other screw terminals on the power supply. Each got 1/4 to 1/2 of a turn.

Great care should be taken to ensure that the wiring cannot contact the Z axis motion system. Keep the wiring as far as possible from the timing belt and pulleys, and use wire ties to secure it safely away from all moving parts.

There is a significant increase in lighting inside the Zero.

Contrast the brightness of the added LED lighting around the entire perimeter to the short piece of stock LED strip.

The camera image when monitoring the print in Mainsail improved greatly from the improved lighting.

Here are the files for the 3D printed TPU-LW LED strip holder for the Zero.

LEDStripHolder.3mf (22.3 KB)

Sovol Zero-LEDStripHolder-TPU-LW-00h46m-SOVOL_ZERO_ONLY.gcode (2.4 MB)

LEDStripHolder.stl (4.4 KB)

LEDStripHolder.FCStd (37.9 KB)

Here it is on Printables and Sovol’s PrintsDepot:

8 mm LED Strip Mount For The Sovol Zero by Liberty4Ever | Download free STL...

3D models database,3D printer models | printsdepot.net

[rpcyan]

How does this compare to other lighting mods for the Sovol Zero? Just on printables I’ve been looking at 3 others. Yours is the first to require TPU, which admittedly I haven’t gotten into yet.

• Sovol Zero LED Mod by N1_3D_Printing | Download free STL model | Printables.com
  • Remixed into Sovol Zero LED mounts by Chinchill | Download free STL model | Printables.com with “Added a roof-like thing that blocks light from shining upwards”
• Sovol Zero Light Bar Mod by M P | Download free STL model | Printables.com notably includes “reflectors to limit glare on the camera”

[Liberty4Ever]

I hadn’t taken a look at the two LED mods for the Zero. Thanks for the links. Both of those use peel and stick adhesive strips. The LED light strips already have 3M adhesive strips. I thought about alcohol wiping the side of the Zero just below the top frame and sticking the LED strips to the Zero and they probably would have stayed, with nothing to 3D print (is that a disadvantage? ) but decided to make angled LED mounts that aimed the LED strips toward the build plate, but realistically, the LED strips radiate in all directions so sticking them to the Zero will probably work almost as well. There is so much light now that a little less wouldn’t be a problem.

I liked the idea of LED strip mounts that press into the T slots on the aluminum extrusions.

Presumably you have a Zero so you could buy a spool of TPU-LW (I use eSun but any should work) and then just send the G code directly to the printer. As I mentioned above, the same geometry probably works with PLA or PETG or ABS. I’d try printing one outer layer so the rigid materials can flex. I should probably load some PLA and try that.

Whatever method you choose, it’s worth the mod to get more light inside the Zero. It’s a simple, fairly easy, and very worthwhile upgrade.

[MikeHides]

This article is awesome, just in time for the second task on my “Upgrades for the Sovol Zero” list! Really cool, now their goes my camera settings from last week!

Thank you sharing,
-Mike

[Liberty4Ever]

My little Zero is so awesome that I can’t think of too many upgrades to do. It needed much better lighting. When my SV08 is back online, I’ll print a one piece pyramidal top that has a filament feed hole on top. I like feeding filament from above, directly into the extruder without a Bowden tube, but I want the top enclosed for ABS although it actually prints ABS well with a 45-50 C chamber temperature with the glass top removed. Beyond that… the BondTech INDX multi filament system?

[MikeHides]

Yeah it looks like it, those lights really show it off, and the wiring job makes it looks like it was shipped that way, also liked the added fuse!

My list was not so big for my Sovol Zero, it’s really a awesome addition to the workshop indeed. The next thing was the fans and reducing the noise from them, seen a few articles but still researching. Then maybe do something with the extruder cooling and maybe customizing the color scheme, all of that was way out.

I’ve not even stepped up to the plate for ABS! But this “one piece pyramidal top” you speak of now that just got added to my research list, sounds conceptually really nice addition for filament shelves above the printer.

Multicolor is so far away from my noob scope of understanding right now, I’ll come back in a year or two, I’m still making spaghetti with a single print head!

Thanks,
-Mike

[Liberty4Ever]

I started with ABS, before PLA. ABS was never easy… but it is now! You should pick up a spool of ABS or ABS-CF for your Zero. With the excellent passively heated chamber and hardened steel nozzle, ABS might be easier to print on the Zero than PLA. I mostly print ABS-CF and TPU-LW these days, using a 0.6 mm CM2 nozzle from Microswiss.

[rpcyan]

Evidently the LED1 port can only provide 30mA ( https://www.printables.com/model/1251685-sovol-zero-led-mod/comments/2643133 ). I don’t know if if the stock LEDs use all of that, but if it does that is only 0.7W. So your ~7W (~300mA) of additional illumination is 10x the power! No wonder the camera looks so much better! The only downside is that they’re always on.

If anyone’s curious, I think the GXILEE COB strips you picked use 275mA per meter (33W per 5m, 24V), and has 50mm cuttable segments @ 14mA per segment. So the LED1 port would only handle 2 segments or 100mm worth. Which is about the same length the stock PCB is providing.

In contrast, it looks like you got three full sides covered and then some, so ~22 segments would total 300mA / 7W or so.

While there’s some variation in LED strips, I seriously doubt there are any strips that will illuminate better while staying within LED1’s meager power budget.

JJ Shankles took a very different approach - 5V addressable LEDs (Neopixels, WS2812 or SK681) and a painted white interior https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcjMFcgZgkE

[MikeHides]

So this weekend is my weekend to tackle this lighting project for my Sovol Zero, it’s been on my todo list for what feels like a eon now

I also wanted to go a step further and tap into the factory LED strip power line to capture a On/Off mode for the newly added LED strip. I was looking at this optocoupler switching device Amazon.com to tap into the stock LED power line and switch the LED strip on and off with the Sovol Zero’s Stock LED. Any thoughts or suggestions when using one of these? The last thing I want to do is kill my main board because this thing caused some weird resistance load while sensing the state of the stock LED strip.

Thanks @Liberty4Ever for providing the BOM and the model files, and for sharing the lighting project! I can see so much better in the Zero now! I did have to modify the LED mounts a bit to tighten the hold on my LED strip as I purchased a slightly different 6500k vs the projects 6000k strip. Also I enlarged the depth of the mount a bit so I could run the USB cable along behind the LED strip, having those model files helped a lot! I also used the Flashforge Flexible PLA in stead of TPU. Luckily I managed to dial in the flexible PLA filament speed and temp settings, still needs a bit more tweaking but it works well for simple shapes. I also might have to reprint the holders when I get to higher temp filaments, for now it’s working.

Cheers,
-Mike

Preview of the project…

Working on wiring and routing currently, just needs some shrink tube to run the LED power cable and the Cobra 3 USB cable down the side wall.

Powered the strip using external power supply for light check, looks awesome!
Top Down:

Left Side:

Right Side:

[Liberty4Ever]

Very nice!

The linked power switching device is overkill but priced well. The bare PCB aspect would need to be electrically insulated. Inside an electrical panel, you could use nylon standoffs, but I like CAD and 3D printing so I’d probably design an enclosure for the PCB.

All you need is a DC to DC solid state relay (SSR) that can be controlled by 24VDC (the signal to the existing LED) and that can switch a fused 24VDC output from the Zero’s power supply.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ssr+24v

Here are some small SSRs that I bought for accessory lighting on my motorcycle. One of these should work well to switch your Zero’s new LEDs using the signal sent to the original LED.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DK36RT9K

I should be installing the R3men graphite print bed and Sovol’s Eddy tool head upgrade on my SV08 this weekend, but I’m too busy printing various items to organize the tools I’ve been buying for the last few weeks. I should be very organized and productive, once I stop being unproductive playing with CAD and 3D printing.

[Liberty4Ever]

You might be able to use a connector kit with crimper to make a Y adapter to tap into the Zero’s LED circuit to get the control signal for the SSR to switch your new LED lighting on and off with the Zero’s LED.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C6PM9KGY

Another option would be the crimp on wire taps.

Amazon.com: Nilight 100PCS Quick Splice Solderless Wire and T-Tap Electrical...

[MikeHides]

Thanks @Liberty4Ever ! I was looking at SSR’s originally, I’ll take a second look. I ran across these really small SSR’s but they seemed way to over priced IMHO.

I know that feeling LOL I’ve got a ton of “boxes” and parts I’ve been printing to manage my tools and hold extra parts, was actually planning to print a box for shielding that optocoupler part. Especially since someone was on a FreeCAD push for the PART tool Since then, have been slowly working into Freecad vs Openscad.

Cheers,
-Mike

[Lion]

I know this isn’t exactly your plan, but I thought I would mention it incase it helps in some way.
Using the SV08/Zero HDMI Capacitive Klipper Screen you can turn the light on & off.
So it is built in…somewhere.

[Liberty4Ever]

I love that Klipper allows such flexibility and a larger Klipper screen is a nice upgrade, but I’m in the habit of running my 3D printers the way I run 2D printers… from the computer. I love being able to access all of the printers in web browser tabs, check their status, cancel prints, turn LED lighting on and off, etc. Like a 2D printer, I occasionally need to do something at the printer and muddle along with the little ASCII text clicky wheel interface. If I did more at the printer, I’d be more inclined to upgrade to a nice HDMI display.

[Liberty4Ever]

The $31 SSR would work but it’s goofy expensive. That price was higher than I’d expect for a top brand such as Omron, Opto22, etc, You don’t need the 7 amp capacity. I should scroll up in this thread because I probably included a current specification but 0.25 amps at 24 VDC is 6 watts and that’s probably sufficient for this much supplemental LED lighting.

[MikeHides]

@Liberty4Ever completely agree, way to much. I read through your calculated ~7W

@Liberty4Ever

Approximately 7 W of LED lighting is added to the Zero.

and @rpcyan further breakdown, also ~7W

@rpcyan

If anyone’s curious, I think the GXILEE COB strips you picked use 275mA per meter (33W per 5m, 24V), and has 50mm cuttable segments @ 14mA per segment. So the LED1 port would only handle 2 segments or 100mm worth. Which is about the same length the stock PCB is providing.

In contrast, it looks like you got three full sides covered and then some, so ~22 segments would total 300mA / 7W or so.

and thanks to you both, those calculations helped a lot. Yes, I was looking at that SSR because I did mix amp and watts up!

Nope, no, I don’t have any ElectroBOOM moments to report… well none that I “can” remember

Cheers,
-Mike

[MikeHides]

Thanks @Lion, it does help. I didn’t know about the LED options on the HDMI screen until I started researching what I wanted to do. LOL I actually stumbled into the LED on/off options on the Orcaslicer dashboard and started looking into some way to add a Macro for the new LED strip, pins on the main board I could tap into etc… Then thought why not just use what is already done that way I get all the factory options for the LED strip for my new LED strip… So under that new “light” I started down the rabbit hole I’m on now.

Anyway, to share things a bit further if others are looking.
I found the following ways to control the stock LED strip inside the Sovol Zero.

1. Sovol Zero built in LCD display Lcd → control → Led on/off
2. As Lion mentioned, external HDMI screen → macros → mainled_off/mainled_on
3. Orcaslicer → Device → Dashboard → Macros → “Mainled On”/“Mainled Off”

Cheers,
-Mike

[rpcyan]

i just did a load test through the existing LED wiring, and there’s definitely a resistor limiting the current. Based on the Vdrop it is about 680 ohms - I still haven’t opened it up to work on the mainboard.

Now that I’ve looked at it, the stock wires are too small to power anything more than the original LEDs anyway - and definitely far too thin for those T-Taps.

Still don’t know when I’ll get around to this - finally fixed a frustratingly bad clog, so I’ll just continue shining a desk lamp through the glass…

[Liberty4Ever]

It should be fairly easy to remove the existing LED strip and use the existing LED signal to drive a small solid state relay to switch a fused 24 VDC line from the power supply to power a string of auxiliary LED lights, allowing the LED lighting to be controlled remotely.

My Zero is on all the time, and I like being able to look inside at any time. I didn’t see the need to switch the LED lighting on and off, but if you want that ability, it wouldn’t add much cost or complexity to the LED lighting upgrade.

I wish Sovol provided bright LED lighting so we didn’t need to upgrade to get it. The camera works so much better with more light. Bonus points for pulse width modulation to dim the LEDs to the desired brightness.

[rpcyan]

Funny you should mention that… if you replace the original

[output_pin main_led]
pin: PD13
value: 1

with this, you can get software PWM control and a nice klipper dashboard slider

[led main_led]
white_pin: PD13
cycle_time: 0.010
hardware_pwm: false
initial_WHITE: 1.0 

Hopefully this helps you all dial in your overpowered lens-flaring COB strips! For stock, there’s no reason to get even darker …

My biggest complaint, other than the general darkness, is just how dark it is under the toolhead, and having all the lighting along the top perimeter will still let the toolhead shadow the nozzle. Has anybody considered a strip of LEDs at the nozzle level so the stock camera can see what’s going on at the tip? The stock camera angle should actually be pretty good for that, if there was anything to see.

Just along the right side, so these ‘accent’ lights stay out of view.

As for the rest, I agree none of it is particularly hard, I was just being lazy and didn’t want to run more wiring. LED control isn’t as much of a motivator, (although if I’m gonna open it up, I’m going to do both, and have some klipper logic to turn it off after x minutes or whatever).

I’ll probably also add the Kobra camera at the same time.