So I’ve been sent here from the FB group as few guides on adding lasers to the SKR 1.2 Pro using the Fan connection etc, however I’m just wondering if anyone’s wired up the Eleksmaker before and have any guides?
It’s the 2.5w with Eleksmaker mana SE 3.2 control board
So power pack to Mana board, then jst 3 pin from board to the laser and away it goes, so how would I go about doing that to the SKR board. My hope is to get rid of the eleksmaker frame and just have the MPCNC with router and laser.
MPCNC is currently powered by a ATX PSU from old PC of mine.
Not trying to sound “snarky” but I’m a bit confused what you’re asking. It sounds like you have…
a working Eleksmaker A3 machine with 2.5W laser and Mana SE 3.2 controller?
a working MPCNC with router and SKR 1.2 Pro controller?
and you’re wanting to put the Eleksmaker’s 3-pin laser module on your MPCNC… so you can ditch the Eleksmaker machine? And you need info on how to control laser with SKR 1.2 controller?
There are folks here that can help with wiring a 3-pin laser to SKR controller… I’ve never used it. But I don’t think the FAN connections and M106/M107 are used anymore… Marlin now handles M3/M4 commands?
And I’ve “wired up” the Eleksmaker A3 machine and use it all the time. And I like it…
Not snarky at all asking for bit of clarification to my rambling Yes to point 1 but no to point 2, the MPCNC is still mid build but printing the laser mount today If there is a way for me to wire it into the SKR 1.2 Pro somehow.
An yeah I love my eleksmaker, started with that, then 3d printers and now the MPCNC be nice to save space combining the two and seen some nice work involving CNC work, spray paint then lasering the paint off etc. really effective
Thanks for the clarification. Personally, if you have room for it… I’d keep both machines set up and running. I’ve got my Eleksmaker on a small roll-around kitchen “island” and it can easily be rolled out of the way and/or into another room. I also have an OMT 50W CO2 laser and another larger-workarea diode laser at hand and ready to go as well.
I know multi-function machines have an appeal… especially if you’re short on space and/or have a spouse that simply doesn’t understand your needs… your “addiction”. I lusted for a Shopsmith (an ancient multi-function woodworking machine) for many years… and never did get one. But I still learned what a pain it is to set up a machine for a particular precise, repetitive, cut… then reconfigure it for the next operation… and, only then, discover I didn’t make enough of those first cuts. And it’s near impossible to set back up exactly as you had it for those original precise cuts. But that’s just me… I’m simply way too disorganized for a Shopsmith.
But I’m sure you’re not as disorganized as I am. And I certainly do understand the appeal of being able to mount a zillion different tools on your CNC machine. I’ve built number of machines over the years and many handled routers, needle cutters, lasers, pens/markers, etc. So, I say go for it! While I prefer separate stand-alone machines most of the time… I also understand you gotta do what you gotta do!
What hoops you have to jump through to get this working will depend on what voltage PWM signal the module will accept. I did a bit of searching, but I could not find any specs for the 3-pin connector version of this module. Based on the control board in your picture, I’m guessing it expects a 5V signal which means it will probably accept the 3.3V PWM generated by the SKR Pro 1.2 board. You are either going to have to find out what voltage PWM signals work from the net or a forum, or you are going to have to run some tests.
If it accepts the 3.3V signal, then hookup is simple and requires no firmware changes (assuming you are running v510 or above of V1 maintained Marlin). The only minor complication is that, if you decide to power your laser from a separate power supply from your MPCNC, you will have to tie the ground of that power supply and the ground of your control board together. If laser will not accept a 3.3V signal, you will likely need to make some simple firmware changes and possibly add a simple circuit to make it work.
If you decide to run some tests, let me know, and I’ll detail how to do the hookup and what pins to use. Note I believe these tests to be safe for both the control board and the laser module, but I’m not an electronics expert…just a hobbyist.
Since rhe Eleksmaker A3 Pro comes “factory standard” with the Eleksmaker Mana SE 3.2 controller and Eleksmaker 2.5W laser module, the PWM is of the +5V (so-called “TTL”) variety. That’s what’s on my Eleksmaker machine and it has carried, in times past, laser modules from Eleksmaker, Banggood, and Neje… and all have worked just fine. All those ceramic tiles I’ve shown have been done with that original little 2.5W laser module.
Here’s a thought… I suspect you’ll soon grow tired of the 2.5W laser and want something more powerful on your MPCNC. Neje has a variety of relatively inexpensive laser modules that are spec’d to handle 3.3V to 12V PWM and would allow you to hook it up without worrying about PWM voltage levels between the SKR controller and your laser module.
Then, whether you decide to keep the Eleksmaker machine or not, it would still be intact… to sell (it’d probably pay for the new Neje laser module… ) or give away to someone “needy”.
Good point, could be easier and cheaper to buy a NEJE etc, they seem to come with their own power and then separate port for PWM/TTL to control from the board. That looks the simplest of installs and for the price I’d go from 2.5w to 5w also.
Eleksmaker works well so sure I could sell it on easy enough.
Do love my 2.5w tbh, only upgrade I’d go for would be to Co2 really. but this CNC is slightly bigger build area (for now) so just diode on it should do the trick.
Off to look for UK seller that’s reasonable price I’ll behave on stripping down the laser and buy a router 1st. then replacement laser to merge later on.
And I remembered I had a tester board which came with it, reckon I could power it with this board then wire the PWM/TTL pin at the bottom to the SKR 1.2 pro?
Also I have spare 12v wires from the ATX power supply, but maybe too much amp’s etc
If you use this tester board with a separate power supply, you need to connect the ground of that board to the ground of your SKR Pro.
Laser support was enabled around version 510 in the V1 maintained versions of the Marlin firmware. If you have an earlier version, you will want to update the firmware. The later versions of the firmware uses pin PC9 for laser PWM output. A pinout diagram can be found here, and PC9 is on Extension 1.
Also I have spare 12v wires from the ATX power supply, but maybe too much amp’s etc
The laser will draw just what it needs, so no worries about “too much amps.”
Someone has kindly let me know its PWM this laser module. Been while since I read the differences etc as its worked beautifully for such long time haha
So I could possibly wire the ATX 12v + to the laser, PWM signal to PC 9 and then negative of the laser to the GND right next to PC9.
As you can guess electrics are not my strong point without picture guides haha luckily still alive this far in.
If you use the ATX for both your laser and for your Marlin control board, you should not need a separate ground wire. In most situations, you only need a separate ground wire if you use two different powers supplies. As mentioned above, the big questions here is whether your laser will accept 3.3V PWM signals.
Between here and eleksmaker group on FB, its looking likely BUT it might end up getting less of a signal so wont get to 100% power. so in theory I could get it running but new laser module seems more attractive now
That is not how PWM works. Less voltage does not mean less laser power. PWM works by rapidly turning your laser on and off. In this switching, if the amount of time your laser spends on is equal to the amount of time it spends off, then your laser will be at roughly half power. The issue with 3.3V is whether it will turn your laser on at all. Typically, when designing electronics for 5V, anything under 2.5V is consider off, and anything over 2.5V is consider on, so 3.3V is consider on and therefore will work, but that is in the hands of the person who designed the electronics that driver the laser.
Yes to point 1 but no to point 2, the MPCNC is still mid build but printing the laser mount today If there is a way for me to wire it into the SKR 1.2 Pro somehow.
