Core One/+/L Power Switch and Status Light Mod

This is a mod to enable the front print status light on the core series printers display screen as well as move the power switch from the back power supply up to the front where it can be reached easy.  

This new mount does not change any factory hardware, you can 100% go back to stock if you so choose.  You will reuse the front display cover, display and circuit board, and bolts/screws that are attached to the factory display back.

Note: YOU WILL BE OPENING A POWER SUPPLY TO DO THIS MODIFICATION.  TOUCHING THE WRONG THING IN A POWER SUPPLY COULD BE FATAL!  DO THIS MOD ONLY IF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WITH HOME WIRING AND UNDERSTANDING WHAT NOT TO TOUCH IN A PSU!

I have attached photos of the finished mod, use them to help guide you on how to complete this modification.  This will be written for those with a Core One L, I am not sure the differences between the Core One and Core One Plus, but all 3 printers use the same display and power switch from my understandings.

To start, verify you can access all 4 screws on the back of wall of the printer, you might have to move the print bed up or down in order to access all 4.  Then power off the printer, unplug from the wall and wait at least 10 minutes for the capacitors to discharge.

Then remove the back wifi module with the single screw and carefully pull it off of the pogo pin connector. 

Next you will be removing the PSU and the rear covers to the printer as well as the right side panel.  To do this there are 4 screws on the back of the inside of the printer you must remove, the top two are for the upper steel plate, the 3rd on the top is for the psu, and there is one all the way down at the bottom of the printer that you checked the access for earlier.  Remove them all.  I have a picture in this post showing the location of all 4 psu screws to help locate them.  Also on the right side panel remove all of the plastic rivets.  In order to remove them, you must pull up on the head of the rivet and it will slide up, then remove the 2nd part of the rivet from the body to completely remove it.  These can be reused so do not discard or lose them.  With that done, you can remove the outer side panel from the printer.  Then you will see two more screws in the side of the back panel attached to the PSU, loosen them in order to be able to slide the PSU up and out of the printer.  Be sure to note the locations of all the wires you unplug from the PSU so you know where to put them in later.  If you dont, no worries they all only fit in one hole.

Once you have the PSU out you will need to remove the 6 screws around the psu shroud in order to crack it open.  Once you have it open, take a mental note of where all of the connections are for the PSU, namely the blue and brown wires as you will be removing and replacing them with different wires that you run to the front of the printer.  Pictures come in very handy here! (you can use mine also, it should all look the same but no guarantees).  Once you know where all the wires go, you can unplug the blue and brown wires and set them aside, you wont be using them anymore unless you go back to stock.

Remove the power switch/C14 power input unit by pressing on the four tabs and slowly work it out, I suggest doing the two on the bottom first, and then work on the top two, it made it a lot easier for me to do it that way, be careful not to bridge any power/ground connections in the PSU while doing this part.  Once you have it out, remove the small protective shroud on the back of that unit and you will see some copper bus bars on the back.  Again, note where all of these connections go as you will be replacing these with wires that run to the front of the printer as well.  Once you documented where they go carefully remove them from the unit and again set them aside, you wont be using these anymore either.

Next remove the power switch from the unit, for me the easiest was to just get a screwdriver under the face of it and gently pry it out.  Try not to mar any surfaces if you use this method.  Now to start re-assembling the unit.

Replace the C14 unit back into the printer leaving the hole that the switch used to be in open for the wires to pass through it.  Then re-connect the neutral wire back to the C14 unit and start running your 4 wires into all of the connectors you removed bus bars from as well as the blue/brown wires that went into the circuit board.  Be sure to note which wires are to the C14 outlet and which are going to the circuit board to keep it the same on the switch when you rewire it in the front.  I highly recommend using some heat shrink around the FDD1.25-250 crimp connectors to prevent the risk of an accidental short.  You can see how I did it in the pictures attached. I recommend re-installing the PSU at this point to hold everything in place for you.  Remember to tighten all 4 screws once it is back in its position.

Then route the wires into the enclosure, down the side, out the bottom and to the front of the printer, be sure to use the factory wire retainers to keep the wires held in place.  You can also re-plug in all of the connectors to the power supply at this stage as you wont be removing the PSU anymore. 

Once the wires are on the front, disassemble the display on the front and remove the bolts and nuts from the factory back plate.  Then cut the wires to length where you can still remove the display to work on it.  I found it easy to run the wires into the new display back you printed and out the hole for the switch and work on it that way. YMMV.  From there, plug all the wires into their respective spots on the switch using more FDD1.25-250 crimp connectors again shielded with some shrink wrap for safety.  Double and triple check you plug the right wires onto the right blade of the power switch to avoid short circuits.

From there, on the display board insert the light diffuser over the LED's and use the circuit board to hold it in place and then simply re-assemble everything the same way you disassembled it. 

I have attached plenty of pictures to try to help you navigate this modification!  Good luck and enjoy!

Print Settings

Rafts:
No

Supports: 
Yes unless your printer is really good at bridging

Resolution:
0.2

Infill: 
100%