Home Automation & 3D Printing

[Graymattor]

Hi All,

I'm looking to venture into home automation with my 3D printing. I have a few smart devices, but very basic stuff, so please consider me a total newbie! 

Where to start with the control element? I'm thinking Home Assistant? I'd also like spoolman and to be able to remote access from outside my network..

I'm currently running klipper on an RPi 5 8GB, would I be best repurposing this for home automation and getting a lesser powerful RPi for Klipper..

I'm very much learning on all things! Baptism of fire at the moment one thing leads to another, then to another and another

Thanks  

[claudermilk]

Talk about jumping in at the deep end! I am running Home Assistant here and there are integrations for both Moonraker and Spoolman. They take some work to set up but they do work. Home Assistant is a whole other rabbit hole at least as deep as the Voron one.

While I've got dashboards set up, I haven't made a lot of use on them yet. I also haven't come up with any dashboards or automations for Spoolman yet--I also only have one printer linked to it yet. However, I do have automations from the Moonraker integration; I grab print times from jobs and send myself nag messages to run maintenance cycles on the printers.

Nagging me right now!

You could definitely run HA on an 8GB Pi4 and it's way overkill for Klipper. I'm running my HA on a Yellow with a 4GB CM4 and it's solid.

I'd get each project set up and running reliably before connecting them up.

[Graymattor]

Thanks @claudermilk, i appreciate your reply..

to be honest I've started looking at this due to the limitations with Google home, I wanted a slight delay between things turning on to give things time to boot, but I could only set one delay!! 

I have been looking at Spoolman due to having and ERCF also in the works  

I think I'll repurpose the RPi5, I've an M8P kicking around with a CB1 I can throw in my printer seeing as though you are recommended to use the BTT MMB can board for V2

(That said I may pic up a cheaper alternative RPi and save the RPi5 but no idea what for )

Will slowly work my way down the rabbit hole! I'll post any updates! 

[claudermilk]

The Pi 5 would be good for Home Assistant--it's way overkill for Klipper--even my lower spec Pi 4 is overkill. An aside, I'm looking at getting a Pi 5 a little later to upgrade my Plex server from its current 4GB Pi 4.

Home Assistant has a very robust automation capability and it integrates with Google Home nicely; that's what I use for voice activation up to now. I am looking at the voice capabilities in HA--2023 was their "Year of the Voice" and they made huge advances this year for local control full voice control. But now I'm getting off into a different rabbit hole. 

[Graymattor]

I have been looking at HA a bit more today and decided to repurpose the RPi5 for it! However looks like I need a SSD rather than micro SD card so will have to wait until I get one and cable

I started the M8P rabbit hole last night! That's a lot of work, I've built and flashed it but now need a new toolhead for CAN (going XOL (i think)) but then I need to fit linear rails, if I'm doing that I may as well fit all linear rails, if I'm doing that I may as well relook at my switchwire conversion including modifying the bed oh and ordered the ERCF V2 printed parts ready to start that and integrate some how in to my enclosure

And wives think we have it easy and just playing with big boy toys these are proper keep you all night problems to work out and solve!! 

[claudermilk]

Good news for you! Home Assistant literally just released their last 2023 update with Pi 5 changes.

[Graymattor]

Brilliant, thanks for letting me know.. my SSD should arrive tomorrow so I can have a go at installing the software.. 

I've seen a few "getting started" guides on YouTube

First thing is how do I install from a USB! 

 

[claudermilk]

Another point I just figured out yesterday. With Home Assistant set up for remote access (I go the easy route and use the Nabu Casa subscription--it also supports the project), and Moonraker integration set up it appears you can remotely monitor your printer! I had an appointment and the printer was processing a job while I was out. While waiting I popped open the HA app on my phone and got myself to my main dashboards where I have the printers exposed. Sure enough, there was current states and the webcam feed! I've since updated my mobile-specific dashboard to allow easy access.  The main use I have in mind is to be able to check in and if I see a blob or spaghetti monster forming, or warping or some other issue I can cancel the print.

[Graymattor]

Thanks, I must admit remote checking the printer is one of the main reasons (at the moment) so your info has come at the right time I saw another called Pi Tunnel I think it was, but no idea if that integrated with HA.. 

Thanks again, will take a look..

Just about to sit down an throw myself in said rabbit hole!! 

[Graymattor]

Unfortunately it looks as though the RPi5 is not supported yet  

PI Imager is not showing home assistant for RPi5 only RPi4, ive checked Github and its OS 11.2 which isn't RPi5 compatible... 

Could you share where you saw the RPi5 update

[Graymattor]

Found it, its a Beta version of 11.3.. i will give it a try.. 

[Graymattor]

HA OS doesn't like the fact I'm using the GPIO pins for power when booting from SSD, I have to press the power button to bypass.. need to power through the USB-C or change the config to bypass the check, but I don't want power issues... looks like I'm cutting up a cable but wires will be very thin no doubt

 

PS I'm using a 5V 75W PSU.. 

[Graymattor]

Looks like not having an RTC is causing a problem  when HA OS is booting i get a Time Sync failures, so supervisor won't start.. 

This is not easy at all lol!!! 

 

Edited December 28, 2023 by Graymattor

[claudermilk]

 You're running HA on the RPi5 installed in the printer?! I was under the impression you were going to move it to a stand-alone setup. That would be my recommendation. 

I would personally set up the Pi5 in a nice, standalone case with a proper power supply (the official one is now 27W!) and set up HAOS on it. Then stick a Pi 3 or 4 in the printer. Once each of those are set up, install HACs on HA and install the Moonraker integration; that will connect your printer to HA.

My own setup is Home Assistant on a Home Assistant Yellow. Then a Trident on a Pi4 and a V0.2 on a Pi3. Home Assistant has the Moonraker integration added and it was pretty easy to link the two printers from there.

As for where I saw the Pi5 update, it's in the release notes for HA Core 2023.12.4. https://www.home-assistant.io/blog/2023/12/06/release-202312/#release-2023124---december-27 Looking a little deeper (I'm not concerned with the Pi5 for myself), it does look like early days for HA support there, but it's in active development. So you are on the bleeding edge with this.

[Graymattor]

Thanks.. 

Sorry for the confusion, the RPi is standalone, its not in the printer, but it is in the powersupply panel I'm building, bust stand alone

I've managed to get HA working but only by using a network cable, won't work over WiFi, time sync is still an issue and failing on boot, so purchased an RTC..

I think you are right, I'm going to have to put the RPI5 in a purpose built enclosure with the proper power supply (i really do need to stop changing my mind and throwing money down the drain )

[cjkennedy72]

23 hours ago, Graymattor said:

(i really do need to stop changing my mind and throwing money down the drain )

Join the club! HAHA

[Graymattor]

My RPi power supply and RTC came yesterday, printed a stand alone enclosure, connected, plugged in and boom all working as it should! 

Had a play around and HA is challenging, I dont fully understand things but doing a lot of reading and learning this is a major rabbit hole!!! 

That said I have HACS installed and the Moonraker integration working with Nabu casa i still need to test the remote acces but should work

Now to toy with other things..

Thanks @claudermilk for the help

[claudermilk]

No problem. It is a huge, deep rabbit hole all itself. I've gotten a lot of the house updated to smart stuff over the past few years and it's nice. One thing I've made sure of is anything critical (like light switches) have a "dumb" mode fallback. Lots of automations that are convenient and nice to have, but only an irritant/disappointment when things break--and they do on occasion. 

HA is to home automation as Voron is to 3d printers, at least IMHO. There's a lot of DIY involved, and you do need to have some knowledge to make it work; but they have been working on making it more newbie friendly over the past year. But with that higher bar, you have a lot more fine control of exactly how you are setting things up. I started with Smartthings which was nice, but once you got into customizing things it got really messy really fast; I still run the ST hub, but it's mainly to help with Samsung devices.

I have looked again at the Moonraker dashboard outside my own wifi and it does come up & show the current printer status--and the webcam on the Trident. So that part works and I'm not going to mess with Obico any more.

For my own sanity, I try to only tackle a Voron or a Home Assistant project at a time. Moonraker is the one exception. 

[Graymattor]

I agree, if I didn't have the RPi 5 sat foing nothing i wouldn't have ventured down the path! 

However looks really fun and interesting, so over time I'll dig deeper and look at some automation around the 3D printer/enclosure, etc..

But for now it works, almost all my smart tech (don't have too much yet!) are added and the main thing I was after was moonraker integration, so HA will be left while I finish my ERCF v2, enclosure and well a corexy of some sort! Was looking at the simplecore but I start looking at mods , but want a good base corexy to build on, at a reasonable price, being UK I can't afford a Voron Kit, way out my price range! However the simplecore does use the trident frame kit

If you tackle any interesting projects in HA please do share

[claudermilk]

For your Home Automation, plan out at least some of what you want to do before buying a bunch. Like, for example, light switches; once you pick a manufacturer you're going to want to stick with them. For me I picked Lutron Caseta and am happy with that choice. It does require getting their hub, but I'm ok with that.

[Graymattor]

Great tip, 

I must admit there are a lot of manufactures and at the moment I have a real mix, but only a few items, but want to grow so I'll have to do some research.. 

I haven't heard of the manufacturer you have mentioned, but will look them up

[Graymattor]

Kind of on the the subject of HA..

I would like to install 3 cameras (one in filament room so i can monitor the ERCF, 2 in print room front facing and over head) in the enclosure im building and I'd like them to be visible in HA (mainsail would be great but not essential) what sort of options would work best (budget friendly).. stream only, not really bothered about recording, etc, just for monitoring purposes.. accessible remotely hence HA integration..

RPi (or orangePi)? PoE switch with cameras? WiFi cameras (ideally powered by 5v only so I could use my 5v 75w PSU that's currently not used)?

Open to ideas? 

[claudermilk]

So three camera, but not connected to the printer directly? I'd expect any smart home camera would do. If it were me, I'd look at Eufy. I got their fancy doorbell on Amazon Prime day this year and overall I love it. It does what I wanted it to do and  then some. The only catch is the stream format the doorbell camera uses doesn't get along with HA terribly well. But their security cameras use the preferred format. I'll be looking at their security cameras at some point to up my external home security game.

If just hooking to the printer, any of the usual options: PiCam, OV5840, etc) and use the crowsnest plugin to allow Klipper to drive multiple feeds. I have no experience there--I just have one OV5848 on my Trident using the old method & it works fine. HA picks it up in the Moonraker integration no problem.

[Graymattor]

Thanks, 

Yeah,  they are only looking inside the enclosure, so streaming when printing (which im sure can be automated in HA.

I just want something simple and doesn't cost an arm and a leg! And remains as part of the enclosure and not the printer, for the purpose of swapping printers which will happen! maybe a cheap RPi or OrangePi with Pi cameras maybe a solution (providing I can power it off my 5v PSU that is) 

[claudermilk]

Any webcam that you can hook up to Klipper will work fine. As Nero has pointed out a few times, you don't need HD on these cameras--they are really for checking if the print is going ok. Is the part still stuck to the bed? Am I building a spaghetti or blob monster? Is the printer on fire?

The Moonraker integration in HA will pick up the Klipper video feed as an entity that you can stick in an image card. Easy Peasy. 

For multiple cameras, presumably using crows nest, I don't know the changes there. I would assume they will each be presented as an entity.