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Just built my new Anet A6 and not seeing a power off button. How do I power it down safely? Am I missing something?

Greenonline
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dale
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  • Thank you very much for your quick reply. The power strip seems to be the simplest alternative here. – dale Jun 11 '18 at 14:54

1 Answers1

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The Anet A6 does not have a power switch. To power the printer you need to put the power cord into the socket. To "safely power off" the printer you need to pull the plug from the socket. You can even pull the plug during usage when it appears to go wrong (e.g. when the nozzle is digging into the bed). The printer runs a continuous running program/instructions that can be interrupted at any time, it does not have to be shut down according to a certain procedure like computer operating systems that use a proper file system.

You can insert a power button in the power cord yourself for ease of use.

Furthermore, it is pretty common to replace the power cord for a computer power cord with a C13 plug and connect a C14 socket with power button (and an optional fuse) to the power supply unit:

C14 socket

Please note that it is very dangerous to mess with the mains voltage, so please be sure what you do or get help from someone that does. Use proper tools to crimp wire correctors to the leads.

If you are not able to do the rewiring of cables to put in a switch, plug the printer into a power strip with an integrated switch button.

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0scar
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    It would be helpful to clarify that "pulling the plug" to power off the printer isn't unsafe. With e.g. computers, you shouldn't just "pull the plug" because this might corrupt the file system if the system is shut down suddenly. For a printer such as the A6, there is no file system, so nothing to get corrupted (apart from the printer reading from the SD card, but since there's no writing hopefully nothing will get corrupted). In any case, pulling the plug isn't any less safe than any other option (including using a switch as you mentioned). – Tom van der Zanden Jun 11 '18 at 07:05
  • I think that reset button shall do the work – profesor79 Jun 11 '18 at 09:15
  • @profesor79 With the reset button you can only interrupt and reset the program/instruction set, power will remain on the printer. – 0scar Jun 11 '18 at 11:26
  • that is enough to stop head failing into build plate when leveling – profesor79 Jun 11 '18 at 11:28
  • @profesor79 Totally true, but not the answer to the question to power it down completely. Also, the reset button is very inconveniently located on the Anet printer board, and totally inaccessible when you have put the board in a case (unless the case has some pin extension integrated in the lid of the casing). – 0scar Jun 11 '18 at 11:37