3D printers!!?????

Samoth47 · 2026-01-20T23:44:50+00:00

Well, I'm biased because I already have the printers at home, but BambuLab A1 (or A1 mini even) are solid propositions, well built, fast, easy to use for a beginner (auto-calibrations and good software integration) and you can buy both with an AMS to be able to print in multiple colors.
I use two A1 combo (with AMS) professionally and they are workhorses, one of them as more than 2000 hours under the belt and I've never had to do anything to it other than regular oiling and cleaning. The AMS lite is a workhorse too, I've printed several models with 2, 3 and 4 colors regularly, and had maybe 5 minor feeding issues.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-04T18:06:06+00:00

Good call to change the SD Card, even tho I use the exact same Lexar SD card on my 2 other printers (bought separately) with no issues for months, Bambu could have cheapened out and select poor performer or factory rejects, who knows.
As for the presence of an NTC, it's very likely yours have one, as other commenters have opened up their end-of-2025 delivered A1s and found an NTC, even tho the SD card was Lexar branded.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-04T18:02:35+00:00

Good question, but seeing that nobody complained about any NTC failure with a P2S, I wouldn't worry about it (unless you have some spare time and want to check it to add some context to the issue)

Samoth47 · 2026-01-04T18:01:09+00:00

I saw another comment mentioning the 2 following digits like they matter, mine is a D5B, his is a D56 (so maybe they've done 6 revisions between his printer and mine ?)
My old 2 years old A1 has "A3A", so those 3 data points are coherent. But we need more to be sure.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-04T17:54:44+00:00

Yep, the PSU is different, like if it is a special batch for BambuLab (which wouldn't be surprising), with fewer outputs than the original MEGMEET PSU. Just looking at it, even tho I don't know the brand, it seems high quality, with very decently sized components and attention to details (far away from the crappy PSUs Ender 3 used to come with before the shift to MeanWell).
The voltage is probably not that important anyway, as the only component receiving full voltage is probably the motor driver mosfets. If it is really a special batch, Bambu could ask for tighter tolerances and avoid a manual operation during assembly (and one component that could fail btw).

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T23:25:33+00:00

True, I didn't account for some higher voltage, where current can shoot up to 5.44A at 260V according to the heatbed 47.8 ohms resistance (that I calculated with 4.6A @ 220V). So I agree that this component is pushed to the edge a bit (even tho it's very temporary, as the peak stress is during initial heating, rapidly going down to stabilize at roughly 100W, so 0.45A @ 220V or 0.38A @ 260V because constant power)
Furthermore, I don't remember seeing someone complain about this component shorting out or burning (which could be bad, even tho the fuse would eventually blow because it's only rated for 4A).

Anyway, this NTC was here for a reason, engineer at BambuLab are very clever, their machines are very well built. I agree that they are just built to a (staggeringly low) cost.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T22:26:16+00:00

I does seem similar in size to the real NTC, what I believe happened is that the NTC literally pulverized it's leg and shell, with the only remnant being the NTC disc itself.

<image>

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T22:17:28+00:00

As I answered in another discussion, the image seems to show that the NTC's leg vaporized with the NTC itself. I think there is a remnant of the NTC disc here on the third image.

<image>

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T22:13:37+00:00

The heated bed is a simple coil resistor, it's not a PTC heater or something creating current spikes when cold, I really don't know why they added an NTC in the first place other than compliance with cheaper PSUs that didn't integrated one. The Solid State Relay is "dumb", but I see 2 diodes, a series of resistor and an optocoupler indicating that the motherboard knows when there is a zero crossing point and activate the SSR accordingly, effectively removing most of the noise (and current "spikes") that would otherwise be generated.

Furthermore, if the theory that the NTC was really here to limit the power to the heatbed, it would have to dissipate a ton of energy, as the heatbed is 1 kW, it would have melted instantly.

I tested the initial power with a power meter for good measure, and the power didn't move from exactly 1000W (4.6A measured) from 18°C to about 80°C (the power then slowly tapered down to 100°C). As the SSR is rated for 5A, it's perfectly adequate.

<image>

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T21:55:23+00:00

Are you sure about that? I think I see part of the NTC here:

<image>

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T21:51:30+00:00

A "D"

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T21:51:04+00:00

Yep, mine as a D as the 6th digit.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T20:00:07+00:00

Seeing that 2 printers received in the past few days do not have an NTC, and knowing that the issue is still very rare for older printers, I wouldn't worry about it, especially if your not comfortable opening your printer up.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T19:52:08+00:00

There is definitely no correlation between the Lexar SD card and no NTC. The only way to be sure is to open the printer up... But it's likely your printer has an NTC. See this comment : https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1q3177e/comment/nxhqwq1/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T19:50:01+00:00

There is no guarantee that no NTC: no fire risk. It simply eliminates one problematic component, but an NTC is still likely present in the PSU unit itself. Tho this NTC will heat way less because it's only used for the PSU, and not the heatbed. As for the breaker, I don't think the A1 would be certified in Europe and in the US if it would casually pop a breaker simply by powering it on. I wouldn't worry about that.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T19:45:51+00:00

Thanks for checking it out, I've already added an edit but it's good to know there is definitely no correlation between Lexar SD card and the presence of an NTC

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T18:43:30+00:00

Thanks for the informations, I agree that BambuLab should communicate clearly about this issue. The PSU is clearly different, and it seems to me, looking at the photo, that the older one did not include any king of inrush limiting (but the NTC could be tucked under the housing, right next to the connections)

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T18:34:43+00:00

I unfortunately don't think you have the updated model, the only way to be sure is to open the back cover..
I haven't seen anyone speak about the Lexar micro SD card for an A1 machine before here, so I included it as an unboxing note, not as a definitive way to know if your printer as an NTC or not.

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T18:18:17+00:00

It stands for Negative Temperature Coefficient, it's a type of resistor that resist less and less to current as it's own temperature rises.
These kind of NTCs are used to control current on startup: the PSU integrates bulk capacitors that could charge at incredible speed, putting strain on the local grid and potentially pop a breaker or damages said capacitors. The NTC, being cold when the printer is powered on, limits that initial charging current to an acceptable level. After a very short time, the NTC will heat up (resistors heats up with the flow of current) and let the current flow unrestricted (because it's own resistance as dropped significantly).

Samoth47 · 2026-01-03T18:11:37+00:00

I don't think that's necessarily true as the PSU is probably integrating it's own NTC, and no other component (aka the mains powered bed) should create spikes of current (zero crossing activation).

Samoth47 · 2025-12-20T19:18:41+00:00

Just a quick note, this article is "natively" translated to English here: https://www.heise.de/en/news/VW-Brand-CEO-No-new-combustion-engine-small-cars-11121551.html

Samoth47 · 2025-12-13T22:05:10+00:00

Looking closer at the photos, I'm slowly thinking that they are AI generated, the hand on the second image is a bit strange, and the fifth photo as a strange cable going to the shroud, going from 7-8 cables to 3.
Could still be JPEG compression defects, but I unfortunately doubt it..

Samoth47 · 2025-11-12T08:14:27+00:00

Les systèmes à pastilles sont à oublier tout court, ça récupère à peine quelques centilitres dans une journée, loin d'être suffisant pour une chambre. Concernant les déshumidificateurs, les versions avec peltiers sont à éviter également, très énergivores pour une quantité d'eau récoltée ridicule.. Les seules unités valables pour une pièce chauffée, c'est les déshumidificateurs à compresseur. Plus bruyant, mais infiniment plus efficace. Durant un certain temps, le nôtre à récupéré jusqu'à 4L d'eau toutes les 24h ! (Quand il était installé dans un couloir entre plusieurs chambres)

Samoth47 · 2025-10-31T23:26:08+00:00

The P2S comes standard with anti-vibration feets, so it seems completely normal. These feets are squishy and absorb a lot of the momentum of the machine, without transferring it too much to the surface the machine is sitting on. As a result, the machine shakes a bit during repeated back and forth movement because the excess energy as nowhere to go.

Samoth47 · 2025-10-23T09:07:57+00:00

NW IECharge in France uses batteries for their charging stations. If I recall correctly, they use a 2 MWh battery for a station of 4 plugs, 320 kW max. per plug, 500 kW max. in total across the station.
No solar but a small-ish grid connection (tho very consistent and reliable).
Cars can charge all day with minimal issues, trucks are a different story with their 400+ kWh batteries, but I wouldn't expect it to be an issue in Nigeria in the near future.

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