FAQ¶
Do I need a Raspberry Pi?¶
No. SpoolmanScale is a standalone device. It needs a filament manager somewhere on your network - Spoolman, FilaMan or BamBuddy - and that can run anywhere: a NAS, a server, an existing Pi, a Docker host.
SpoolmanScale Pro is the version that brings its own Pi so you do not need one already.
Does it need the internet?¶
No. Everything runs on your own network. The only outbound connection is the firmware update check against GitHub, and that only happens when you ask for it.
No cloud, no account, no subscription.
Do I have to write anything to my tags?¶
No. The scale identifies a spool by the tag's factory UID, and the link between UID and spool lives in your inventory.
Writing tags is optional and new in v0.7.0 - useful if you want other readers, or an Anycubic ACE, to understand the tag too. See NFC tags.
Which tags should I buy?¶
NTAG215 if you want the scale to write them. NTAG213 reads perfectly but its 144 bytes are too small to hold a record.
Full detail and the compatibility table on NFC tags.
Can I use my Bambu Lab spools?¶
Yes. Bambu's own tags are read and decrypted. They are never written - that is deliberate.
Can I switch backends later?¶
Yes, any time, and your entries for the others are kept. The display clears and the spool on the pad is looked up again at the new backend.
Why does it say six digits instead of grams?¶
The scale has never been calibrated, so it is showing the converter's raw value. That is normal on a new build. See Scale not calibrated.
Why is my tag read unreliably?¶
Most often because it is too close to the reader, which is the opposite of what people expect. Add 5 to 20 mm of distance before replacing the tag. The physics behind it is on NFC tags.
Can I use 5 GHz WiFi?¶
No. The ESP32-S3 has a 2.4 GHz radio only, and a 5 GHz network will not even appear in the scan.
Can two people use the web interface at once?¶
It is a small embedded web server on a microcontroller. It works, but it is built for one person at a time, and there is no password - which is why the settings and maintenance areas are off by default.
Is it accurate enough?¶
A 24 bit ADC on a 2 kg cell resolves far below a gram. What limits you in practice is the reference weight you calibrated with, so use a good one. Readings are shown and stored as whole grams.