Original Prusa XL: power use and running cost
Large CoreXY with a 16-tile segmented bed and up to five tool-changer heads; price shown is single-toolhead assembled. 360 × 360 × 360 mm build volume, open frame.
Power figure: measured. Prusa forum owner readings: ~187 W printing PLA single-tool on a full bed, 490 W start-up peak; twin 240 W PSUs (single-toolhead configuration).
Electricity cost for a print on the Original Prusa XL
Full cost of a print on the Original Prusa XL
Pre-set with this printer's wattage and price for depreciation. Enter grams and hours from your slicer.
Layer heights that suit the Original Prusa XL's Z axis
Z moves 0.0200 mm per full step (lead screw, 4 mm per motor revolution, 200 steps/rev, 800 steps/mm). Whole multiples of that are "magic" heights: every layer lands on a full step instead of a less accurate microstep.
| Layer height | 0.08 | 0.10 | 0.12 | 0.15 | 0.16 | 0.20 | 0.24 | 0.25 | 0.28 | 0.30 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On a full step? | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.16 | yes | yes | yes | no → 0.26 | yes | yes |
Basis: firmware. Prusa-Firmware-Buddy Configuration_XL.h DEFAULT_AXIS_STEPS_PER_UNIT_Z 800 with Z_MICROSTEPS 16 → 4 mm lead, confirmed by Prusa's 'Trapezoid nut (XL)' spare part listed as Tr8x4 (P2x2); 0.02 mm full step. Open in the magic layer height calculator.
Questions about the Original Prusa XL
How many watts does the Original Prusa XL use?
About 185 W on average while printing PLA, 15 W when idle and up to 490 W while heating. Prusa forum owner readings: ~187 W printing PLA single-tool on a full bed, 490 W start-up peak; twin 240 W PSUs (single-toolhead configuration).
How much does it cost to run a Original Prusa XL for 24 hours?
4.4 kWh, which is $0.75 at $0.17/kWh (US average) or about £1.15 at UK rates.
Does the Original Prusa XL use a lot of electricity?
No. Running it 8 hours a day for a month costs roughly $7.55 at US rates — comparable to a desktop computer.
What are the best layer heights for the Original Prusa XL?
The Original Prusa XL's Z axis moves 0.0200 mm per full motor step (4 mm per revolution, 200 steps). Layer heights that are whole multiples of that — 0.08, 0.1, 0.12, 0.14, 0.16, 0.18, 0.2 mm — avoid microstep rounding. 0.15, 0.25 mm are not exact multiples.