Upgrading to new Controls

[GlenP]

I have a 2007 PRS Standard and all is working fine. I do however do allot of mdf doors these days and wondered if the newer control system would make much difference in speed. I can cut the mdf 0.3 deep at 2.5 ips and jog at 7 ips. If I try to cut faster than that I get loss of steps. Don't get the wrong idea the machine is working fine, I just wondered if the upgrade would improve cut speeds and perhaps be worth doing. I realize I could go to alpha but that isn't in the budget...yet ;);)

[Brady Watson]

Maybe. The newer PRS Standards use 2A motors that have a bit more torque than the 1.5A motors on your tool. You may be able to squeak a little more torque out of your Gecko powered box by desoldering and resoldering in a current limit resistor that will give a full 2A to those 1.5A motors. You can check to see if they are already installed by decoding the color bands on the resistors between the Geckos or near them.

Upgrading to a new control box with RBK drivers and a set of motors will put you about 2/3 the way to an Alpha setup...which is what I would save up for. The Alpha will make that tool what you always wished it could be from day one.

-B