z zeroing a spindle

[mikeb]

Just getting upgrade from router to 2.2 hsd spindle going, and now ready to try a cut. I have cutter in place and ready to zero to the bed,when I touch the aligater clip to the spindle nut ,the fan turns on. When I touch the bit to the plate 1input lights up as normal. Along with the fan starting there is also a bit of arcing when touching the spindle nut. Normal or not?

[srwtlc]

Fan starting like that is NOT normal. Recheck your wiring for the fan. The fan should come on when you power up the control box. For a spindle, you don't need to use the alligator clip, just the plate.

[mikeb]

didn't know an aligater clip wasn't needed with a spindle, took the bit out and did an air cut, spindle is running the fan is not. looks like a call to shopbot. Thanks

[2006prt]

I have an hsd spindle and I need to use an alligator clip

[Bob Eustace]

I think what Scott means is you dont need an alligator clip if you permanently connect the alligator wire to the spindle frame. Its a good method and far safer

[mikeb]

Rechecked the wiring according to shopbot docs for the fan on a standard, the fan cable has 2 wires (red @ black), fastened red to right side of 24 v fuse terminal-black to ground bus,as per shopbot docs. Turn on the power to the control and no fan, however, earlier not realizing the fan was supposed to be on right away I attempted zeroing the bit with the plate, and when touching the plate to the bit the fan started . Only runs when touched by the plate or alligator clip. ....everything else seems okay (spindle runs, can change speed through Sb3). Talked to Nate at shopbot, he seems to think a ground might be shorting ,and told me to recheck connections. Done all that, sent another email waiting for reply. Anyone out there recently upgrade their (2010) standard to a 2.2 spindle (single phase) , or have any ideas?

[srwtlc]

It does sound like that ground wire is possibly pinched off and getting grounded when you ground the spindle. I'd take a look under the fan shroud to see if the wires are ok there. You can unplug the fan wires from the spindle body and start tracking things down with a multi-meter, both continuity and power. Try moving the ground wire at the buss to some other ground.

I have a '07 PRS Alpha with a 4hp HSD and have never had to use the alligator clip (a router yes, spindle no). Perhaps Todd has ceramic bearings or maybe the spindle is insulated from the Z carriage by shims or something else (power coat?).

[mikeb]

I did try moving ground to another location, cut the wires back a bit and retried, tried reversing the wires (NATES SUGGESTION) thinking possibly wired backwards at the factory, no luck and the day ended. I'm going to bring in the testers tomorrow, see if we can find the issue.....

[2006prt]

I have the tool changer spindle if that makes a difference. I did buy it used so maybe it has ceramic bearings.

[kubotaman]

The tool changer spindle requires the alligator clip be attached to the bit every time a zero Z applied. A regular spindle does not.

[sailfl]

What makes a difference is the ceramic bearings!

[mikeb]

after many head scratching hours, Nate at shopbot got it figured out, grounding for the fan should be ground out on the board, not on the bus as the docs instructed. Fan is blowing, time to get cutting!