E-Stop woes have come to visit me

[khaos]

Yesterday I started seeing e-stop weirdness on my '08 PRS. The indicator has a vertical red line in it rather than blacked out or flashing red. I can still move and cut. However, no C3. After powering down everything leaving it disconnected from power for a few and restarting same issue. I have pulled the #4 and ground out and made sure they were clean and had good contact. My multimeter died so I could not test the switch. (Me and that meter go back too. sniff) I also tried to jump #4 with ground to simulate a closed condition with no change in the interface.

This morning I am going to make sure the system ground is the same at the control box chassis and the mill. I also have to test the zzero switch.

Does anyone have any insight about what the issue might be here? :confused:

[khaos]

Update:

ZZero works.

Board, Chassis, and mill ground is equal.

None of the proxy switches work and they are not lit.

[Brady Watson]

Do you have good power to the 24v terminal for the proxies?

How's your wiring from the gantry to the box? Any chance that the wire got pinched or run over?

-B

[khaos]

I have to go buy a new multi meter to validate the 24v. The wire looks good. I did pull the wire out of the #4 connector to make sure it was open and jump #4 and grnd to simulate a closed switch. No change on either of these tests.

My trusty Fluke AN77 has finally died. I thought the crazy readings were a battery issue. New battery and the crazy continues. I guess 26yrs is all you get out of these things. ;)

[knight_toolworks]

I get this once in awhile where they will not work. I always forget what fixes it but after a waste of time they start working again.

[Brady Watson]

Sometimes cycling the VN settings helps. Turn them on/off and see if they come back.

-B

[GeneMpls]

I have to go buy a new multi meter to validate the 24v. The wire looks good. I did pull the wire out of the #4 connector to make sure it was open and jump #4 and grnd to simulate a closed switch. No change on either of these tests.

My trusty Fluke AN77 has finally died. I thought the crazy readings were a battery issue. New battery and the crazy continues. I guess 26yrs is all you get out of these things. ;)

I have a Fluke 73 that goes back over 30years to when I was restoring C2 Corvettes- I feel your loss. Gene

[khaos]

Sometimes cycling the VN settings helps. Turn them on/off and see if they come back.

-B

I did try this. With the estop though not the others.. Lets go see.

[knight_toolworks]

I did try this. With the estop though not the others.. Lets go see.
yes and sometimes not. it is frustrating but luckily does not happen often till I go into work tomorrow of course.

[khaos]

Swapping the VN settings out and back had no affect.

Brady, looks like I only have a 12V out at the PS. I still dont have the replacement MM to test the voltage but that could tell a tale. I would rather replace a PS vs a control board.

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26238&stc=1

[Brady Watson]

Joe,
That is OK. I thought your tool was newer or Alpha with the 24v stuff. Do the proxies themselves light up when your control box is on?

-B

[khaos]

They don't.

Today I have some bread for a new MM. If the hurricane doesn't cause everything to close. There is a lot of flooding in my area for the last 3 days. I will check the 12V, 5V, and make sure the grounds for the board, control box, and the machine are the same.

[Brady Watson]

If they are the barrel type 'Baumer' prox switches, and they are not obstructed at the tip with metal, they should be lighting up.

Pull out the connection to the prox wires at the blue terminal strip, and re-seat each one.

You either have a bad connection, or a broken wire.

-B

[khaos]

electrical panel Ground = bot chassis = board grnd http://findicons.com/files/icons/1890/my_toolbar/24/check.png
5VDC = 5.00VDC http://findicons.com/files/icons/1890/my_toolbar/24/check.png
12VDC = 11.21VDC http://findicons.com/files/icons/1890/my_toolbar/24/delete.png

Is 11.2VDC (~7% off ) within tolerance for a proper digital break over? Can I still get a PS from SB. Do I need to? http://findicons.com/files/icons/2192/flavour_extended/48/credit_card_visa_gold.png

[knight_toolworks]

I had a wire break somewhere on the y stop and finally just replaced the whole thing with a new one I had on hand. both light up butI can't get them to trigger the software now. lready 1pm and have not worked at all.

[Brady Watson]

Is 11.2VDC (~7% off ) within tolerance for a proper digital break over? Can I still get a PS from SB. Do I need to?

Seems pretty low & out of tolerance, in my experience. I would consider it bad if in the field.

If you have the blue Lutze PS, they should still have them.

-B

[khaos]

I'll call them tomorrow. That PS had a good run.

[knight_toolworks]

of course after it not working all day yesterday it is working today.

[khaos]

So talked to tech sup and I tried resetting all my values to factory. That didn't work... I will get back on the phone tomorrow if I can get back to the shop at a reasonable hour.

[knight_toolworks]

So talked to tech sup and I tried resetting all my values to factory. That didn't work... I will get back on the phone tomorrow if I can get back to the shop at a reasonable hour.

I am almost thinking mine is time the machine is off or left alone.

[khaos]

Sorry in advance for a HUGE image.

Ok, so I found that the specific ground on all the proxies and the EStop was intermittent. Pulled it from the board reseated every thing and it seems all good. But not So much.

I also tried with a power supply that was much more calibrated 4.96VDC and 12.21VDC. Same results.

Limits are On for the first 4 settings screens and off for the remainder.

I made sure that I shut down the settings windows between changes. I even rebooted twice, shut down and powered off the control box once. I don't understand why the switches appear the same when they are correctly set for Nm Open and incorrectly for Nm Closed...

My Z uses a prox on position 5. (For upper extent)

weirdness. http://foo.joesboats.com/sbTuts/sbimage/SB%20trouble%20Shoot.png

[srwtlc]

Your #2 and #3 switches should be NC like you have #5. Your #4 stop type should be NC also. #1 should be standard switch.

[khaos]

This is what I get with those settings:

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=26389&stc=1

Triggering a prox turns the light out.
The Estop flashes when not pressed and gives a single pixel red line when it is pressed.

[Brady Watson]

What happens when you make the e-stop "Normally Open"? Does it work then?

Test your estop switch(es) themselves. Turn off the control box, pull the entire e-stop wiring block(s) off of the board (carefully) and test for continuity at various button states. Depending on your board there are most likely TWO e-stops...check the other one too.

The e-stops *should* be normally closed, allowing electricity to pass through it. When you press the button, it breaks the connection & emulates a broken wire condition, which will stop the tool. This is why it is NC and not NO config on the newer tools.

-B

[srwtlc]

If after checking the wires from the blocks, if you find a continuity problem, open up the E-stop box and check it there at the terminals (both sides). I've had one machine where it had never been used/cycled and the contacts were bad. A can of contact cleaner and some compressed air took care of it.

Your limits are as they should be now.