ShopBot Desktop Died

[WoodMarvels.com]

Hello, I was in the middle of doing something with my ShopBot Desktop and all of a sudden, I got an error message saying something happened and I needed to check the cables and wiring. I figured-out that the breaker in he shop flipped hence cutting the power to the tool. It's on 220.

So, I put the breaker back on - tested it with another tool in the shop to make sure the socket is actually "on" and and the ShopBot isn't coming back on - I checked the wire and it seems fine, everything is on the but the bot is as good as unplugged while plugged.

Is there a breaker somewhere in the ShopBot Desktop that needs resetting?

[myxpykalix]

I don't know if the desktops are different then the regular control boxes but when i fist got my bot i plunged my bit into the table and the gantry wouldn't stop until it blew 2 fuses located in my control box. I would certainly think that every box has some type of fuses.
These were not typical fuses i could go to the box store and get though. I had to find a specialty electronics store for the right fuse.

[WoodMarvels.com]

Thanks - my guess is that it's either a fuse or the power supply. ShopBot Tech got back to me btw, just figuring out what it is and then I'll post an update here to others with similar problems have something else to check on if it happens to them.

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

Well I'll be damned, this morning, start the machine and everything is fine... landlord is an electrician so I asked him to check the ShopBot over and as soon as I plugged it back in, it booted up! He told me that there is sometimes a delay in the system for a few minutes after a power spike - in my case, it was a few hours.

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

Since the last message, the ShopBot died 3 more times, sometimes boots right back up, other times - like now - nothing. It didn't set off the shop breaker though but since doing that time, can't cut for more than 10 minutes without the shopbot shutting down on me during cutting.

Jon

[myxpykalix]

I'm just fishing here, but...during the 3 times it died what was the time interval between each time it died? Was it random? Did it die at the same point in cutting a file? Could it possibly be something is overheating in your box? Could you try setting up a fan to blow on/in the box to see if that might be an issue?
When you say "die" do you mean the power just stops to the unit? Could it be a static electricity issue? What material are you cutting? MDF?

[WoodMarvels.com]

It happens randomly in no set area of the design or time. The entire machine just stops (powers off) and I get a pop-up saying "check cables etc." as the machine is no longer recognized. I'm cutting through oak, I tried last time with a brand new bit going extremely shallow so wickedly underkill just to see if maybe it was stress and it died all the same. It is hooked-up to a 220 3-prong so the machine is grounded by default.

I did make a dozen units before this started happening, so I know the design was fine and I was going 3x faster going a lot deeper per pass without problem.

I also did a spindle-warm-up routine each time just incase something wasn't aligned - as of now, the machine still hasn't "turned on" so just waiting for who knows what to work again so that it does.

Jon

[Xray]

I'd do a continuity test on all power cord leads [2 or 3, depending on ground].

I had a power cable go out on me and couldn't figure it out because an electricity sniffer showed it was getting juice ... Turned out one of the wires in the cord failed, so it was still testing as hot but not passing juice [if that makes sense], but it would be a simple thing to rule out.

[tlempicke]

You most likely have a power supply problem within the machine. The steppers run on a DC voltage and it could vary depending on when the machine was made. There is a power supply inside of the machine that supplies this voltage and possibly other voltages needed by the computer parts.

What you are describing is a classic failure mode for a desktop computer power supply. FWIW the most likely component within the supply would be a capacitor.

Why are you running a desktop on 220? They come wired for 110 from the factory and, at least mine, runs just great on it.

[WoodMarvels.com]

Had an electrician come in to check the machine over, he's come to the conclusion that it's most likely the power supply as well. Will post update once I have it.

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

Electrician opened-up the power supply, did tests, all is OK, so put it back in the machine and now it's working again (???) while right before, nothing. Will see how long this lasts... I also used compressed air to clean everything on the machine, incase some dust got in somewhere causing issues, also added WD40 to the rails an pins - again, just to make sure nothing is in there that I can't see which is causing the engine to overload.

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

Originally my ShopBot Desktop was 110 but then I moved to Australia, so Shopbot changed the set-up to 220, I then moved back to Canada a few years later and got my own shop, 220 was in the shop so saw no reason to go back to 110, besides, 220 is more efficient with an industrial spindle.

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

That was short lived like last time - 3 minutes after warm-up routine, died again.

Jon

[myxpykalix]

My shopbot is 220 so that is probably not the issue. Could it be your USB port or line? Do you think it is a communication issue or a power issue? Do you have a way to check the temperature inside the box, like with a laser temperture gauge or? Then ask shopbot what the regular operating temperature should be.
I have operated mine in a hot shop in the summer with no issues. I think you need to determine first if it is a communications issue or temperature issue first.

[WoodMarvels.com]

I replied but somehow didn't show-up - this might be a double post.

No, 220 wouldn't be the issue, it has run at that power for years without issue in +40C in Perth, Australia to below 0C during a Canadian winter. Right now, I don't think it's USB related at all, don't see how that could flip a breaker and shut a whole machine down randomly mid-stream. Static electricity is an interesting idea but don't know how to rule that out as the set-up hasn't changed before and "now" so I'd think that would be an issue earlier as of now. Shop is kept around 15-20C year round so don't think it's overheating - especially from a cold start.

Jon

[Gary Campbell]

Jon...
Next time it dies, get out the multimeter. There should be 200V AC across the line (L1, L2) or (L, N) terminals AND 48V DC across the DC out terminals. If there is no voltage at either, problem is before the PS. If there is 220, but no 48, then the problem IS the power supply. If there is both, problem is after the power supply. Make sure you set the AC and DC volts properly for each test

[zeykr]

Do I understand you to be saying the breaker pops everytime it quits? If so I'd be thinking first power problem instead of a shopbot problem. Breakers can get weak and pop easily so possibly replace it or checking grounds in the panel.

[WoodMarvels.com]

Hi Gary, will check it out - right now it's down for the count completely - I'm letting it rest.

Ken, the breaker popped 2x during the shutdown and didn't two other times - the machine just went completely dead. It's a "new" electrical panel installed Dec 2015 by a master electrician and the machine has been hooked-up to that since then without issue. Each 220 has its own line fed from a main line to the breaker so there aren't any shared connection, one machine per breaker.

I generally have our Trotec Speedy 400 flexx working with it's own extraction system (ShopBot has a 3 hp dust system while laser vents outside using separate 2 hp unit) so I'm by no means overloading the juice available in the shop which was my thought initially. Sometimes the 80 gallon industrial air compressor kicks in and a bunch of other stuff and I've never ran out of juice.

Jon
ps: just plugged it back in and everything is working again (???) and nothing changed from a few hours ago. This time I'll hook it up to another 220 socket.

[WoodMarvels.com]

During warm-up routine, noticed two red lights - pic attached.

28179

Jon

[bob_dodd]

on my DT the power supply has a green LED when there is power to the machine , if the emergency switch is turned off or no power to DT no green light , maybe check for loose or broken wires to switch , I also have red lights on back of DT ,the one on the left does not show in picture but there is a red glow therehttp://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=28184&stc=1http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=28185&stc=1

[WoodMarvels.com]

I ordered a new power supply, arrived a few hours ago and stuck it in the machine - it's run totally fine for the past 5 minutes which is a record in my book - since the last post, it lasted again 3 minutes before konking out, breaker didn't flip but back to dead. Crossing my fingers as now I'm trying to cut a unit out. My guess is the power supply was fried from years of work and travel, just happen to give on this one project as it was working harder than usual.

Thanks for all your help guys, greatly appreciated!

Jon

[WoodMarvels.com]

The machine just stopped again, I freaked out but then realize it stopped because it finished the job! Power supplies are less than a hundred dollars, maybe they fry ever few years but I'm getting a spare just incase this happens again... anything else I should have a spare of?

Jon