jeepsr4ever
To check if you have an issue with the powermax or an issue with the PWM box (little black box) there is a volt test button on the back of the small black box. It should read 126-127 volts on the Mach 3 screen when pressed.
f_armer
the PWM box reads 125-126 mostly 125.
The test on the main box cycles 100 and 150 with the up and down lights flashing in sequence.
jeepsr4ever
Then the powermax 45 may not be giving the right voltage. Are you using a drag tip or something strange on the end? Did you check your cut profile and make sure you have the 45 amp setting for your steel?
f_armer
I found a new Pentium 4 computer, setting it up now. Hopefully this cures my issues.
jeepsr4ever
If your problem persists take the plug out and make sure none of the pins got kicked back so it doesnt loose contact with the tip voltage output of the powermax 45.
jeepsr4ever
There are 2 other possibilities.
1. The Ethernet cable has a short or isn't plugged in all the way or the 1/4 male plug isn't in all the way.
2. You have an incompatible keyboard or mouse. Try making a cut without the keyboard or mouse hooked up only using the hand controller and see what it does.
f_armer
I'll try those suggestions. I borrowed a friends PM45 and it did the exact same thing. I tested the PWM and it seems to be working properly. I hooked 2 AA batteries to a stereo jack and plugged it in, I had 3.27v going in, and it read 160-161v in Mach, so if I said 160.5v the voltage divider would be 49.08:1 which is pretty close.
It also cuts out randomly during a cut, just for a second, but cutting some aluminum at 380ipm, it leaves a fairly long gap. The torch on light stays on in Mach, but the 'arc ok' light goes out when that happens. I'll keep troubleshooting, it's kinda annoying though.
Hope you don't mind, but I made a couple nameplates for my table, one on each end. Its not really your logo, but its what I came up with.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]385[/ATTACH]
jeepsr4ever
Looks good! Try running a part without the keyboard and mouse hooked up. Open Mach and load G-code and then unplug the keyboard and mouse. Use the controller to start the program. The logo looks superb! I will let the guys know about that. Also the table looks nice and tall.
f_armer
Tried what you suggested, no difference, do you think grounding the table would make a difference. I have a steel building, wondering if I tied a ground into one of the footing bolts, they are tied to rebar that goes down into 14' deep concrete pilings.
The table maybe looks taller in the pic, but it is built according to your plans, 37" to the top of the water pan.
I'll see if I can round up another ethernet cable to try.
Do you think I should get rid of the coil of motor wires underneath? you can see in the above pic how I coiled them. Was thinking about shortening them to the proper length.
It doesn't seem like interference because the voltage never gets close to proper, it seems to always be in that 45-90v range.
:crazyeyes:
jeepsr4ever
Did you check to see if there was a pin pushed in inside the plug end?
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133719]Did you check to see if there was a pin pushed in inside the plug end?[/QUOTE]
I did check, they seem ok.
jeepsr4ever
Ok the first PC was an AMD I can see an issue. The second was an Intel chip and 32 bit. That should have worked fine. My guess is the installer or PC has an issue. You have eliminated the plasma cutter and the electronics by the self tests.
jeepsr4ever
You should also fill us in here on the test you have done. I see your on the CandCNC support forum as well.
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133721]My guess is the installer or PC has an issue. You have eliminated the plasma cutter and the electronics by the self tests.[/QUOTE]
Haha when I read it the first time, I thought you meant me as the installer has issues! Maybe your right!
I was away all day so I didnt play with it, but I got another ethernet cable, im going to try. But maybe I should try another installer, you mentioned yours was different than the one I downloaded off candcnc site. Do you think its worth trying the version you have? If you could email it to me or something, I dont know where to get an older version.
Also, could the 9 pin com port cable cause problems? Printer cable? Or which cable sends that info to the PC.
Could the machine torch be faulty?
f_armer
[QUOTE=jeepsr4ever;133722]You should also fill us in here on the test you have done. I see your on the CandCNC support forum as well.[/QUOTE]
I thought I summed it up in post 27, except that candcnc suggested firing the torch in the air, then testing the voltage at the stereo plug, I was getting around 2.7v which is a bit low they figured I should have 3.2-3.4v.
jeepsr4ever
After setting up tons of these you find out it is not magical, there is no gremlin it is usually something REALLY simple like the 9 pin cable isn't properly seated, 25 pin cable is loose and even the CPC/MIC-01 cable isn't properly seated. I have seen cables that screw in but still not seat fully. I have seen just a few bad cables but not many.
f_armer
I just tested the voltage out of the CPC connector on the back of the PM45 and I have 3.24v (terminals 5,6) when I jump the arc start terminals(3,4) So it has to be between the cord between the plasma CPC connector and the PWM box. I think we're getting somewhere!!
jeepsr4ever
Check the green plug to see if the wires were overtightened.
f_armer
It looked like maybe they had pinched some insulation in the green plug on one wire, so I took them all out, re-tinned the ends with solder, and put them back in with no change.
I sprayed contact cleaner on both ends of the cpc connectors, and put di-electric grease on all the pins. No change.......
Still, if I fire the torch in the air I have 2.7v at the stereo plug, if I test at the back of the plasma at the cpc plug I get 3.3-3.5v ..........I tested the cord with the ohm meter and all wires check out ok, even if I wiggle them around, they seem to have connection. I peeled the heatshrink and glue off the back of the plug and all the wires look ok.
Im kinda stumped.
f_armer
I got my new cable yesterday. It is now showing proper (maybe slighly high) voltage on the mach dro.
When I did test cuts with thc off it seemed to read in the 125-135v range.
When I tried thc on, I set my voltage to 120 to get the torch to stay down, but it drags, and yanks it off the mag loc. When I set the voltage to 121, it starts out fine and as soon as thc kicks in after the pierce, the torch just raises up until it loses arc.
I got pissed off and ordered another computer, a dell gx620, what candcnc recommends. Wonder if that will help.
