About to lose my top

[lostinthefrost]

I have been down almost a month now. I have replaced

Ztruck
QC
FCC Cable (bus cable from Z truck to board)
Zmotor mount electronic board
Head Termination Electronics board
Board sensor
Board sensor assembly
Board Tracking encoder

Not to mention other stuff

** I keep getting a "check board sensor error"

tried many colors and types of wood.

Does anyone have a clue? I have been on the phone so many times with CW and am on hold right now. I believe that is almost replacing anything that has to do with the board sensor, but I am still getting the same errors since before I did anything.

[Ike]

I have been down almost a month now. I have replaced

Ztruck
QC
FCC Cable (bus cable from Z truck to board)
Zmotor mount electronic board
Head Termination Electronics board
Board sensor
Board sensor assembly
Board Tracking encoder

Not to mention other stuff

** I keep getting a "check board sensor error"

tried many colors and types of wood.

Does anyone have a clue? I have been on the phone so many times with CW and am on hold right now. I believe that is almost replacing anything that has to do with the board sensor, but I am still getting the same errors since before I did anything.

First off Lost, I know this doesn't help, but I am so sorry you are having so much troubles. I suggest you send it in to LHR and have them go through the whole thing and make a list of all of the items you replaced that did not correct the issue. There must be an underlying issue and their techs can and will find it. Next I would ask to talk to a supervisor and work out something to resolve the problem, even if it may need replacing.

Then is it a CC or CW and where did you buy it? If it is a CC are you still under the 90 day return if so return it. The very least let the experts fix it.

Ike

[lostinthefrost]

I appreciate the sympathy. I thought I would be all set with all of the different parts that are new. It's way out of warranty too. I just dont know what to do anymore. I love the machine, but it's getting really old.

[Tom75]

i agree with Ike . you have already replaced a lot of parts on the cc/cw i would send it in and let there techs have a look . let us all know howe you make out .

[newcarver]

I think the techs supply support even after the warranty. Wont hurt to call and ask if they can help solve it over the phone

[lostinthefrost]

I called and they spoke to a tech in the back. He said if I changed everything out, there is a slight chance it could be the brians underneath the unit. They are not 100 % sure. I have put several hundred dollars into the unit, I really dont want another $200+ more.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Have you replaced the Cable that connects the Board Sensor and the Circuit Board on top.

I had a pinched wire that would short the board sensor data out....

You can also call me if you want to talk through a few things.

My phone number is listed in the bottom of my website.

I will be in the shop until 5 PM Eastern and back 7 to 10 PM Eastern tonight.

You could order a replacement cable and plug it in on top and plug a good sensor bypassing the bad or possibly bad cable in your hand.

AL

[roughcut]

one time when my CW kept asking to check board senser I moved my machine out from under the light and it measured OK .It might just have been a freak thing but might be worth a try

[Digitalwoodshop]

Just got off the phone with him and went through a few things and he still has a ZERO reading on the board sensor with white paper.

He has replaced the FSC Cable, the top circuit board that the FSC cable plugs into, the internal 4 wire cable that I posted above and the Board Sensor.

All other sensor readings show active, meaning if he selects the Z Data it is 0000 then when moving the head results in readings. This is important since it shows that the Data Transfer is GOOD, when I had a pinched wire on the board sensor I got 0000 on the Z data with movement.

LHR Recommends a new computer? Yes, that is possibly bad but I would bet the new board sensor is bad and asked him to order a new board sensor and the 4 pin cable. That way when the parts come, I suggest to plug the cable onto the new sensor and plug it into the top board while the board sensor is in his hand checking the system.

If that does not solve the problem then I would then swap computers... He might have access to another computer shortly.

To be continued....

AL

[lostinthefrost]

Thanks to all of those who threw out suggestions. I greatly appreciate it. Al thanks for picking up the phone...

I have ordered 2 more board sensors and another cable just to check things out. I was messing around with it again and put my old sensor back on and I was getting at least some sort of reading. it was between 0 - 10 but it was something. The new one didnt do anything. I will be sending that back. I should have the new parts on monday, will let you know what I find out. Crossing my fingers it was only a new bad board sensor.

[www.go3d.us]

Make sure to clean the sensor itself, get all the dirt out. The sensor encased by a clear piece of plastic and located at the bottom of the ztruck. It has 3 diode that looked like an led light bulb. 2 clear and 1 black.

[Digitalwoodshop]

With the weak sensor you can take a knife and slice down the back that bump of plastic. That removes the back and you can look for broken LED's... If the LED's are GOOD then slide out the plastic window and then clean it. Install it and I used the masking tape to seal one a few months ago and it is still going strong... Caught the edge of the plastic window with the tape.

If it is just a dirty window or the center sensor HOLE is plugged up you could be carving in the morning.

Good to talk to you. Looks like I was right... bad NEW sensor....

AL

When you buy that masking tape, tell em' Digitalwoodshop sent ya.....

[lostinthefrost]

I was able to cut my old sensor open and blow out the dust. That was half the trick. Now the machine will read the width perfectly (first time in 3 weeks) but it's stalling with a check board sensor error on the length. I put tape at the end and not. Then tried different types of woods again. I figure it's gone. The 2nd new one should be here on monday.

Al- you were right, but it just doesnt work all of the way.

[newcarver]

Could it be that the roller switch(s) has gone bad?

[lostinthefrost]

No I dont think it's the roller switch. I gave Al a shout a few days ago and we went through some quick tests. I was getting readings from everything except the board sensor. CW sent me a new one, but it was dead. I put back on the old one after cutting it open and have great readings 160ish or so. Who knows though. I may mess with it tomorrow morning, or may wait till monday. I have a huge order list, but dont want to rush things. I have replaced everything else around it.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Sometimes a roller sticks when it gets to the end of the board and does not release.

I had a stall at the end of the board first measurement yesterday morning. The belts sounded a little sluggish too... It was the morning humidity....

The back of the sand paper belt gets sawdust and pitch on it and it acts like rosin and sticks when damp to the paper metal trays. So I released some pressure on the board and let it finish measuring then turned the machine off and started again. It did better the second time.... SO was it humid? Try releasing some pressure then let it finish and reset and start over to be sure it measures right...

GOOD Job slicing the back off and giving new life to the Board Detector!!!!

AL

[lostinthefrost]

hmmm maybe it could be then. It has been really humid here and really hot in my shop. I may play with it a bit. Newcarver may have been right. I dont think the switch is out, but it may be sticking. I will do a bit of cleaning on it and see.

[Digitalwoodshop]

I believe Humidity is a factor.... It stopped dead then backed up then stopped.... Loosened the head pressure and it took off.....

Last summer I was having this a few times in the Humidity and replaced the belts and that helped... Old belts have more problems....

SO if it measured width correctly your back UP..... Look at the belts.

AL

[lostinthefrost]

I just replaced the board sensor again and the cable. I cleaned the entire set up but still having issues. I just changed the belts a month ago or so. They seemed to be fine for several carvings. Width measurement is perfect, Length cannot be found what so ever.

[newcarver]

can you hear the roller switches "click" when you lift them manualy?

[lostinthefrost]

Yup after everyone said stuff about humidity that was the 2nd thing I checked.
Any other tests I can do

[Dan-Woodman]

Have you tryed dynamite?

[lostinthefrost]

its coming to that point.

[Digitalwoodshop]

With the head cranked up and monitoring the rollers, you can push them up and see the switch change on the display? Because the length measurement will not happen until the roller releases, then it looks. No release, no look....

AL

[newcarver]

I called and they spoke to a tech in the back. He said if I changed everything out, there is a slight chance it could be , the brians underneath the unit. They are not 100 % sure. I have put several hundred dollars into the unit, I really dont want another $200+ more.

I guess thats the bad part, you may have to invest more, after replacing all that stuff and the result is the same, the main board might be it. The techs are probably right

[lostinthefrost]

I was really mad last week before I purchased parts ( still got parts) but I ended up scoring a new (10hr) machine from someone for super cheap. I am just waiting for it go arrive. Thanks again everyone for all of the help! If it wasnt for this forum and everyone, we would all be on hold still!!!

[bernie]

take air hose and go underneath board sensor and blow it out and if that don't work take a small phillip screwdriver , take sensor out and use clean Q tip clean the glass on the sensor
and put back in.

[lostinthefrost]

thanks bernie, alot of people have said that. but i have been through 3 brand new board sensors with the same results.