Board Sensor

[dehrlich]

Hey I'm wondering how often the board sensor goes out? Mine failed today, did the test and got a max reading of 20 so I figured it was bad. LHR only has recon in stock right now which will get me going, but I'm wondering how many I need to have on hand for spares. What other parts need replaced often?

[chief2007]

Put a mirror under the y truck and look to see if you have saw dust in the sensor.

[Digitalwoodshop]

The standard test is white copy paper and be sure the head is moved over the paper. You crank the head down on the paper on a board. I believe the magic number is 156.... 156 is perfect... 90 could be a dirty window... 20... the color of the wood could do that.... or the head was not over the wood.

To clean the window I cut the back off and it slides out easy.... You can also see broken LED's too...

Are you using a QC? When worn out they destroy the Board Sensor with the vibration.

Remember the signal goes through the FSC Cable... A bad cable = a bad reading....

Plus the 4 wire cable can get pinched too and give you bad readings...

AL

[dehrlich]

I took it out and cleaned it, that's how I got it to read ... didn't get anything before that. Use a stick of pine for the test. Yes using a QC but it's good, did have a bad one when I first got it but that was some time ago. Could check the FSC i suppose, just put a new one on when I did the Z motor upgrade, may have come loose. Best course is to just wait for the new part that should be here tomorrow, if it doesn't work then I'll look for other problems. Thanks!

[fwharris]

Just finished up helping a gal who was getting edge detection error.

She ordered and installed a re manufactured sensor and the problem was not corrected. She brought the machine up today and after doing the sensor check and moving the truck it would read 0 until mid way into the board. Reached in behind the truck and started moving wires and reading would jump all over the place.

Removed the cover to get a better look/access at things and while doing the sensor check and moving wires found it to be the fsc cable as it exited the plastic boot/wire cover on the circuit card. Installed new cable and she is a happy carver again...

[Digitalwoodshop]

GREAT WORK !!!!

BAD FSC Cable !!!!

AL

[dehrlich]

Mine better not be bad because I just replaced it right after Christmas. prolly not even 20 hours on the machine. If that is it hopefully there is some kind of replacement thing on it and I really don't want to have to do the lacing thing again. Guess we will find out when the part gets here tomorrow.

[fwharris]

Since you just replaced it I would doubt that is the problem, unless you put the cable ends in bassackwards, the BLUE strip faces up on the circuit board mounted on the Y rail and faces left on the back of the Y truck.

Yes the re lacing and folding is a trick to get just right....

[dehrlich]

Does not the Z and Y sensor signal go through the FSC cable as well? Got good readings on those but after cleaning my board sensor (because my replacement still hasn't shown up) still nothing. So I have to assume it's the problem because it wasn't that dirty. Hope the new one shows up tomorrow.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Z Signals but I don't think the Y... The last machine I bought the guy had replaced the FSC Cable and made it slightly too short on the top.... When the head went to the Bit Plate it was too short and ripped the cable... He was SO frustrated he sold it for less than $500.00 with Shipping. Saw the ripped cable and had it working in 5 min.... Cables are Consumables and you should have a few extra....

AL

[dehrlich]

Was just the board sensor thankfully. Took almost a week to get it though, ordered mid-day Thursday and it only takes a day on UPS shipping time. Oh well, it's here now. Hoping the Centerline Text my wife got me for my birthday shows tomorrow.

[jmoriearty]

I've had my machine a couple of weeks and after the first carve, I stared to get the clear board sensor message after every carve. Before anyone asks, yes, I clean my machine thoroughly after every carve, both vacuuming and blowing out with compressed air (35psi so I don't damage anything or force sawdust where it doesn't belong). I tried wiping the sensor off with a cloth between carves, to no effect. it would take blowing the area off repeatedly with air to get the error to clear. Yes, I was in a nice warm shop. Today, in a fit of frustration, I did what I should have done in the first place and took the sensor off and checked it out. There was sawdust under the lense. I'm not sure how the dust got in there from the first carve, but I'm guessing that the pine I was carving had a pretty high moisture content and built up in a pile under the cutter and was forced through a crack. I figured there was nothing to lose, so I upped my air pressure and blew hard through the area around the lense with my compressor. Luckily I scored, the debris blew out and the error cleared for my next carve. I will just hope it takes. I honestly don't use much pine anyway, it's not much more to buy ash and i lose a whole lot less wood to knots and checks.

[Rob Mulgrew]

Almost all of my carvings are done in pine and I had dealt with the board sensor errors since the first week I had my machine. The manual and the CW videos say do not blow high pressure air on the sensor so I used be real careful and worried about damaging the sensor but after multiple times of not being able to clear the sensor, I called CW and talked with the techs and they told me to blow atleast 80psi right on the sensor and ever since then it works fine. From my experience and what CW techs have told me, you do need to blow high pressure air on the senor.
Rob

[Digitalwoodshop]

Similar to MY Post 3 in this thread.... No need to fear the board Sensor.... The board sensor is 2 LED's and a Photo Detector in the middle. It detects the reflective light from the board. A Standard test is to place a sheet of white copy paper on the board and crank down and place head over paper. Options, Sensor Data, and Board Detector. A perfect reading is 156.

I have found the very best way to clean inside lens is to take a knife and cut down the back of the sensor removing the back flap. The lens then will slide out. Clean and blow dust out of the sensor and place window back and the flap. Secure with masking tape.

Dust gets in through the back flap joint.

You can see the taped sensor in the pictures and the date. I just swapped it out this weekend when the tape had dried out and dust got inside the window again.

Careful that you don't pull the board sensor wires down as they can slide down the sharp edge of the wire track and short to ground.

Good Luck,

AL

[lynnfrwd]

Almost all of my carvings are done in pine and I had dealt with the board sensor errors since the first week I had my machine. The manual and the CW videos say do not blow high pressure air on the sensor so I used be real careful and worried about damaging the sensor but after multiple times of not being able to clear the sensor, I called CW and talked with the techs and they told me to blow atleast 80psi right on the sensor and ever since then it works fine. From my experience and what CW techs have told me, you do need to blow high pressure air on the senor.
Rob

Yes, BLAST it!! At least 65 or more and at the correct angle. New video displays it pretty well under Maintenance.


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[lynnfrwd]

I think the new ones aren't as easy to take apart but high psi seems to do the trick.


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[mtylerfl]

I clean my Board Sensor by brushing it off with an old toothbrush...I have a small inspection mirror and penlight so I can see what I'm doing. I may or may not give it a puff of air to finish blowing what little dust is left. I haven't had a board sensor error in years.

[Proctorw]

OK, I have spent all day trying to "Prototype a Project". Many thanks to FWHarris for helping me with the pattern I need. I am trying to get a couple of different versions. Now I just got the Dreaded Board Sensor. I can see dust between the lens and the LED's. I tried blowing it out, but no luck, the dust hasn't moved. Looking at Al's post below, it looks like he cut the sensor apart to clean the glass? At this point I have nothing to lose as it is Saturday afternoon and no parts available. So if I do take it apart, what do I glue it back together with? Thanks!

[fwharris]

Al used masking tape!! :)

[Digitalwoodshop]

Yes, the masking tape is a inside joke... I DID use masking tape for many things.... and even joked I had stock in a Masking Tape Company..... I don't... but it was a fun joke...

I have not seen a newer board sensor, I would be curious to see pictures as you work... if not already done...

The lens was just plastic sheet like the plastic over the Gearbox's...

Remember the Board Sensor data goes throught the FSC Cable.. And the test is cranked down on white paper....156 is good...

Good Luck.

AL

[Proctorw]

Here is a picture of the sensor. In sensor 2 picture you can see the dust or gunk in between the lense and the led. So I figure I have to remove the circuit board which appears to be glued in, Sensor 1 & Sensor 3. Does this make sense?652476524865249

[Digitalwoodshop]

A picture of the back of the plastic would be good... That is where I used a knife to cut down the back and pop that flap off.... The Window slides out then... from the flap side...

The trick is to tape the back and catch a part of the window to seal it when done.

AL

[bergerud]

Is that C6 capacitor gone? If one is not careful, the plug can shear it off when it is unplugged.

[Proctorw]

Nothing was sheared off. This is off of a new "C" model. I got it in April. Looks like maybe in the first photo I can slice the back off. Maybe?

6525065251

[bergerud]

It looks to me like the surface mount C6 capacitor is gone.

[Proctorw]

Well that is just good news. Oh well, I guess I won't be fixing it this weekend. Time for a new one. I like the way the plug slides off and removes the capacitor. Didn't know it was there, first time I removed it. Things to learn for next time I remove one.

Thanks bergerud.

[55president]

I use al's metod of cutting the "flap" off then cutting a new window out of plastic, anything clear flat and thin
will work, i've used plastic coke bottles, plastic from a grape container, etc anything at hand that you can cut
with a razor and will fit. Afterwards fitting the new "window" in, I seal it all with silicone trying to press it in the grooves
to seal everything making a goop over hte window, after drying overnight, I carefully trim around the window
with an exacto knife and peel away the goop covering the window. this seems to work quite well.

[Proctorw]

Thanks 55. I wish I would have known there was a capacitor sitting on the other side of the plug. Oh well, I guess I will be a couple. I do have a related question? My machine is under warranty still, but I will be down about a week by the time I get it up and going. So what other parts should I order to eliminate the Downtime problem. At some point if I can build up my business, I will probably get a second one, but that is later down the road.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Excellent Troubleshooting... And Excellent Photos....

I had heard the C6 issue before but it didn't click until I saw the GREAT Picture.... I will remember that...

Good Job !!!

AL

[bergerud]

I think we have to remind people to pull the plug away from the board when removing it. In my case, I used a watch screw driver to separate the plug and that tilted the plug toward the board. I thought the resistance encountered was due to the plug clip but I guess it was the capacitor.

I still use the watch screw driver to separate the plug but now I pull on the wires at the same time to keep the plug away from the circuit board.

My original post on the problem:

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?23975-My-board-sensor-question-(yes-another-board-sensor-question)&p=211128#post211128

[chebytrk]

Well it looks like it's finally reared it's ugly head on me. Never happened before that I couldn't just simply clean out the lens with my compressor. I've tried and tried and still NO GO. I even went as far as removing the lens cover completely as some have done and I still get the CLEAR BOARD SENSOR. I check it out and get a reading of 157. I've changed boards, used masking tape and nothing. All this happened after I took off the head cover to clean out sawdust and re lube the flex shaft. All went back together with no issues except this stupid error now. FSC cable appears to be in good shape and connected fine. Any suggestions before I spray paint this CW yellow, call it a dog and Shoot it? LOL Any ideas are greatly appreciated. Tnx, JerryB

[fwharris]

What kind of reading to you get when you move the truck across the board? Does it stay stable or jump around?

[bergerud]

Try and go through the whole board width measurement procedure by hand. Move the truck as you watch the sensor readout on the LCD. You may get a clue.

[chebytrk]

Haven't tried that Floyd. I'll check it first thing in the morning. So if the readings jump around while movng the truck left to rght what does that indcate? FSC cable? I also take it that the truck moving is done rght after running the sensor test or do I need to set the pad on something else?


What kind of reading to you get when you move the truck across the board? Does it stay stable or jump around?

[fwharris]

Yes if reading bounce around it could be the fsc cable.. here is the video on the board sensor. Just do the sensor test and move the head across the board..

http://www.carvewright.com/support-page/maintenance/#check_boardsensor

[chebytrk]

OK............. gone back and did a re look on everything. Sensor reading is 158, not static jumping while moving the trk. Tried reformatting the card. Tried different board. Took out the sensor & did a recheck... found some sawdust & blew it out with compressor. When do initial proj entry it asks stay on rollers (have answered both ways).... truck moves to middle of board, stops and give clear board sensor... over and over and over. : ) When I press stop it reads error 0400 (Failure Edge detection). I've checked brass roller (all good), blew everything out with compressor. Checked guide rail (far side) and it's good and not up against the board. Glad my other machine is running OK. Funny that I actually got that same error this morning and a few words just slipped out of my mouth (you'd think I was back in the military). However, I took off the lens cover, blew everything out and it's working fine now & running a project as I type this. So........ any other suggestions for my "Shanita #2 CW so I can clear that board sensor problem?

[lynnfrwd]

OK............. gone back and did a re look on everything. Sensor reading is 158, not static jumping while moving the trk. Tried reformatting the card. Tried different board. Took out the sensor & did a recheck... found some sawdust & blew it out with compressor. When do initial proj entry it asks stay on rollers (have answered both ways).... truck moves to middle of board, stops and give clear board sensor... over and over and over. : ) When I press stop it reads error 0400 (Failure Edge detection). I've checked brass roller (all good), blew everything out with compressor. Checked guide rail (far side) and it's good and not up against the board. Glad my other machine is running OK. Funny that I actually got that same error this morning and a few words just slipped out of my mouth (you'd think I was back in the military). However, I took off the lens cover, blew everything out and it's working fine now & running a project as I type this. So........ any other suggestions for my "Shanita #2 CW so I can clear that board sensor problem?


Call a hardware tech at LHR....

[Digitalwoodshop]

When you get this error and the machine stops I would try to do the sensor test and look at the numbers..

This could be a Dirty Y Encoder too.... Since this problem is while trying to detect the board edge.... in Y.

See my Y Encoder....

AL

[chebytrk]

Thanks Al. I've give that one a shot next. I spoke with LHR Tech and he asked that I check the damper below the brass wheel so that's what I'll do tomorrow. Doesn't seem to be a problem, but I'll check it anyway. Really has me baffled on this one cause usually I can get rid of that error pretty quick. The pic that you showed, I haven't messed with the Y Encoder. Is that pretty simple to open up and blow out?

[lynnfrwd]

The pic that you showed, I haven't messed with the Y Encoder. Is that pretty simple to open up and blow out?

The encoder is a clear plastic disc (wheel). You may need to wipe it clean instead of just blowing it.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Here are some more encoder pictures... While you have the Y Motor out if you do it that way, check the big gear or the 2 685ZZ Y gear box bearings too... The ENCODER may be moving to the edge of the board but due to bad bearings the head is not making it... Gear Mesh Slip.... ????

ALSO the Clear Disk has been known to slip on the shaft or spin free.... a drop of glue fixes it...

Good Luck,

AL

And I can't BEAR to watch..

[unitedcases]

Off topic. But I like the bear picture.

[peep]

Someone please feed the Bear.