motors run continuously.

[sjmoore69]

I have a domino chain of problems with my model A carvewright that began with a loose bit in the carvetight spindle which broke the bit. I assume the flex cable partially unwound inside the shaft because on the next carve it broke inside the shaft and ground 3 teeth on the z motor gear trying to push a bit that wasnt spinning into the wood. After installing a new z motor pack I got continuous z stall errors while running user tests. After disconnecting and reconnecting all cables and harnesses , all three axis motors start up and run continuously as soon as I turn it on. I suspect a short in the cx power board but haven't opened up the bottom yet.
I have tried reformatting the card with both 1.87 and 1.88 to no avail.

I am trying to formulate a diagnostic flowchart to determine which part to test first. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[fwharris]

Check the FFC cable for any breaks/cracks.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Any chance you mixed the old 18 pin FFC Cable Hardware with the newer 14 pin Hardware?

Different thicknesses of pins, new 14 pin cable can short out the thinner 18 pin hardware?

AL

In picture I call it a 16 pin but it is 18. Look at all your boards and cable.

[sjmoore69]

So I've checked the connectivity of the FFC and all 14 pins are good. There appears to be a slight blemish between two outer leads but I checked the ohms between each lead and both neighbors twice and got no crossover. The Z stall occurred at all Y positions so I do not suspect an intermittent FFC failure. The new problem of X,Y, and Z motors running continuously first occurred while troubleshooting the Z stall so I am confident that it was something I did inadvertently.

I am fairly certain all of the parts are compatible as I have implemented all available upgrades including boards and power supply and had no issues for the last 20+ hours of carve time. I am suspicious of the controller assembly and/or the card. It was very hot in the shop and I let one drop of sweat fall on the head termination board but the new issue manifested before that. I have a small supply of spare parts and I just purchased a parts machine on ebay last night so I should be able to swap some components to test them when that arrives. I am very sorry if I outbid one of our members who desperately needs a part but I could not pass up the deal. I'll have several hours free in the shop over the next few evenings and I plan on updating what I find as I go.
Thanks again for the ideas.

As a side note, my instigating issue occurred during a training session on my wife's first solo carve. It took me literally 5 years to get her interested enough to try a carve and less than 5 minutes for her to swear off carving for life. There goes my second pair of hands !!

[sjmoore69]

No progress on my machine yet. I planned on cannibalizing the parts machine that was delivered Friday evening and swapping parts until I found the source of the errors. Instead I spent the evening checking over the parts machine and identifying compatible parts. Other than a locked head (from being lowered too far) and one missing outfeed hinge screw, there is nothing wrong with the machine.
The ID label near the bottom of the machine has been removed which I find suspect but all user tests and sensor checks run fine so I didn't have a problem obtaining the serial number from the display screen. The project loaded onto the card was named "Mickey" and was dated June 12, 2015.
If anyone has had a "C" machine stolen in the last 2 or 3 years, I may have just purchased it on ebay. I will contact LHR Monday morning when they open and see if I can find anything out with the serial number. If the machine was stolen, I would like to have it returned to the original owner so I am not going to remove any parts until I can make that determination.
As to my "A" machine, I have not found any connection problems and the x y and z motors all run continuously as soon as the switch is turned on so I still suspect component failure. More poking and fiddling is required and I plan on opening the controller to inspect its internals today. If there are any considerations I should observe, let me know. I do unplug the machine and wear a static discharge bracelet when I piddle around inside.

[fwharris]

Now that does sound suspicious with the ID label being removed. Great idea of calling LHR to let them know. They can find the owner based on the machine ID.

Your A machine issue is starting to sound like a controller problem.

[dbemus]

Keep us informed on the info on the suspicious machine purchase. Interesting!

[sjmoore69]

well , I went ahead and swapped out the controller and all problems were solved. I opened the outer case and saw minimal dust and no obvious discoloration but I didn't remove the board from the casing. My only mechanical issue now is the chuck rubbing the dust collector. I will post any more info about the parts machine Monday evening when I get home from work. I did find an issue with the head of the parts machine becoming unlevel when cranked down on a piece as well as the clutch not engaging. I see a few worn teeth that probably were ground down by trying to force the head through a jam but none of that matters at the moment as I have found the problem with my "A" machine and can now move forward.
If there are property issues with the parts machine, I should only need to order a new controller from LHR. It is currently listed as OUT OF STOCK so I am hoping that I will be able to keep the parts machine for either use or parts.

[fwharris]

What dust collector system are you using? If it is mine (RingNeckBlues DC-INSERT) make sure you have the bottom front lip hooked over the frame just above the compression roller.

[sjmoore69]

Yes, one rivot on each side worked loose and it slid off the lip. As far as the parts machine, it was registered to a school and not reported stolen so I can keep the controller in my model A. I put my old controller in the parts machine and got the exact errors I had before so a new controller will fix the machine.