Fatal Error 3 ????

[ChrisAlb]

Anyone care to elaborate?? Never seen this one before. :confused: But it just cost me a $200 carve. Ah yes, make 50, loose 200. Are we having fun yet??

I'm going to write LHR and tell them I want a FULL list of ALL error codes and their meanings. At least then I stand a chance of fixing my out of warranty machine....jeeezzz...:rolleyes:

Not Happy............

[Jeff_Birt]

Chris, can you give use more details about that the machine was doing at the time the error happened? I did a search for "fatal error" and and found a few mentions of fatal error 3 and nobody really followed up with the solution. I did see one post where the OP thought it was related to board tipping.

[ChrisAlb]

OK, Doing a 3.5 hour, 14 x 14 carve on a 21.5 x 14.5 board under rollers with a cut path. Everything was going along fine. At roughly 62% into it I lifted the cover as I've always done to vacuum it out. Closed the cover and when I went to hit the start button I saw the message. No choice, reboot.

Did one just before this and went without a hitch.

I did take the file, put a zero height region over the carved area and restarted the project. It finished but as usual with this method, the new touch probably hit a softer grain and thus the rest of the carve is about a 1/32 + deeper than the previous section leaving a line that I "might" be able to sand out but it's in a pretty detailed section and this is a large logo. Too bad too as the carves are simply beautifully smooth and perfect.

I did notice however, for the very fist time, when i lifted the cover the truck did not lift as always. Now on the second section it did just fine.

So I take it there is more than ONE explanation for this error???

[Jeff_Birt]

I would suspect that the static electricity bug bit you....

The other possibility is that by opening the lid without hitting stop first gave the controller a brain fart. I know that 99.9% of the time if you lift the lid the machine will stop itself and things will be fine. However I would suspect (from years of control experience) that there does exist the possibility of causing problems that way. I would always suggest pressing stop and then lifting the lid when the spindle stops.

[ChrisAlb]

Well that would be a first. But I don't think it was static as I always keep my hand on the machine while I vacuum. I'm no physics major but that cancels any charge build up.

As far as the cover. Been doing that from day one. Never a problem. Unless you know something about the control that I don't, a switch is a switch is a switch. Hitting enter in the middle of a carve simply cuts the power as well...no?

Anyway, some cool looking logos. If I can sand out the line in the PFC one without making it look like it was sanded, I may save it. Kind of patting myself on the back over the artwork for these.

But i still want those error codes.

Edit: And oh, I did these cut outs with my old slightly darkened but still shapre 1/8" cutter in 1.130. No burning at all and went fine. Further proof that the Turbo cut motor was my problem there.

[Jeff_Birt]

As far as the cover. Been doing that from day one. Never a problem. Unless you know something about the control that I don't, a switch is a switch is a switch. Hitting enter in the middle of a carve simply cuts the power as well...no?


Like I said 99.9% of the time you would probably be OK. I don't know how this the machines control system works but can speculate based on systems that I have designed. There are two switches on the cover, one interrupts the motor power and the other tells the controller that the cover is open.

When the motor is running and you open the cover, it can cause a lot of electrical noise and to top it off the motor speed controller is going to be really in turmoil for a split second as it sees the motor speed drop and it can't do anything to increase the speed.

At the same time, the controller sees the cover switch opening up and tries to safely get every thing shut down. Keep in mind that the controller is still trying to push the bit through the wood while you just killed the motor, so there is also the real possibility of having an axis stall.

The machine stopping when you lift the lid is a safety feature. The proper way to pause the machine would be to hit 'Stop', then lift the lid.

[ChrisAlb]

Makes sense to me. I wasn't aware of the apparent conflict my method might cause to the poor CW brain. I'll have to break the habit but I'll start using the stop button.

Thanks Jeff!

Now how about those error codes....lol

[Deolman]

My years of electronics tells me lifting the lid will stop things now because it is trying to satisfy a safety factor. Pushing the stop button will more than likely try to brings things to a stop in an orderly fashion. ie stop is not a complete emergency. ESD (electro static discharge) is not necessarily related to the vacuuming. You might have obtained a charge walking across the floor and in the act of opening the door, it discharged through the machine. ESD is fickle. for example I would put items on a flash drive, then walk across the floor to the PC I was working on to transfer files. I did this many, many times without incident. One day when I did the same exact thing the drive was toast when I got to the second pc. The best advice I can give is to touch something metal prior to touching the Carvwright.

[ChrisAlb]

Thanks Deolman...concrete floor that I accessed from outside off a gravel walkway.

I'm reasonably sure it's as Jeff stated and it was the .01% brain fart lifting the cover. I have a few more carvings to get done today so I'm putting that theory to the test. I will be sure to use the stop button from now on and we'll see.

Thanks everyone But I STILL would like know what Fatal error 3 is??? I mean, why not 4 or 8?? Bottom line here is, I think we should all have a list of errors and their meaning. You know, something stupid like on the last page of the TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE?? I'd also like all the electrical schematics as well.

I think more control over the software and more information on the machine is Drastically needed for us owners of the machine. I can fix ANYTHING, if I only have the info.

[Jeff_Birt]

I have asked CW about the Fatal Error codes in the past. I was told that they are really only useful to the programmers at this point. But I know it is something that is being worked on.

The only few 'fatal error' codes that I have had I've been able to trace back to what I was doing at the time, like trying a cut path on a sled will give you a fatal error 2.

[ChrisAlb]

Oh come on. I'll decide how useful they are. What are we talking about here? A couple printed pages? Make them available.

I mean, if it's a programing thing an error refers to, OK, then I'll know that. If it's a mechanical thing an error refers to, Then I'll know that too. Maybe I can't do anything about the programing but I sure bet I can about the mechanical.

Simply telling me Fatal Error 3...simply tells me NOTHING!

I mean you buy a dishwasher right? In the back of the manual is an electrical schematic, now maybe 9 out of 10 people probably wouldn't have a clue as to what that is. But the one guy who's not afraid to tear it apart to fix the darn thing it when it's broken, has the information in hand.

I'm pretty savvy with computers and I'll bet I'd understand a LOT more than you might think. Tired of excuses..http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/icons/icon8.gif...give us the info. That's all.

In fact, I'm rigging up an interface to my CW. I simply HAVE to know how things work and what makes them tic. It's in my nature. Extreme curiosity ya know?

When this baby breaks down, I'm NOT sending it to Texas to be fixed. Not for mechanical, electrical or computer circuitry. I NEED to learn everything about it. And yes, I do have a bit of programming experience too.....http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/icons/icon10.gif

[Digitalwoodshop]

A list would be very helpful. We could start a Error Thread posting the conditions at the time of the errors and make our own list.

It took us a while to kick around the CCM Check Cut Motor Problem until we put together the Cut Motor Magnet being the problem.... Something most likely known by LHR for months.

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4274&highlight=Cut+Motor

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6765&highlight=Cut+Motor

AL

[www.go3d.us]

Can you hit the stop button in the middle of the carve instead of just lift the cover? Or is it the same?
I think hit the stop button will give you the option to restart. Simply lift the cover can send error message (randomly) to the pc chips.

[Amonaug]

Can you hit the stop button in the middle of the carve instead of just lift the cover? Or is it the same?
I think hit the stop button will give you the option to restart. Simply lift the cover can send error message (randomly) to the pc chips.

Yes when you press the stop button you are then given 2 options
Enter - Continue
Stop - abort project

Ever since my lid switches went bad I started using the stop button, more reliable IMO.

[Kenm810]

Enter - Continue
Stop - abort project

Remember, be a little patient and careful not to accidentally
push the Stop button twice at one time --- It can abort your project.

[Digitalwoodshop]

The question is did it fault anymore for Chris doing the other carvings and stopping and cleaning. I would think NO or He would have posted it. I was wondering if the big file size and the things that the computer is doing at the time you open the lid, could overwhelm the registers or RAM causing a Bit Overflow?

I think I will start using the stop key for bigger projects.


AL

[ChrisAlb]

And the answer is......I've been using the stop button since sooooo, no repeat of the problem. BUT, That is the one and only time that ever happened to me so I don't know how good a test this is.

Bottom line, I think Jeff is right and the best approach is to always use the stop button no matter the file size. Just remember NOT to hit it twice!!...LOL

[jedgar]

If you do get this valuable list of error meanings which a company that expects you to work on their machines for them should publish,please post access to it.Thank you very much.Not happy too!