[BSims66173]

Well here in good ole Alabama we are deeply entrenched in the super EL Nino. We have had storms for a week now. Last Saturday lightning hit a tall sweetgum tree about 30 yards from my shop. After getting all the computers back up and running I noticed that I could not reset my PCNC 1100. It kept giving me a limit switch triggered alarm. Checked all the obvious thing, fuses, connections, pc settings, diagnostic page showed y and z limits triggered. Auto limit over ride will limit over ride will do nothing to clear the alarm. Disabling limit and home switches in config does nothing. Spindle still works in manual mode. I noticed that I do not have a red computer indicator light on the front panel. Today I changed out computers to see if that made a difference. After installing the tormach software on a different computer I do not have the limit switch alarms and the control software will reset but still no computer light and when trying to move the an axis the dro shows movement but nothing is moving. There seems to be no connection between the computer and machine. I read a few post on here that indicates the machine control board may be bad. Does anyone know or have a test procedure to test the board? I have ordered another board but will not be here until next week so I thought I would try to trouble shoot this one in the meantime. Thanks for any suggestions or replies in advance.

Barry Sims

[JohnToner]

Let us know your results. Fortunately you were not hurt, The machine can always be repaired.

[keen]

Are you in pathpilot or mach 3 ? If pathpilot which version?

Keen

[BSims66173]

No I am using the Mach 3 program.

[BSims66173]

Well I am lost again. Tried 3 different computers, changed out the machine control board, changed out cables and still can't get the machine to work. Each computer is a clean install of the software. If I turn on power to machine I get limit switch triggered alarms and machine will not reset. If I leave power on the machine and unplug printer cable the spindle will start up and I can run it manual. I am still not getting the computer light when I reset the machine. On the second computer I can get the software to reset and the DRO indicate movement but nothing is moving. I am not sure where to go next. Tomorrow I am going to test the voltage just to make sure it is OK but not sure what else electronically it could be. All fuses have been tested, lights on the drives come on when power is applied. Red light on control board come on. The red computer light will come on if I unplug the printer cable with power applied and the spindle will start. Plug the printer cable back in and everything shuts back down. Its very frustrating to say the least. Open to any Ideas.

Barry

[MFchief]

Hi Berry, sorry to hear about the trouble you are having, I know it's frustrating.

One thing I would suggest, if you haven't already tried it, is to swap out that printer cable. I know from my experience that lightning effects can be kind of crazy, seeming to not touch one component and "jump over it" to another one further down the chain.

Good Luck
Terry

[J S Machine]

What part of AL are you in? I'm about 30 miles north of Montgomery, near lake Martin. You are right, the lightning has been terrible the last few weeks. Best of luck with your machine.

[BSims66173]

Yes I have tried different printer cables with no success. I will do some more testing today. I just can't figure what electronically could cause this. Most all other electrical components are relays, switches and contacts that in my crazy mind would not cause this, but again I am a country boy. I am about 40 miles west of Birmingham. Carbon Hill, Alabama

[BIRDTOOL]

Reseat all your ribbon cable connections, make sure you don't have a bent pin on the parallel port bulkhead connector. Mine was loose once and it acted the same way.

[BSims66173]

Well it appears that the printer cable was the culprit. I tried several different cables that I have around but they did not work. Found a new cable that I had laying around and have the machine back working with a different control computer. If I remember right the cables have to be a straight through and the others I tried may have be a crossover type. Will have to try to get my computer back working. It does not have onboard parallel port and the card that was in it was hit by the lightening I guess because it does not work. I have a new smooth stepper that I will try installing tomorrow and see if I can get the old computer connected back to it. Just glad it is back working. It is only for hobby use but hate to have something like that and it not work when I do need it. Thanks to all that replied.

Barry

[popspipes]

Seems like I read somewhere that all printer cables are not created equal, some do not put all the leads in them, just the ones necessary to operate the printer, or something to that effect.

[MFchief]

Barry, glad to hear you are on the road to recovery. Have fun

Terry

[mountaindew]

I have a new smooth stepper that I will try installing tomorrow and see if I can get the old computer connected back to it.

smooth stepper is a usb or Ethernet driven product correct?
What is the concern with parallel cable problems ?
Does a Toramch mill run off a smooth stepper control board system?

[BSims66173]

Well it appears the old computer that was hit by the lightening has some kind of problems and will not run the machine so I have installed an old Dell that I have. I have upgraded it to windows 7 pro and will be getting updates overnight and will hopefully be ready to try installing the Ethernet smoothstepper tomorrow. I know this computer will run the machine through the parallel port but I am just curious if I can get the Tormach software to work with the SS. My brother has two machines, a cnc router and a cnc plastic machine running mach 3 and mach 4 through amoothsteppers and running windows 10. Just curious if I can get the PCNC1100 to that point. If not I have no quams about going back to the original setup. Again this is just hobby work for me and I have plenty of free time. Again thanks for all the help and suggestions.