[JohnToner]

What's the secret to making Tormach's passive probe work in PP? I went to setup and selected the Passive option, still no dice. PP tells me the prob has been triggered. It hasn't been. I can even unplug the probe and still PP insists that it's triggered. Sometimes it will go "chug chug chug.......", moving a 10th with each chug but it won't stop even when I manually trigger the probe. Usually it does nothing but give me the silly error msg.

[kstrauss]

It won't help you but the passive probe works perfectly here with PP 1.9.2!
I've had similar problems to that you describe under Mach3 after leaving the probe sitting in the drawer for several months. The issue seemed to be that the moving part of the probe wasn't making proper contact internally. A little probe tip movement with the fingers cured this. Tormach has some support notes regarding probe maintenance.
See http://www.tormach.com/uploads/474/T...0515A-pdf.html

[JohnToner]

Thanks, mine has been sitting in the drawer for several months. I break it down and clean it. I still have my Haimer but I'l like to try something with the Passive Probe.

[MFchief]

As Kstrauss mentioned, it normally works with 1.9.2, so if you aren't using that, I recommend installing it, there were some probing fixes in the more recent updates.

Also check the feed rate when probing, I've seen the chug chug thing when the feed rate is basically nothing, if it's thinking it's making the fine tuning pass it sets the feed as a percentage of the initial feed rate and if that was low it will set a very low feed and do the chugging thing.
Terry

[keen]

What's the secret to making Tormach's passive probe work in PP? I went to setup and selected the Passive option, still no dice. PP tells me the prob has been triggered. It hasn't been. I can even unplug the probe and still PP insists that it's triggered. Sometimes it will go "chug chug chug.......", moving a 10th with each chug but it won't stop even when I manually trigger the probe. Usually it does nothing but give me the silly error msg.

Hi John - Well if it shows triggered when it has not, then the probe switch must be permanently off. (It triggers with a circuit BREAK) This is a break in the circuit likely to be between the swing arms and balls, but could be in other places.. Have you dismantled it and check this? It could be corrosion on the contacts or as in my case too much assembly grease.

If your probing feed is too slow it will chug along.. This may be your jog setting slider - but I suspect you have checked that already. It may be that a probing routine was interrupted previously and the software has reset the feed rate all wrong. If so let me know and I will explain how to correct this.

Keen

[keen]

Hi John. In addition to above. I would use an electrical test meter (eg on ohms) to test the probe switching - Refer to the Tormach technical document - it is the second pin in from each end.

Keen

[JohnToner]

Well, I checked it with a VTVM, remember those? Electrically, all was good. So I kicked up the feed rate to F15 and everything worked well. F15 seemed too fast so I dropped it to F10 and it still functioned correctly.

Thanks to all,
John

[keen]

Well, I checked it with a VTVM, remember those? Electrically, all was good. So I kicked up the feed rate to F15 and everything worked well. F15 seemed too fast so I dropped it to F10 and it still functioned correctly.

Thanks to all,
John

Good to hear - I bought a CRC product today that sounds exactly right for the application - anti corrosion for electrical connections.

Keen

[kstrauss]

Good to hear - I bought a CRC product today that sounds exactly right for the application - anti corrosion for electrical connections.

Keen

I've had similar problem after the probe sat unused. Which CRC product? Please keep us informed regarding efficacy.

[John Roberts]

With regards to contacts getting dirty. I made a probe from scratch similar to what was published in Digital Machinist magazine and had the three steel rods along with the steel balls gold plated (at work). I have used it little in the last year but there have been no issues.

[popspipes]

With regards to contacts getting dirty. I made a probe from scratch similar to what was published in Digital Machinist magazine and had the three steel rods along with the steel balls gold plated (at work). I have used it little in the last year but there have been no issues.

I often wondered if silver plating would do the same as its oxide is conductive as well. We used a rub on version for RF amplifier tank circuits, and I have used the stuff on pc boards as well. It came as a white powder, put some on a rag and rub the copper traces or parts with it until it had the silver appearance.

[JohnToner]

Since my "shop" only has three walls, corrosion will always be an issue. What I had on my prob appeared to be one of the oxides of copper, "ic" or "ous", I don't remember which, but it was the blue oxide. I'm thinking cupric. Anyway a few passes with one of those brass tooth brushes along with kicking up the feed rate did the trick. It took a while but I got it dialed in to 2 tenths. Path Pilot makes much better use of the probe than did M3. I really like it now.

Thanks guys for all the help.