[kennected]

I'm finishing retrofitting and Zund table plotter with new steppers, Windows 7, a Gecko G540, UCCNC, a UC100 controller, 2017 Screenset. My issue is when I start UCCNC everything works (motors run and I can execute gcode) as it should for a few minutes or less and then I get the message that UCCNC has lost connection. I shut down UCCNC and try to restart but of course with a lost connection, it come up in Demo mode. I have to then re-start the computer (though it doesn't want to finish the shutdown) and load UCCNC again, only to repeat the cycle in a short period of time. Not sure where to start. Windows, my UCCNC setup, the UC100? Everything is new except the windows 7 computer and the table.
I bought most of the hardware from Automation Technology, so I'm hoping there are no issues with the UC100 being a fake. I've had some other issues with the power supply fan and shipping damage but that's probably for another thread.

Any thoughts?

Ken

[ger21]

The UC100 is not a fake. I don't believe that the fake ones will work with UCCNC at all.
Try some different USB ports, and maybe a different cable?
Go into device manager, and make sure there are no power saving features enabled for any USB devices you can find.

Personally, I'd be using a UC400ETH instead of the UC100, as it would virtually eliminate any USB issues.

[arturod]

Ken,

The lost connection happens when the negative of the steppers becomes common with the negative of the G540. Now the G540 is isolated, so this should not be happening. What else are you connecting there? For troubleshooting purposes, I would try disconnecting anything else you are connecting there.

Other things to check may be testing with a different cable, or USB port.

While the UC100 should work fine with the G540, the Ethernet connection can be so much more stable for many reasons:

- The connection is capacitive, so it isolates noise.
- Ethernet connects as client-server, USB runs as a windows device. So if there is any hiccup in the communication, Ethernet can quickly reconnect, USB will make the connection fail.

Arturo Duncan
https://cnc4pc.com

[kennected]

The UC100 is not a fake. I don't believe that the fake ones will work with UCCNC at all.
Try some different USB ports, and maybe a different cable?
Go into device manager, and make sure there are no power saving features enabled for any USB devices you can find.

Personally, I'd be using a UC400ETH instead of the UC100, as it would virtually eliminate any USB issues.

I guess I was under the impression that USB was fairly bullet-proof. No quite, I'm finding.
I DID find some of the USB's had power management settings that appeared to be active, but that didn't fix it.
I moved the USB connection to the front of the computer (instead of the back with mouse and keyboard) and that seemed to do it. It was driving me crazy. I could sometimes barely get UCCNC booted and it was lose connection. All seems good now. I'll try the UC400eth next time. There always seems to be a next time!

Thanks again for responding, gents.

[kennected]

I thought it was gone but the USB issue is still there. I checked the connections at the power supply and the G540 is connected to a different COM connection on the power supply, if that matters. I've tried different USB cables and moved the connection to several different ports on the computer but none of that seems to matter. Anyway, I have also asked for comment from CNCDRIVE and though an auto response came I haven't heard a real response from them for several days. (holiday?)
I'm wondering if they'll let me exchange the UC100 for the 400ETH through Automation. Its getting frustrating. When the connection is lost, I have to shutdown the computer and it doesn't want to complete. It just hangs during shutdown and I have to pull the power cord to the computer to finish the shutdown and reboot to try again. This can happen several times before I get any real operation time. If I'm lucky enough to spend a decent amout of time operational and the connection remains good time I shutdown, the computer finishes the shutdown as expected. It appears the computer get pissed when the UCCNC-UC100 connection fails.

[bhurts]

When the connection fails try unplugging the USB cable before shutting down the PC. As for losing connection to begin with I would try putting a USB isolator between the PC and board.

Ben

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

[robertspark]

Ground loop issue

Do you have a multimeter?

If so, unplug the uc100 from the pc at the pc end.

Measure the voltage difference between the outer shield of the usb lead and the casing of the pc, anything other than zero volts is likely to be the issue.

Do you have a sketch wiring diagram of how you wired the system up?

Did you join the power supplies "com" connection to gnd or earth or the casing of the CNC cabinet enclosure (common error with wiring)

[A_Camera]

When the connection fails try unplugging the USB cable before shutting down the PC. As for losing connection to begin with I would try putting a USB isolator between the PC and board.

Ben

Sent from my E6810 using Tapatalk

I think that if Windows locks when you have already shut down UCCNC then there is another problem which you probably won't solve with the UC400. Also if you constantly have connection losses then the problem is not connected to the usual occasional USB issues, which is normal, but to something else.

[OlfCNC]

I thought it was gone but the USB issue is still there. I checked the connections at the power supply and the G540 is connected to a different COM connection on the power supply, if that matters. I've tried different USB cables and moved the connection to several different ports on the computer but none of that seems to matter. Anyway, I have also asked for comment from CNCDRIVE and though an auto response came I haven't heard a real response from them for several days. (holiday?)
I'm wondering if they'll let me exchange the UC100 for the 400ETH through Automation. Its getting frustrating. When the connection is lost, I have to shutdown the computer and it doesn't want to complete. It just hangs during shutdown and I have to pull the power cord to the computer to finish the shutdown and reboot to try again. This can happen several times before I get any real operation time. If I'm lucky enough to spend a decent amout of time operational and the connection remains good time I shutdown, the computer finishes the shutdown as expected. It appears the computer get pissed when the UCCNC-UC100 connection fails.

I think your computer is suffering from noise issues. That is why you have to unplug the UC100 before it starts working again. The USB port of your computer freezes.