When it works its great, but I have broken about 4 bits now when the Z will not register. So maybe i'm doing something wrong or there is an issue with the probe itself. Issue. Setup probe, connect the sensor (magnet) to bit, test to make sure probe is registering in the troubleshooting page by touching bit to plate. Position the X and Y, and start probing every so often the Z axis will not stop after touch, and if i'm not quick enough to abort, needless to say its a broken bit. Is there a correct distance that the bit should be above the build plate?
Go to "Troubleshooting" tab, touch the magnet and the plate together and the "Probe" light should change colors. If so, put the magnet on the chuck/collet as some bits have coatings that prevent good electrical connections. Touch the plate to the bit manually and the "Probe" light should change colors. If the "Probe" light does not change colors, check wiring and check to see if there is magnet in its holder.
Nik, Did you ever get this figured out? I can't seem to get a positive response at all. I get lights but that is about it.
Theres lights on the probe (proves you have power) But what the above refers to is Inside the Software, Openbuilds CONTROL (download from software.openbuilds.com) is a troubleshooting tab, test your probe there. If it doesnt react, check your wiring against docs.openbuilds.com/xyzprobe
So after trying over and aver, I have given up on using Z 0 on the probe. I have tried multiple computers, and multiple bits, cleaned bits, scrubbed bits, but cannot get a result that would pass a repeatability test. X, and Y seem to be better, but Z is a crap shoot. You can see it on the test page occasionally there is a severe lag in the touch response. I will have to test a standard Z probe to see if the issue is the black box, or the probe.
The Troubleshooting tool, is not the same as an actual probe, it only checks once every +-200ms. (using the Pn: status in Grbl's feedback messages - see the Grbl Wiki for more info) and exists purely to help you check your wiring. The real probe with G38.2 (does a move too, so cannot use for troubleshooting tab) is realtime of course... Handled by Grbl itself CONTROL doesn't check when it hits, Grbl does, its instant. Grbl then sends a PRB result, which we work from but that is after the probe. Read gnea/grbl - a little understanding of how Grbl functions will help avoid you making incorrect assumptions. The only typical thing that prevents trigger/contact is electrical (bad connection between magnet and plate, via endmill, usually bad wiring, sometimes nonconductive coatings on endmill) or a user mistake (if you aren't using our wizards, its easy to get it wrong by mistake like getting the G10 commands (set coordinates) wrong, then later references to the positions would be wrong) etc How are you probing, using our proven wizard? Or manual commands?
@Peter Van Der Walt Thank you for your knowledge and helping out here. Based on your answers I must say your knowledge in this space is super advanced and I appreciate that. I will be very transparent and state that I need to you to bring things down about 5-6 levels for me if you can. I am slower than you are but I am teachable. Once you teach me I won't have to ask the same question 2x... I really appreciate you. When I attempt to use the XYZ I do the below and I get the results stated below. Please tell me, both, what I am doing wrong and what I need to check. I insert the plug into the proper spot in the Black box. place the other end into the square shaped probe I align the router bit over the hole in the probe I attache the magnet to the bit or collet In the control application I click Probe make sure the proper probe is selected and click confirm (I have gone to the Troubleshooting tab and make contacts but nothing happens on that tab [there is no change]) I click probe RESULTS The router/Z axis raises move diagonal lowers and touches the probe The green light comes on Z axis tries to drive through the probe and never lifts up Please tell me what I need to check or point out the glaring and obvious mistake I am making please sir. Bedankt
Indicates the signal (blue wire) is not wired correctly in one of the three connection points, or your endmill is coated in a noncondunductive coating (test this by touching magnet to plate, thus eliminating the endmill in between) while watching the Troubleshooting tab. Note to hold it at least a second to see if it gets detected.
I'm assuming the Sharkbits sold by Open Builds are coated in non conductive coating? I've had the XYZ probe plus work great with cheap amazon bits but I blew up a sharkbit because of what others seem to be stating. the probe didn't recognize the bit but it's worked flawlessly with all the others. From the description for sharkbits on OB website: Resistant coating protects against high heat and oxidation extending the life of the bit
Interesting. I havent had any issues with my sharkbits and the probe. I have had issues with the magnet placement on the collet. It likes to be on the flat. If its off the flat halfway, then the connection fails. That's why I've gotten into the habit of lifting the plate up to the bit to check connectivity before running the probe routines.
It was probably user error. I've never placed the magnet on the collet but I'll do that moving forward.
@Peter Van Der Walt Thank you for taking time to help me yesterday. My blue wire had bad contact and the probe is the most beautiful tool ever!
Happens to us all! If I was out of the shop a couple weeks, i sometimes forget the clip too. it is worse forgetting it attached and then turning on the router (; so watch out for that one!
Many an alligator clip has died due to this on my homemade probe. I am much more careful with my new OB XYZ probe.
mine is brand new and cannot make it work as the light on the black box lights up and the light on the probe lights up but the light on the controls troubleshooting tab does not change and my z axis just continues to go down. i have check and checked and rewired the wires multiple times as i am getting very unhappy with the product please help if you can
My probe is a crap shoot on if it will work or not. I always get everything in place and lined up. Touch the plate to the bit to check for lights and then probe using Openbuilds control. Then I keep my hand on the abort button. Seems as though every other time I use it the probe fails to see the bit on a Z probe maneuver. However tonight was a first. It performed the Z probe just fine but as it went to probe the X axis it touched the plate, the lights turned green however the machine didn't stop and continued until it broke my brand new Amana end mill. So how, if the lights on the probe activated did the machine not respond?
T The lights are just inside the probe plate itself. There is another probe light on the BlackBox (and the indicator on the Troubleshooting tab) to check if the signal got to the other end too. Check those. If the signal doesnt get across either 1) the endmill has a coating that's non conductive (especially since Z worked, bottom cutting edges has coating removed from sharpening, but side may have been angled where there was coating) - in which case you want to probe using a dowel pin, then swop in the endmill or 2) wiring issue: check terminals especially on the SIG wire - not pinching insulation, wire not broken off inside causing intermittent issue, wire inserted into terminal correctly (inside, not under the wire cage) etc
Thanks for the tip on using a metal pin for zeroing. Hadn't thought about that. This bit did have the Spektra coating on it so maybe that was the issue. I thought it could be so I madevsure to check before running the probe and thought it would be fine but I guess not. Lesson learned.
Reviving this thread; having issues with my xyz probe plus. The probe must be grounding before a tool touches the plate through the usb cable. I have everything connected as per the instructions into the black box but the led light will fire as soon as the magnet is stuck anywhere on the machine, so the probe has no idea when a touch will have happened. Unplugging the usb cable from the black box seems to solve, the light will stay off when magnet is attached and light will fire when magnet tapped to plate. Am I missing something or is a desktop system out because it will ground the trigger wire through the usb port? Or does it have to be operated from a laptop?
No idea what is different but now xyz probe light is on when magnet is attached with or without usb cable connected.
See XYZ Probe Plus with VFDs and other ground-loop inducing components Usually spindle related, but short circuits can be at other spots too. Limit switches without the rubber spacer to isolate, or bare wire touching frame somewhere
I recommend replacing the provided XYZ probe wire with 18/4 Gray Stranded CU CL3R Shielded Security Cable. I had similar problems with my Openbuilds XYZ probe. Initially probing worked perfectly while during testing. The LED light on the probe would come on reliably when touching the probe to the bit. GRBL probe commands worked as required. I was chuffed! Then when I ran the probe wire through the same conduits as others, it was unreliable with the spindle trying to drive the bit through the probe. Thankfully I'd already wired up an emergency button to the door input so I was able to halt it before permanent damage resulted. Knowing that the only change was the probe wire route, I removed it from the shared conduit and let it hang loose again. Viola, probing worked perfectly again. I replaced the provided probe wire with 18/4 Gray Stranded CU CL3R Shielded Security Cable, which I had used for all my other cable runs. Even with the cable reinserted into the shared conduits, probing was reliable. Problem solved.
I'm having probe issues as well... I get the dreaded error 9 when I attempt to use the probe. The triggers function as they should when the probe is not clipped to the spindle. Meaning if I touch the clip to the probe as a test the machine registers its position, stops and checks the next position etc. I only get the error code when clipped to the spindle. My build is an Openbuilds Workbee with a 1.5KW watercooled spindle, using a blackbox controller and the Hy VFD controller. I have tried disconnecting the spindle ground with no effect. Any ideas? Thanks in adavance.
Did you follow ALL the setup steps in the BlackBox Documentation (Didn't perhaps skip section 7.1) during your initial setup? If you skipped section 7.1, also double check (not related) that you didn't skip section 4.2 as well
