Hello and good morning. Finally with all Christmas projects finished and delivered and after a much needed rest, I can finally address my xyz probe. I purchased right before Christmas and cannot get it to work correctly. I have a 1015 lead screw machine with a blackbox x32 controller. I am using openbuilds control software to run machine. Probe keeps giving me an error code. I have tried a few different settings but am lost. Any help is appreciated and I will provide any needed info. TIA
Sounds like a non-openbuilds machine? VFD spindle in use? Symptoms seems like a AC Earth to DC Ground fault/short, if its not our machine, possibly not our spindle or PSU or both? (Both likely paths of a short circuit, but might be something more obvious too)
Firmware was updated upon last attempt to get probe working. The machine style it says to use, "2/3 axes, dual Y with touch probe", does not come up under the machine style section in the firmware flashing tool, so I have to use 2/3 axes CNC/laser: dual Y. (no "with probe") Unfortunately the machine is a workbee and is several years old but works flawlessly. The probe lights green when touching the clip to the plate and will show triggered in the pin status. And yes, VFD in use to control spindle. (project for another day)
I would not even know how to check for a short but everything on the machine and control of the machine works correctly
Edited in information afterwards... We only get notifications on replies. Edits go unnoticed So, per post #3, then if it has a VFD, probably DC GND to AC EARTH short somewhere. Dig in, find the short, fix that. This question has not been answered though, so I assume we can assume its a 3rd party PSU probably too? Could be the source of the short as well.
Process of elimination as a start. Somewhere AC GND is shorting to DC EARTH - these should be seperate domains. Machine will work "fine" other than things like the probe being a clear symptom. Problem is mixing Mains AC domain and DC low voltage domain is incredibly dangerous the day things finally go wrong, finding and fixing the short is the #1 priority
So I just removed the AC ground from the VFD and reran the probe without an AC ground and got the exact same result
You may need to look into what a VFD does a little more - but no. The VFD isnt the issue. The short circuit "somewhere" in your system as a whole, is the issue... Please don't! Thats an important safety connection! Then short exists elsewhere. Endstop shorting DC GND to frame? (Any endstops mounted upside down or wiring touching frame?) Short inside PSU? Short in bad PC PSU between DC GND and AC Earth? Chaffed through wire touching metal somewhere? You don't have to run each check past us, but keep going you'll find it
The PSU does not power the VFD, it has its own plug. The PSU is the original to the workbee when I bought it and is definitely wired correctly. As far as the software knows, it could just be a regular router on the machine. I think? And what do you mean by endstop?
Again, the VFD isnt the issue, nor related - the question "do you have a VFD spindle" was important because VFD spindles have earthed bodies, unlike routers that are typically double insulated. Fault/short could exist with both, but a VFD spindle would reveal the short exists easier. There are other reasons for a Probe error like this, if you didn't have a VFD we'd be chasing those instead, but as it is a VFD spindle, we can pretty much be sure you have a good Earth on the spindle's endmill (Endmill > Collet > Bearing > Spindle Body > Earth wire > VFD's PE terminal > Earth wire > Plug = A-OK!) Obviously not... lol Still a little vague. OpenBuilds or Chinese fake? A Meanwell, or a No-Name PSU? Switchmode PSUs doesn't have isolation transformers. The fakes forgo good design and protection in favour of cost and often lack basic isolation between Mains and DC side (could have a short/leak between GND and Earth inside the PSU) - again PSU itself as one possible problem, not related to the VFD Wired correctly is not a guarantee theres no leak/short. Your symptoms CONFIRMS there IS A SHORT, so please don't try to argue one doesn't exist. No one mentioned software. Please stay on point
I am not trying to argue, I am trying to understand. As a mechanic for 40 years I understand DC voltage very well. However, my understanding is that when there is a short to ground, something doesnt work, blows a fuse, pops a breaker, melts something etc. It gives me a place to start looking. This is new to me and I dont understand at all how everything works but there is a short. I dont even know where to start looking, The PSU is probably chinese as I said, it came with the workbee, so I dont know for sure. The workbee is a bulkmann. The only thing that it powers though is the black box controller thru the 2 wire plug which is just a + & -. So if I unplug the spindle at the top harness connection, thus eliminating the wiring harness and VFD all together, would this work to see if the is a short?
Right, so process of elimination. Keep probe clipped to collet. Green lights on probe plate is on right... Keep BB powered off USB, and unplug the PSU. Green lights stay on or go out? Next. Power BB off the PSU, but unplug PC (USB) - Green lights still there or bye bye? Next power BB from USB and PSU, but unplug the VFD from the wall? Green lights on probe plate does what? Power BlackBox off USB and PSU. But unplug the motors and endstops from the BlackBox. Greenlights on or off? Power BlackBox off USB and PSU. But unplug the VFD control signal cable from BlackBox. Greenlights on or off? Don't try to assess, just reply with the above point by point Anything else wired to BB? (Above covers endstops, stepper motors, probe, PSU and USB)
Sorry, just read your reply after I started. Update is: with spindle connector removed from spindle, the probe worked. So does that mean the vfd is sending voltage to the spindle ground and thus the probe clip? So how do I find if the VFD is shorted inside? It is brand newish. I tried to buy one from you guys but you dont sell them, so I had to get one from ebay. It is the exact same one that came with the machine tho
No thats a valid and required earth path; spindle body MUST be earthed. You are attacking the symptom not the cause. Reply to post #17 accurately so we can locate the root cause a little more closely Please do the required tests, we are 19 replies in, with one test done. I am heading out for the long weekend, will check in on your tests on Tues. Good luck
not sure. I was running a file, then there was a loud pop and the spindle stopped and would not restart. I took it apart and could find nothing burned or obviously wrong but I just ordered a new one anyway. Have had no issues since. It was about 4 years old but worked fine in my old house and happened right after I moved to MX and set up my machine again. Not sure if that has anything to do with it or just coincidence. As for your testing, results for all but unplugging all outputs, which will take some time due to the way the box is mounted: 1. green square for motors enabled stays lit (and is always lit as the blackbox is always hooked to my PC) The PSU and VFD are run into an AC outlet controlled by an on/ff switch so niehter have power unless CNC is in use 2. green motors enabled and power lights on as well as fan light 3. plate lights stay off unless touched by probe clip, then they turn green 4. this will take some time as my black box is mounted inside a PC tower for cooling and dust control purposes. I will do this over the weekend 5. there is no VFD control signal cable to the black box. Spindle speed and on/off are solely controlled by VFD Update: just reread your question list and the probe plate green lights are always off unless touched by ground clip, then they light up
$6 = ENABLE. it used to be disable I think but was one of the things I changed when I read another post on this forum for exact same error code. It was one of the things the moderator told them to change.
Correct for an X32 Repeat tests from #17 but check status in Troubleshooting tab (where possible) instead of the LEDs
Ok so another update: I moved the AC input ground to the spindle ground. Now the plate's green lights are on all the time, but dim, with clip hooked to spindle, and go out when I unhook the clip from the spindle. The lights still go full bright when touching the clip to the plate. Is my spindle not grounded correctly? I will go run the tests again
oh, sorry. I thought you were gone for the weekend so I shut it all down. Sort of. So now that I have my spindle grounded properly, the LED's on the probe stay on dimly lit all the time until touched by the clip, then they go full bright. Is this normal? Am I on the right track? The probe still works correctly when the harness is disconnected at the spindle and even measures the diameter of the end mill. I spent yesterday resetting the VFD and reprogramming it. Heading out to run your tests now, give me a few min
ok so test results as follows. LED's on probe plate on full bright all the time with clip hooked to collet unless harness is unplugged from spindle 1. green lights on full bright 2. green lights on full bright 3. green lights on full bright 4. all 4 motors and 3 limit switches unhooked, probe led's out until plate touched by clip. with or without spindle hooked up 5. no control signal wire hooked to BB
Not a complete analysis of your test results, but start by looking for any possibility that there is a connection between the ground on your limit switches and the framework. Some need an insulating washer between the pcb they are mounted on and the framework. Alex.
