Hi I have a Blackbox X32 and an interface panel running version 1.57. I us Vectric Vcarve pro 11.506 to create my jobs and gcodes on my machine works fine when running jobs on the openbuilds control software with no issues. However when I load the files to a usb and load a job on the interface panel the job will load, but as soon as I run the job it does strange things. Sometimes it will start the job run for a few seconds and come up with errors Error 1 or error 20. The job will then stop and I cancel to get the error off the screen then I have to stop the spindle manually by turning it on and then off. Sometimes the tools menu is ghosting over the main page, also the Z up button sometimes sends Z down. When loading jobs it will sometimes freeze up and have to power it down as nothing works. I tried using the openbuilds cam to create a job the hello world and tried a different usb stick. It worked fine on the openbuilds control software but not on the interface. I have tried it without the spindle running and still get the same issues. Can someone please help as I’m feeling like I have a faulty interface panel because I have not managed to run a job on it yet. Cheers Tom
Hi Peter I went on to the openbuilds website yesterday and made a ticket in support, well I think I did. I wasn’t able to login to the support portal site though, so not sure if it got created or not should I have received an email saying I had created a ticket ? I can log into this forum and the openbuilds part store. I didn’t buy the item from openbuilds I brought it brand new with the X32 from a company called ooznest in the UK. Cheers Tom
The "login" at support is for agents. You just make use of the New Ticket form. Yours is in queue, just hang tight for a reply via email. They'll swop Interface for the Z-button issue, but the other symptoms looks like EMI: "After replacing the Interface, please note that some of your symptoms do seem like EMI as well: Have a read through docs:blackbox-x32:faq-emi [OpenBuilds Documentation] EMI can disrupt the serial stream (causing the lockup). Eliminate the source of EMI if possible. The longer cable included with Interface is a little more sensitive than USB, but works fine unless there is an extreme amount of EMI present"
Hi Peter cheers for the reply, I wasn’t sure if a ticket had been made that was all. I will have a read of that link about the EMI and wait for a reply email. I am using the cable supplied and just plugged it directly into the Blackbox unit. The machine I am using is a Boxford A3HSR1 what is fully enclosed, could it be because I have mounted the interface on to the front of the steel enclosure what is earthed ? Cheers Tom
For 3rd party machines we can't offer much in terms of guidance as we don't know the machines as well as ours. Does it have a VFD? Mixing AC Earth and DC GND (Interface shouldn't be earthed) can be an issue. Are you sure all PSUs are nice and clean?
It has no VFD I’m sure the AC and DC Negative are separate I can double check tomorrow. could the interface be earthing through its case as it is fixed directly to the metal ? I will remove it from the machine totally tomorrow and see if that makes any difference cheers for your help. Cheers Tom
Interface is DC powered. Mounting to an AC earthed panel, might cause issues (or not, depends if the earth has leakage currents or other bad stuff going on) That was in response to your question here. Its worth a test if the issue persists. Finding EMI is a lot like magic. You can't see or feel it, so you have to try things and see what works.
I will try it tomorrow and see if the issues are still present. their is nothing else powered up in the room it is in just the machine so I carnt really eliminate things as the machine won’t work at all if I remove things. Hopefully removing it off the machine helps, the cable feeding the interface is on its own in a separate plastic conduit so not near other cables. I tried running a job with the router turned off by the switch on the front because I had read before that they can cause feedback l, but problems still happen. I just want to be able to use it so it frees up my laptop lol. Cheers Tom
The power supply is from Amazon inShareplus 24V 16.5A 400W, DC Universal Regulated Switching Power Supply If there was an issue with the power supply I would have thought it would effect the Blackbox, this works 100% fine when running jobs via the openbuilds control on my laptop.
Yeah I am definitely going to recommend you grab a 24V Meanwell Power Supply Bundle We see that often enough - budget cuts leads to them removing filtering, removing earth coupling, and a host of other issues. Power up surges, noisy output, bad earth coupling, insufficient AC/DC isolation, etc are all known PSU issues. That's why we love and recommend the Meanwells: good clean power, proper safety, fast acting overcurrent protection, certified safety so you know things like AC/DC isolation is actually tested and proven. BlackBox may pick up damage in time (Not covered under warranty if its not our PSU recommendation, or a 3rd party confirmed by our support team as suitable) but particularly with Interface - capacitive touch buttons etc are sensitive to noisy power and bad earth coupling between DC and AC side. We see that of cheap PSUs quite often. I thought you'd have our recommended PSU, which is why my earlier questions was about frame earths and VFDs etc - but a off brand PSU, more likely than anything else the likely cause for either noisy DC or a bad Earth coupling. I'd suggest you start there. One other example of where a Meanwell saved the day (there are plenty here on the forum, but that was a recent example) :
I didn’t buy a meanwell power supply because the company I got the Blackbox and interface doesn’t sell them so didn’t think it would cause an issue. I live in the UK I will have a look to see where I can get one from Cheers again for you help
If its an official OpenBuilds Reseller they will have an approved PSU available. Meanwells are sold on Amazon too (just watch out for clones with similar looks/labelling). Or Digikey, RS, etc
These are the ones they offer on there website, they do look similar to the meanwell ones but they say the brand is ooznest. Just had a look on the open builds site is the power case kit just for easy plug and play or does it contain filters ? Because I don’t need the plug and play I can hard wire it.
The PowerCase does not add any filtering. We trust the Meanwells enough not to need to. That might be a Weho, not a meanwell though, so do check a couple other places too. Meanwell is just the best
Ok I will have a look around for a meanwell one tomorrow and see if I get get one ordered. like you say I have to start somewhere with the elimination of EMI and the power supply I have could be causing my issues Thanks again I will let you know the outcome when I get one
Yeah, that's why I am kinda pushing for it - if you do go for a Weho or something else, its again not the one we design and mass test against, so better safe than sorry. It might be perfectly fine, but even better to go with the best
Hi Peter Today I removed the interface unit from the machine and plugged it in to the long cable and placed it the length of the cable away from the machine, it worked and ran a ok. I then held the unit in the position it was up against the metal plate and it wouldn’t run a job I kept getting errors. so I tried it again away from the machine and it was ok. I then placed a piece of wood between the interface and the metal plate it’s mounted on and it worked ok. so I think having it bolted to the machine was causing my issues.
Adding insulation surely does help - but in a "doctoring the symptom" way - sure you no longer see the problem, but it might still exist. And might come back at the most unfortunate time (halfway through that $600 piece of hardwood being carved, on the day you forgot to Home the machine making recovery impossible)
What I’m going to do is run a few jobs on it and see what happens. It’s the first time I have seen it say job complete and a little beep, I did enquire about the power supplies sold by the company I brought the units from I have included a screenshot of his answer and info of there unit
Well Source - with specific attempt to make it look like a Mean Well Logo, seems a bit deceptive. We never trust without validation. If you have access to an Oscilloscope, Insulation tester (1500v between primary and secondary), Ze/Impedance Tester etc you can rule them out quicker.
I don’t have access to an oscilloscope, I have an insulation tester what does 1000v, I also have access to a meggar multifunction tester what has impedance but think it only works on ac. It’s one you test buildings / houses with after doing an electrical installation. So would you test the insulation between ac in and the dc out terminals ?
I wouldn't advise you to, but just take our word for it. We've looked for good cheapies for many years now. They always fail our standards test in some way. Too slow on overcurrent shutdown, some kind of weird Earth/DC GND isolation/coupling, lacks output filtering, surges on power up, surges under load, surges when not loaded enough, high frequency ripple on the DC side, the list goes on and on. I have a steel locker full of them, some customer's test units too. Look at the end of the day, if it ruins a job for you, or kills a controller - you know who you gotta be angry at (not us) - so at the end of the day, I can't talk you into it. But its on you. If you trust it, then that's ultimately your baby right. Best of luck, and I hope that nothing bad happens and that the issue is put to bed.
I understand what you’re saying your units are designed to be paired with the meanwell. I have tried to source one in the uk but am struggling with a 350w version. Amazon and eBay have some but I’m not sure I trust they will be genuine. RS have them but on back order so might wait till there in stock and get one from there just to be safe in the future. I carnt thank you enough for your help and guidance much appreciated Tom
