Bot kept stopping during job

[barrowj]

Just an update to my various issues that I have experienced over the past 2 weeks. My shop (35' x 40') is behind my house and was powered from my house (60amp 220v line approx 100'). This presented an issue for me after purchasing my shopbot last summer. I could not run (at least in my mind) another tool comfortably since the bot has a 3hp single phase spindle (30amp), a dedicated vac (8amp) and soon a lighthouse (black box homemade) with 2 motors and may upgrade to 4 motors soon (15amp).

I recently had the power company run a separate 200amp service to the shop and after tidying up the cables and moving the power to the new box I began having issues. The bot would stop mid cut on most files and randomly throw an error really quick that a problem occurred that could not be corrected. I reviewed all the cleanup work I did in tidying up the cables and found 2 motor cables with old nicks and bare wire showing (previous to my purchase of this used machine). I contacted Jeremy @ shopbot and ordered 2 new cables for my X2 and Y motors, installed them but still had the same issues.

I emailed support this weekend and Frank was super nice to respond and go over my issues. He suggested that it might be something related to the usb cable or several other factors so I began that troubleshooting. After several hours of swapping out computers, reloading the control software, etc it turned out to be the USB cable. I replaced it and was able to run a 3d file (attached) as a test and now I am very happy. This is a good lesson to check everything and anything, it could be the most obvious thing that is overlooked because you thought it just couldn't be that simple cable.

Joe

Pictures are of my control panel cleanup and the 3d Angel.

[tri4sale]

This is a good lesson to check everything and anything, it could be the most obvious thing that is overlooked because you thought it just couldn't be that simple cable.

In my many many years of working with computers, so often it is just that simple cable that was causing so much grief!!! And sometimes they are the hardest problem to troubleshoot.

[jerry_stanek]

What brand of computer are you using to run the bot

[barrowj]

I have 2, a Dell 755, 32bit 3gb ram dual core cpu as a backup and a HP xw4600 64bit 8gb ram quad core as the current controller. All of the power, sleep setting and auto updates are off. I work for HP as a Production Environmental Manager (for now, they may retire me this year) so naturally go with the HP system. I just bought the HP ENVY x2 15" tablet with bluetooth keyboard to use like a laptop in the shop and in the evening on the couch .

[jerry_stanek]

my dell 755 will do that I have an old hp that runs mine fine have not had a com error with the HP in 7 years but get them all the time if I try to run the dell.

[David Iannone]

Thanks for sharing that story Joe. That is something that can be hard to diagnose.

From 2007-2012 I worked for a Contract Company for Charter Communications. Installing Data, Voip and video in homes and commercial business locations. One time when troubleshooting a new install I just finished everything perfect, but signal was all jacked up at the interior outlets, I traced it back to the "brand new" out of plastic bag splitter in the house box.

I am still having my Bot struggles with Comm errors. Gary Campbell is helping me by building me a custom Control CPU to solve my "unique" communications issue with the old machine.

His shop is about 2 hrs away from mine. I will take my control box to his shop, and he will make sure all is as it should be.

Years ago, I cut all the wago plugs off where the motors plug into cables and soldered them all together just to make sure there was no loose connections.

Dave