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possable control box failure

Posted: Thu Jul 19, 2018 9:24 pm
by paramedicpops
I was halfway through a 3D carve with my HD 2.0 when it stopped mid way. Not able to control any of axis motors. Just a red blinking light on the control panel front.

Any thoughts?

Help

Re: possable control box failure

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:13 am
by Rando
paramedicpops wrote:I was halfway through a 3D carve with my HD 2.0 when it stopped mid way. Not able to control any of axis motors. Just a red blinking light on the control panel front.

Any thoughts?

Help
ParamedicPops:

IIRC, that red light means it had a communications error with the SD card. If you pop the SD card out and put it into a PC, does the PC think it's okay? Or does the PC think it needs formatting? if it says it needs formatting, go ahead and format the card (FAT file-system if it asks, quick-format is fine), then put it back in the Shark controller.

Anything recently change with your machine that might have lead to it? New fancy water-cooled spindle? New location? If not, it might very well be a random "card access error" that those old controllers seemed to fall into sometimes.

I'm assuming you have the "silver box" controller; that's the one I have too. I'm not certain whether they are able to get replacement boards for that unit anymore, but let's keep our fingers crossed yours is just a one-time issue.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Thom

Re: possable control box failure

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 9:33 am
by paramedicpops
Ugh. I popped the card into my PC and it did want to re-format. Re-formatted the card and still nothing but the red blinking light on front of the control panel (big silver box)

No new changes to the configuration. I'm on east coast time so I'm waiting for NWA to come to work so I can call.

Thank you so much for your help...I sure do appreaciate it!!

Mark
With The Grain Woodworking

Re: possable control box failure

Posted: Fri Jul 20, 2018 12:08 pm
by Rando
Dang. Well, if I had to predict, they'll first want you to run through the "it's a bad USB cable" thing, so you might want to have a brand-spanking new cable to try out....when you're on the phone with them.

Don't ask....

Any chance you experienced any nasty static shocks on approaching the machine? Have you noticed any unexpected static build-ups?

Does the control software see the control box AT ALL? If it does, then there's hope :D.

Some things to try, in increasing levels of "invasiveness" (and "inappropriateness")

* :roll: That new USB cable, I suppose
* 8-) Plug the PC-end of the USB into a different USB port
* :evil: Reboot the machine (presume you've done this already)
* :ugeek: Open Device Manager, locate the OEM ncPod controller, and uninstall it. Don't worry, the software drivers will still be there; "installed" in this case means
"loaded" by Windows. Then, unplug-and-replug the USB cable and see if it installs properly.
(Right Click on My Computer, choose Manage, then in the left-hand tree, locate "Device Manager", and then you should see the OEM ncPod entry in the ~middle)
* :geek: Uninstall the Shark control panel software, reboot, then re-install the control panel software, reboot, and run it again.
* :ugeek: Check that the power-wiring for the entire system isn't putting the controller "far" away from the computer, etc. Good grounds make safe systems,
for the people AND for the machines.
* ;) Buy a real controller...
* :o Convert that Windows PC to a Linux machine running LinuxCNC, and Buy a real controller
* :shock: Take that controller apart, remove components via soldering, re-route the ground wiring around the USB plug, then order another board to test the modifications
....oh, no, wait...that's what **I** did....don't do that. That way leads to madness. (but, it DOES get the machine finally off the dining room table!)

Hopefully it's a simple, FAR less-invasive fix than my initial experience. :D

Regards,

Thom

Re: possable control box failure

Posted: Tue Jul 24, 2018 4:20 pm
by Kayvon
Here's an explanation of the LEDs:
Blue is powered up indicator. It should be on the entire time the system is up.
Yellow is established communication. It should be on while the control panel is connected.
Red is transmission of data from PC to controller. It lights up only briefly while data is communicated.

When the red LED blinks, is it a steady blink, or just the flashing it usually does?