I don’t have a solution but I can keep you company.
I've had (have) a similar problem, but only in direct manual or manual via the computer. The symptom is that when I try to start the spindle I get a "light" mechanical click and no start. Then after I do a bit of fiddling it gives a good solid "clunk" and off the spindle goes. I can't recall it happening under full computer control, it wouldn’t be something that would pass by unnoticed. Although that might just be luck. I've never tried very hard to traced the problem. Originally I though it might be something to do with my machine/computer start-up sequence or the door switch. Lather I thought it might be one of the VFD quirks. However it sounds like the light “click” is possibly a control solenoid, and the louder “clunk” is possibly a main power relay kick in, which if correct would make the culprit C2, I think?
It has happened maybe 5 or 6 times in two years. I know enough to know that chasing problems that you can't repeat on demand can be an exercise in futility, so I've let it ride for now.
Good Luck
Phil
Originally Posted by zephyr9900  I've been having an intermittent spindle drive problem. After powering up and ref'ing the machine, Mach's onscreen spindle button sometimes does not turn on the spindle. When that happens, if I switch the spindle to manual and then blip the physical start button, the spindle contactor will sometimes softly click, sometimes strongly clunk without actually pulling in, and then after several trys will actually start the spindle. After that the hardware and software buttons work reliably as long as I have the machine powered up.
Is there such a thing as a sticky contactor? They seem to me to be a kind of heavy-duty relay, and I know relays can have sticky contacts. Are there any other problems contactors can have? I don't think it is a case of low voltage, because the other contactors always work reliably.
Thanks,
Randy |