Need Help!- Bridgeport Series 1 CNC - 56 VDC problem?

[John Maher]

Bridgeport Series 1 CNC, Boss 6.1, with original Textron tape drive.
3 phase UK machine
Plan is to convert it to Mach3 control using one of Hillbilly's breakout boards
I took this approach because someone who worked at the training college the machine came from said everything was working fine when they decided to let it go i.e. original stepper motors were OK.
It's been standing idle for a few years until now

Problem I have appears to be lack of 56 VDC supply for the axis motors. I have no movement on X,Y or Z.
Spindle works OK and the main control panel lights up.
Diagnostic tests point to a possible problem with the 56v transformer T6

Other potential failure points are listed as BR1, C1 or R3.

Might sound like a dumb question...... but where is T6?? The manuals show locations of T1, T2 etc in the main power cabinet but I can't find T6!

Is it buried behind the card rack in the control equipment enclosure (below tape drive)?

I'd like to see some movement from the axis stepper motors prior to carrying out the BOB conversion but this has brought things to a halt.

One other thing that doesn't appear in the manuals...
aside from the main power line going into the top of the power supply cabinet, there's an additional set of wires fed in that also connect to the main power disconnect. I'm guessing this may have been an extra switch the college wired in as a safety precaution? I don't think it has any bearing on the lack of 56 volt supply but maybe someone knows different?

Thanks in advance for any help

[gridley51]

John,
search here and on the Artsoft forum for Hood from Carnoustie.He`s the old resident Scottish expert on all things Mach 3 and Bridgeport.

[John Maher]

Thanks gridley,

I've been in touch with Hood several times already and he's been super helpful.

Although he has the same machine, his retrofit is far more thorough than mine... he's replaced the original steppers and drives so we can't compare notes on my proposed Hillbilly 'minimal' retrofit

I did make one good step forward today... I got the 56 VDC supply sorted

Still no axis movement though

At least I can get nw go a little deeper with the diagnostic process. Trying to figure out the ACC card next. The current settings across FU12, 13 & 14 don't tally with those in the manual and adjustments don't appear to make any difference.

The display panel illuminates and doesn't throw up an error message but nothing happens when trying to jog X, Y or Z