Wells-Index 700 controller issues

[jasnooks]

Not sure if I'm posting this in the right place.

Heres my problem:
I'm trying to get this old mill going. Everything was working ok. Had a program loaded, machine moved fine. Then i was punching code in, and all of a sudden the controller "locked" up. Various lights came on (Circled in yellow in second pic). Now no matter what i do, the lights stay on, controller stays locked. I've tried everything i can think of. Tried reseting, disconnect power, etc.. I'm thinking the controller just crapped out, but i'm hoping somebody has some idea's. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[HuFlungDung]

The Reset button (Red on the left) is on. So that means that there may be a controller error. Pressing Reset should normally cause that light to go off.

The Reload led comes on whenever power is interrupted, indicating that memory is empty. This happens if you unplug the Bandit. If you put the control in Standby with the toggle, this keeps the memory alive, so long as the control is plugged in.

The Green Start button is normally lighted, except when the machine is executing a program in Auto mode.

The other Leds are simply axis and direction indicators that help describe what is showing in the small command display.

If Reset won't reset, you should make sure that the machine is off the limit switches. Running onto a limit with the Bandit means you just lost your programmed position. Time to start over. It'll make a man out of you

[jasnooks]

Originally Posted by HuFlungDung If Reset won't reset, you should make sure that the machine is off the limit switches. Running onto a limit with the Bandit means you just lost your programmed position. Time to start over. It'll make a man out of you

Its not on a limit right now, quill is down about 1" and the table is pretty much centered.
Start over??

BTW, i'm not able to input anything now. Pressing key's or switching mode switch does absolutely nothing. All circled lights stay on, including axis lights.

[HuFlungDung]

Yes, you've got to clear whatever is causing the Reset condition before you can do anything.

Don't assume because the machine is not on a limit switch that all the switches are in good condition. One could be gummed up. You'd probably be best to check the limit switch circuits for continuity (with an Ohm meter) and make sure they change state when actuated.

With the control unplugged, did you lift the card cage and try pulling all the boards and reseating them? This is classic maintenance for a Bandit.

Something could have gone wrong with the POP board. For service, you'd need to talk to Len Albright at Albright's CNC support services in Bozeman, Mt.

[jasnooks]

I'll check the limits and reseat the boards. I'll post the results.
Thanks for the input.

[jasnooks]

Ok i checked the limits, they all appear to be good... No difference.
Pulled and reseated all the boards 3 times.. No difference.

Heres something else i noticed tho. This plug is little burnt, and with machine on for a few minutes, the plug gets kinda warm (Not to hot to touch, but pretty warm). I attached a few pics with the plug circled in yellow. The pics are shot standing at the front of controller looking at the back inside wall of the controller box. The wires all look good, and the other end connections look good.

[HuFlungDung]

You should fix whatever poor connections you can find. With a bit of monkeying around, you should be able to bend in the lugs from the back of that connector (on the bad wire), then push it out and resolder the connection.

The cabinet looks like it took a hit. Is anything damaged or accidentally shorting out inside?

[jasnooks]

I'm in the process of checking all connections inside the controller.
That connector, although burnt, is not melted and the one burnt wire connector looks good. I'm gonna look into it a little better tho.
Yeah the cabinet is dented in on the one side, but thats old damage. The machine was working with it like that. Nothing inside appears to be damaged.
I'm gonna also check the fuses on the drive cards that i just noticed.

Once again thanks for the help. I'll post results

[jasnooks]

Nothing yet

[HuFlungDung]

Probably you should contact Albright's CNC. The prescence of 3 axis indicator leds all being lighted at once is a logical impossibility for the 'command word' being displayed, even if you did have a value in machine memory, which you apparently do not. Once you hear the price of repair/exchange, you'll probably begin thinking about retrofitting.