Cleaning Rotary Encoders in GCC Spirit.

[KPBadger]

Hello all,

its been a while since i have been on the forum - busy with two jobs and laser cutting!


My GCC spirit has started misbehaving - producing serrated cuts.
i recall reading ( i think from our good friend and invaluable contributor Rodney ) that the encoders can be cleaned. did a forum search and found something to this effect.

i would like to do this anyway, even if its not the major cause of this issue.


Does anyone have experience of this operation? - the encoders are rotary type attached to the opposite side of the motor spindle from the drive pinion. worried to dive in take them off in case it loses its position or something - ( im thinking like a timing belt on an engine! )

maybe i got this wrong and some other version of the machine had linear encoders which could be cleaned?


any input much appreciated.


Regards
KPB / Stuart

[Al_The_Man]

De-natured alcohol and lint free cloth, Opticians sell or give away both.
Just be careful with the glass disc, although usually it is tempered glass.
There should be no adjustment necessary, the only thing you may find if you use the marker to home, is that the zero/home point may have changed slightly.
Al.

[keebler303]

On cheaper machines the encoder disc is probably plastic, like the US Digital products. Are these still ok with denatured alcohol?

Matt

[Al_The_Man]

It should be OK as De-NA is fairly non-invasive.
If in doubt, get a small spray bottle of opticians cleaner.
Al.