Need Help!- 1994 Haas VF-3 boots up half way, then locks up.

[brian1876]

So yesterday we are 95% done milling a stainless steel part that we started on Saturday. That’s right, 84 hours to get through one program. (Owner didn’t want to use a rougher) While the machine was doing its thing another piece of equipment in the shop blew the main breaker and the shop went dark. After turning everything off including the Haas, we reset the breaker. When rebooting the Haas, we get the standard first screen, then the second. Something like “welcome to your new milling experience”. At the bottom right hand corner we see the “alarm” indicator and from there it just seems to be locked up. Pushing the ALARM MESGS button I hear the keyboard beep but nothing happens. I can do a hard restart while holding the PRGRM CONVRS button and that typical screen comes up and I get a blinking dos prompt. Because of this I’m thinking I have eliminated a bad processor from the equation. I have past experience with our HFO tech guys on a couple of other issues and have little respect for the debugging abilities so I’m trying to solve this on my own. Even if I considered re-installing the software couldn’t get to my presets screen to write them down on paper so that option seems to be out. We have checked all the fuses/breakers and have a good 12 and 5 volt power supply to the processor stack.

UGH! I’m at a real loss as to what to try next. Any help would be so greatly appreciated!!!

[Bryan33]

If you voltage is good and it will not boot up then the only thing you can do is to reload software from the software load screen. You will just have to re set up all your par. You will also loose all your programs and offsets

[Wizzard of H]

There is a row of red LEDs on the processor board.
They come on is sequence as the machine starts up.
The PGM light says it found the machine software.
The Halt light says processor has a serious problem.
Find out what these show or how they change as power is applied.
It's unusual to have power cause this unless something external was connected.
Some simple stuff...
Did you have an RS-232 cable plugged in?
Low voltage may seem okay but make sure power supply is getting 120 VAC.
Single phase would run supply in 60 VAC and provide out of spec low voltages.
Also make sure all three phases of input power are present.

[brian1876]

Posted this earlied but I guess it didn't take...

I found the row of 8 LED's. All are lit but the halt is dim. We put a new "matching" computer power supply in today but no-joy. I do have 119 VACs at the input side of that power supply. I have correct voltage at all 3 phases.

When I'm in converse mode I can type things on the screen by pressing buttons on the keypad and if I hit enter get something back like invalid. So doesn't that mean the processer is fine??????

I did have the RS-232 plugged in when all of this started but it's unpluggd now.

I did find a written copy of the parameters (from 1998) but man, I REALLY don't want to try the reinstall option if I can avoid it.

Any other thought?????????????

[Wizzard of H]

Sorry.
This does not look like it is going to be simple.
If the PGM light is on, it found the software and it passed a CRC check.
That means it would not help to re-load the software.
The PGM light also means it is running the main software.
There is no fault or the run light would be out.
Possible damage to the contents of battery-saved memory is most likely.
There are instructions for clearing all of that saved data but that is what you wanted to avoid.
Instructions depend on version of software you have now.

[NWSERVICEGUY]

I have came across this problem a number of times. Really after checking to make sure that all the LVPS 12 and 5 volts are good and being supplied to the boards all you can do is reload software. Reloading software typically will fix the problem if nothing was damaged. You can try clearing out the battery back up memory and then try to power it up. You will loose your parameters, programs, and offsets, but at least you won't have to reload software. You can email me if you have any questions on this process. I will need to know what your bbu memory is. This is shown on the screen when you power it up holding the prgm/conver button.