System Starting Please Wait and wait and wait...

[SkipW]

Went to turn my LC6090 laser on today and I got the usual message on the screen, System Starting Please Wait. That's all the farther it will go and just hangs there. Anyone have any ideas as to what the problem could be? It a 2007 80w USB model running LaserCut 5.0

The power supply cooling fan is running and I've tightened all the wire connections I can see. Still no win. Any suggestions?

Thanks

[zax15uk]

Skip,

There are many possible causes, it could be something as simple as a limit / home switch stuck or failed.

If not, I would suspect the motor drivers or motor PSU (check the fuses).

Zax.

[SkipW]

Thanks Zax. I think it may have something to do with the X stepper driver. The X motor used to make a small clunk when I'd start the machine up but it doesn't do that now. I'll have to dig a little deeper I guess. I'm not sure if there are fuses to the motors or not. I've never seen any but I'll check that too.

Thanks !!!

[SkipW]

I have power to the steppers, the limit switches are good, and I couldn't find any fuses anywhere to check. The motor drives each have a green light and a red light and the green lights are both lit. That's good, right? LOL

I'm wondering about these two spare chips that they sent with the laser. There's two identical ones on the main board. I hope they aren't soldered. I think if they just pull out and press in, I'll change them and see what happens. Could the problem be that simple? Does a former drill sergeant make a terrible therapist?

[TonyRabbitlaser]

Skip,

If you have a MCP6515 motion control board, the communications chip on it has most likely failed. See if you can run the machine from within LaserCut, if you can do that but still nothing at the operator panel, it is most likely the comm chip on the motion controller.

[zax15uk]

If you have power to the steppers it should jog under keypad control, if it does then I agree with Tony it is likely the comms chip. If it won't move then I would suspect the motor controller (not the motor driver).

I would also suggest looking at the caps on the board, these fail a lot more frequently than the actual IC's.

Zax.

[SkipW]

Thanks Zax and Tony. Yes, it is the MPC6515 motion control board, V 4.0.0.15. I cannot do anything from the laser key pad or the laser controls in LaserCut. The only thing that happens is I turn the power switch key and I get the System Starting message and that is where it says. I did hear the X stepper make the initializing noise (slight clunk) the last time I tried to start it, so I know it's getting power.

Here's a couple of pictures that may help with the trouble shooting. Are those fault lights on the lower left side of the motion control board? There's eight lights there top to bottom. I don't remember having more than two lights before. I think the bottom one was lit and the top one was flashing before my troubles.

Thanks much !!

Skip

[TonyRabbitlaser]

There is an error on your board. It is reading out a config file error. If you can download a new config file try that. This might not work if there is a communication error.

[SkipW]

I will try that, thanks Tony.

[cinematic2]

That is common problem with MPC6515 and PAD03.
You just lost connection between mainboard and control panel.
Check black cable connection.
Special connctor under PAD03. Clean it with alcohol.
You should take wires out of white connector, clean them and put back fastening.
It works.

[SkipW]

Originally Posted by cinematic2 That is common problem with MPC6515 and PAD03. You just lost connection between mainboard and control panel. Check black cable connection. Special connctor under PAD03. Clean it with alcohol. You should take wires out of white connector, clean them and put back fastening. It works.

Where were you 2 weeks ago with this information???...

I put a new MPC6515 and keypad on it. Dean over at legacylasers.com gave me a great deal on the parts. I also upgraded the software from LaserCut 5.0 to ver. 5.3.

And what is really amazing is that I had a 3 1/2 year old spare 80w laser tube sitting on a shelf that I had bought new with the laser. I installed it last week and it works just like a new one. I'm pretty happy about that. I don't know how long it will last but as of right now it is working great.

Thanks

[cinematic2]

What is a great deal?