Help ! Upgrade chinese 40w laser to 50W

[Mcbride19]

Thanks for this information .
I'm going to check my mirrors.
Is there a tutorial or something like that to do it ?,



EDIT: sorry just found a tutorial for that !


EDIT 2 : I'v made some alignement but it doesn't changed a lot it seems that the beam is a little bit more power full but not enough to cut 3mm plywood !


PS I'm still searching a good tutorial for mirrors alignement, those I found is not really good !

[Retroplayer]

That really is not good that P+ is connected to ground. There is no interlock for the laser!

But anyway, not the end of the world (until you don't realize the beam is on and stare into the laser or stick your hands or clothes in the path while it is firing!) Personally, I would at least bypass this and install a latching switch somewhere. I really don't want to recommend this, but to wire it up the same way it is wired up now, just ignore the P- line since this is logic ground anyway. When you connect P from your new supply, it will just be permanently grounded just like it is now.

I know you insist, but this is a multilayer board. I see the thermals on the P- pin to ground, but I don't see them on the P+ line. Have you actually measured this to be sure they are connected? But even if they are not, again just ignoring the P- and connect P to P+ will be the same as what you have now. There is nothing special about the P- pin.

On the old supply, you have the extra grounds just as a convenience for wiring. But they are all physically connected together on the supply.

As for the rest of the connections, it looks pretty straight-forward and I mentioned some things to note above. Do you still need a wiring diagram or have any specific questions?

[Retroplayer]

I think yo must also check mirror aligments and maybe check your lens. I have 40w china laser. I use it everyday about 3 hours. I cut 3.5mm birch plywood power 25% and 10mm/s , 3mm masked achryl 30%, 10mm/s and 4mm achryl 45%, 9mm/s. 3.5 mm plywood cut about 15%, 10mm/s but its not best quality. I have lens with 38.1 mm focus.

Also, if you are looking for cutting thicker material, you should have a 50.8mm lens on hand. The 38.1 is best for engraving and cutting finer lines because the dot will be smaller. But it has a smaller depth of field so it will have trouble cutting thicker material.

[miketola]

I cut only max 6 mm. 38.1 mm almost double power with smaller dot. Perfect to me.

[Mcbride19]

Well, if it isn't a problem for you and if it doesn't use too much of your free time a wiring diagram will be much more appreciated I will be sure to do the right connections !

By the way do you think it will be a good thing for me if I will change the lens(I don't know what lens I have on the machine).
Of course I want to engrave but I , also want to cut plywood and other materials.

[Retroplayer]

Well, if it isn't a problem for you and if it doesn't use too much of your free time a wiring diagram will be much more appreciated I will be sure to do the right connections !

By the way do you think it will be a good thing for me if I will change the lens(I don't know what lens I have on the machine).
Of course I want to engrave but I , also want to cut plywood and other materials.

I couldn't make that decision for you. All I can do is explain the benefits to both. For engraving, you get much more resolution with the 38.1 lens. But as Miketola mentioned, you CAN cut thicker materials, to a point, by doubling the power or slowing the speed. With the 50.8mm lens, you can cut thicker materials faster with less power, but the beam is wider.

I will try to put something together for you for a wiring diagram. I do have one question on your motherboard, though. You have two pins that seem to be labeled LASER (CN2 the second and third pins from the bottom.) Where are those currently going?

[Mcbride19]

Thanks .

So the best is to have different lens for different sort of work we want to do.

For the 2 pins labelled LASER, I will take time to have a look on it and I'll tell you where it goes !

EDIT:
here is the photo of the connections on the motherboard, I just had to make a sharpen filter(the photo has been taken with a mirror) and invert it, sorry for the quality.

[Retroplayer]

Thanks .

So the best is to have different lens for different sort of work we want to do.

For the 2 pins labelled LASER, I will take time to have a look on it and I'll tell you where it goes !

EDIT:
here is the photo of the connections on the motherboard, I just had to make a sharpen filter(the photo has been taken with a mirror) and invert it, sorry for the quality.

Alright. I'll try to put something together for you today.

[Mcbride19]

Thanks again, and remember there is no hurry, I waited until now I can wait a little more

[Retroplayer]

Thanks again, and remember there is no hurry, I waited until now I can wait a little more

Here is what I came up with. There were a few connections that were not entirely clear. Like the 2 LASER lines on the motherboard. Doublecheck the connections on CN5 of the motherboard.

I also couldn't tell where CN4 is going. To the control panel, I assume?

[Retroplayer]

[Mcbride19]

Whouaou !!!!!!!! faster than light !
You're diagram is really clear !!
so the cn4 on the motherboard is for the second motor(cn1 is the first) and cn2 is for the 2 endstops(curious isn't it ?)

You're talking about 2 Laser lines but I see only one ( on the middle right connector on the motherboard) as you can see here :



I've searched but I can't see another laser line !!!

[Retroplayer]

Are you certain? According to this picture, 24V and G are connected, 5V is not populated, and then two lines with laser across them, and then the last pin is ground.

The last pin is not connected because we already have a ground on the top pin. 24V volt is needed by the steppers and is probably regulated down to 5 on the motherboard for the logic.

I may be the angle, but to me, it looks like those two lines from the bottom are both laser. Otherwise one pin is missing a label entirely.



You have it in front of you, of course, so you are in a much better position to trace those wires and make certain. My laser cutter has a different board entirely, so I can only go off the pictures.

[Mcbride19]

you are right the third pin from the top has no label and nothing is connected on it(there is only 4 connections used) and the 5v is populated , the laser also and the last (a ground) is not populated, so the laser connection is only the second pin from the bottom !

Don't worry you 've done enough. I think you're diagram will be enough for me to make all the connections without problems(well I hope I won't have problems )

You have been a great help, now I just have to make the connections , change the tube and ... power on the engraver to test

[Retroplayer]

you are right the third pin from the top has no label and nothing is connected on it(there is only 4 connections used) and the 5v is populated , the laser also and the last (a ground) is not populated, so the laser connection is only the second pin from the bottom !

Don't worry you 've done enough. I think you're diagram will be enough for me to make all the connections without problems(well I hope I won't have problems )

You have been a great help, now I just have to make the connections , change the tube and ... power on the engraver to test

Good luck!

[Retroplayer]

I just realized I made one error...

The G from the laser power supply and the V- from the 24V supply should be tied together. All grounds on every board and supply should be tied together or you might get some weird results with different ground potentials.

[Retroplayer]

Updated wiring diagram in case someone else comes along and attempts to use it. lol

[Mcbride19]

ok I'm going to tied together all the ground from the PS and the different boards !

[Mcbride19]

OK here are some news I've just finished to conect all.
Here are some pictures:
the box(made with wood and covered with fireproof paint(I've cchange my mind and made it longer(and in wood) just to be able to put a longer tube, and the holes are here to access to the screw, of course i'm going to close that)


and inside you can see the new power supply and the 24v one, on the right, the photo has been taken before connected all the cable of course.


I tried the test button on the control panel and nothing happened. I tried to engrave something to see if the motor were working, and all is ok, the head move without any problems but no laser beam !!!

I've noticed one thing, on the control panel the p+ is not rely(it's only a cable that is cut before reaching the connector) it's the P- that was rely to the K+ on the old power supply.


----------------------------------------------------------------
I've just seen a test button on the power supply, I decided to push it... the laser work, and if I change the power on the control panel, the laser is also changing his power , so this part is working well ,
So now I also supposed that we only have to find how to send the command, to power on the laser on the power supply!!


EDIT:
I've just realised something, P+ and ground were sold together on the old supply ,If I understood well, the P+ must be rely on a security system (like a end stop on the lid) and to the ground, so ,for example if you open the lid of the engraver, the laser will stop !!??

And as you wrote me before the K+(P- on the control panel) will have to be rely on the H connector on the new power supply. So if i'm connecting the P+ to the ground and the P(P- on the control panel that was rely to the K+ on the old power supply) to the H on the new connector , do you think it will works without problems(I explosion, fire or else !! ) ?

Later I will put a security button, not to prevent the opening of the engraver but on the water pump

[Retroplayer]

EDIT:
I've just realised something, P+ and ground were sold together on the old supply ,If I understood well, the P+ must be rely on a security(like a end stop on the lid) and to the ground, so ,for example if you open the lid of the engraver, the laser will stop !!??

And as you wrote me before the K+ will have to be rely on the H connector on the new power supply. So if i'm connecting the P+ tyo the ground and the P(P- on the control panel that was rely to the K+ on the old power supply) to the H on the new connector , do you think it will works without problems(I explosion, fire or else !! ) ?

Later I will put a security button, not to prevent the opening of the engraver but on the water pump

Nothing will blow up to try it. It seems all the important connections are working. Just make sure you are wearing your glasses or shielded from the laser in case it stays on and you are looking around in there.

Let me know what you learn so I can update the drawing.