Ok guys, I have a problem that I can’t seem to fix. For the last 24 hours I have been bugging @Alex_Krause getting my smooth k40 put together. I wired it up just like he did and everything works great -except the laser does not turn on.
I wired it up with a level shifter and a smoothie board, the steppers work and I can run g code from laser web. The test (text lol) light on the power supply has also never came on. The laser will not do anything. I looked at the tube, could not see cracks. I have been running water through it all day, no leaks or drips. I tested all the switches on the control panel, all seemed to be functioning properly.
I have been hunting for loose wires with no luck. I was hoping you guys might be able to help me out.
I have all the switches still wired in. Is there a safe way to test the high voltage side of psu? Bottom line is no current at all is passing through laser tube.
From what I understand, pressing the"test" button should bypass the enable switch. The ammeter on the laser control panel has never moved since I got it.
I pulled off the connections on both sides of the laser, to ensure they were connected. Blue wire goes from laser tube, to ammeter, then to ground. On the positive side, a heavy gauge wire comes directly from power supply.
Pic is the back of power supply.
I’m highly suspecting no current is being sent to positive side of laser tube
I did already. I was determined to get this functioning this weekend, but it’s got me whipped. I went through every connection, tested everything I know how to, opened up the power supply, it does have a small fuse inside BTW. Only think I couldn’t test is whether voltage is coming to laser tube. Thanks everyone for your help.
Use High Voltage and laser safety procedures (including wearing protective glasses) when making any of these measures.
Do you have a test switch on the power supply?
If you push it does it fire if the enable button is pushed on.
You said above the red or green led on the LPS mother board is not lit?
Do you have AC to the supply (measure at the terminals)
Is the glass fuse blown (read resistance across it) or any charred parts. Unplug the machine from the wall and wait a few minutes when you do the above.
Post a picture of your LPS from the connector end showing wiring.
If the laser does not fire when the enable is asserted and the test button (on LPS motherboard) pushed you have something wrong with the LPS. If I recall the led on the LPS motherboard should come on when AC power applied. (I am remote from my machine).
No
There are 2 leds on power supply, next to AC power terminal strip. The green led (power) comes on when I turn on main power switch. The red led (L) does not come on no matter what buttons I push. The ammeter by main power switch has never moved either. I checked resistance between all connections between start of laser tube and ground, all were fine. I did not check between power supply and laser tube, since connection seemed sealed at power supply.
Yes, read 119volts from black to red, black to yellow, and black to other yellow on 4 wire terminal strip into power supply.
0.2 ohms across tiny glass fuse inside of power supply, nothing appears out of place, or charred.
Thanks @donkjr
@Mark_Leino it seems like the supply is dead or we still have the interlock loop open some how.
DO NOT try and measure the output of the LPS’s high voltage. You needs special tools and it won’ tell you anything you don’t already know and it is dangerous. This supply puts out extremely high voltage.
I am guessing its not related to the pot as the “text” switch does not work.
Here are some Hail Mary measures:
Wear your laser glasses:
With machine on and interlocks and “Laser Switch” closed.
Can you measure and tell me what voltage from gnd** to these pins are:
**there is gnd on the DC connector to the right
P+ (black)
G (black)
K+ (white)
K- (white
You might as well measure the pot leads while you are at it.
@donkjr
Just to confirm so I get the right measurements- test with “laser switch” depressed to the on position, “test laser” switch depressed, and text switch pressed
@donkjr
I’m feeling a little dumb right now. I pulled the connectors off the smoothie to use the ground. Sure as sh** I pressed the test button and the led (L) lit up, and the laser fired.
Well I found what was wrong. It was the 4 wires directly off the smoothie board. I misunderstood how Alex had it wired. He had the main 4 wires wired to A,b,d of main smoothie terminal. I had them abcd, so it was not allowing laser to fire. Dumb mistake, it was the first thing I wired up.
Now I have the opposite problem. When I turn on the “laser switch” it fires right up.
While doing all my checking, I noticed that the “test switch” was allowing some current to pass even when off. So this is likely the cause. I will report back. Thanks @donkjr . I had pretty much given up until I got some more suggestions from you:-)
