Should I get a Line Conditioner For My XCP?

I’ve had a few instances where my carves have gone off course. I suspect it’s fluctuations in the power from my non-gfci outlet. Several CNC users have recommended adding a double conversion UPS, but they are expensive and I don’t need blackout protection. What I’m thinking of using instead is a line conditioner like the Tripp Lite LC1200. I selected that one because it’s rated at 1200 watts and the X-Carve Pro is rated at 1200 watts. Before I pull the trigger, will this line conditioner be the right choice spec-wise, and will it help smooth out the power to my XCP? Here’s a link to the unit: Amazon.com

A power fluctuation would not result in the carve going off course, the carve would fault and stop if there was a power influx issue.

If your carve is going off course, then you may be driving the machine too aggressively and are simply loosing steps within the stepper motors themselves.

What Material?
Feed?
Depth per pass?
Spindle RPM?
Bit Size & Type?

The X-Carve Pro should easily handle these specifics:

Material: Maple
Feed: 100ipm
Depth per pass: .1"
Spindle RPM: 16000
Bit size and type: 1/4" 2 flute spiral upcut

I’ve had it go off course on three different test cuts. Everything has been ruled out except the stability of the power.

well, the listing has free returns… so i guess you could buy it and try, worst case you’d just send it back… I’d probably get one rated for a higher wattage than exactly what the machine draws.

But i sincerely doubt it will fix the issue…
Have you tried the carve in a softer material? MDF is a good place to start to get to know your machine’s capabilities. If that’s hard maple I tend to take lighter passes, if you split that in half again, to 0.05" especially if you’re slot cutting. There are other issues that can cause the carve to go off course, like intermittent stepper connection (loose wires), or overheating drivers (but I doubt its overheating issue based on the current weather in the US…) Or drivers tuned below optimal settings (I don’t have a pro, and the photos I’ve seen of the controller board, I didn’t see tunable settings like most other CNC’s have)

I’m with @SethCNC on this one!

Are you noticing any power blips when the carve goes off the prescribed path? Anything else turning off & back on at the same time?

Unless your local grid is extremely dirty for some reason or you are introducing crazy harmonics onto your home’s system, it is very unlikely that “power fluctuations” are the issue. Utility companies should remain with very tight tolerances during “non-event” periods. Issues like flickering (frequency regulation issues) and brownouts are not very common in most residential areas. Also, the non-GFCI outlet would not really have anything to do with it unless it is a source of connection issue (i.e. loose connection…also known as a fire hazard).

I do not have an X-Carve Pro (finance committee will not allow it), so I can’t test the feeds/speeds. They do look reasonable for the X-Carve Pro specs though.

Have you contacted Inventables’ Support?

Maybe there is some adjustment that needs to be made to the controller? Maybe the pots for current limiting are not trimmed correctly (assuming the controller has these)…

{:0)

Brandon Parker

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I am working with support to troubleshoot the issue. For the moment, it doesn’t seem to be a problem with the power to the machine. What’s happening is that the toolpath is shifting slightly to the left on the X-axis during the finishing pass. I ran a test to see if the pulleys from the X-axis stepper to the ball screw are slipping on their shafts, but for the time being, that doesn’t appear to be the case. I’m starting to think the X-axis stepper may not be getting the right amount of current to stay on course. We’ll see and I will report back once a solution is found.

Have you found a solution to this, mine is doing the same thing, and have checked the same items you have.

Yes. As it turns out, the wasteboard was shifting side to side during the carve. I inserted Maple wedges between the wasteboard and the Y axis supports and that solved my problem.

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