So here's a new one

So I have a question.
I just replaced my florescent light with leds.
However the rest of my shop still has florescent lights.
but they are a full 10 feet above the machine.
could they still be causing interference?

It could be if the error was really about the USB port. John commented later that he thought the error might be mis-represented by PicSender.

Did you get that worked out with him?

Larry,
The only conversation that I had with John is what you see here.
I am also in contact with Inventables.
I think Ill buy a new bulkhead connector an see if that works.
But I find it curious that it has been running fine for months and suddenly last Sunday it started acting up.
Thank you for your input.

Jan,
You wrote that PS v2.7.5 was working good for you, then you had problems, if I remember what you have written. Did you change anything prior to probing not working?

I checked PSā€™ error messages, and the error message is probably correct. Can never be completely sure when it comes to software, however.

1 Like

Hi John,
Yes, once I got my other issues resolved and ran a separate circuit for my dust collector, its been running flawlessly.
I have not made any changes since.
I received my new LED light tubes this week and installed them just last night.

Hereā€™s a thought.
Do you suppose it may make a difference if I use a different USB port on my laptop??

Jan,
Laptops can be very finicky with USB connections. I, and others, have found it necessary to use a powered USB hub between our laptops and grbl controllers. Changing the USB connection to a different USB port on your laptop may make a difference It will not hurt to try this, but I think it may mask the real problem and also may not fully solve your problem.

Please post the make and model of your laptop? Are you using a separately powered USB hub?

Also, please zip and send me the gcode file that gives you problems. I would like to test your exact gcode file this weekend on my grbl test rig using USB analyzer software with my PS source code. This may give me a clue as to why you have begun getting errors with code that has been working well for you.

Send your gcode file to me via email. Please do not post or share it publicly on the forum (I think Charlie would not like that - I know I would not if it were my code).

Thanks,
picengrave AT verizon.net

PS: I will be away for most of today and tomorrow, so it may be Monday before I can spend time testing your file.

Jan, are you using Windows 10?

1 Like

John,
My laptop is a Sony Vaio model SVE15135CXS
When I was having all the trouble some months ago, I bought a powered USB connection.
But at that time it didnā€™t make any difference and I disconnected it.
When my issues were resolved, I didnā€™t give it a second thought.
But I just dug it out of the cabinet and I hooked it up again.
I have it plugged into the same circuit as the laptop and controller.
Yes, it is Charlieā€™s file and I will send it to you.
Thanks for all you have done.

1 Like

yes Iā€™m using windows 10

1 Like

interesting.
So this is what I get this morning.

So it kind of tells me its not a picsender issue because picsender is not getting the response.
How does Grbl get corrupt and how can I tell if it is?

Remove the hub and restart all.

Maybe also the port number changed with the hub?

1 Like

Incredibleā€¦
Nothing works again.

I just took another look at your picture of the machine. Looks like your computer is located beside the motor wiring and the X-controller.

Can you try moving your computer away from all the X-carve electronics to see if that makes a difference?

So hereā€™s the latest.
The probing will simply not work.
However, I just (by eyesight) went to my XYZ corner, raised the Z to a safe height, and zeroed out.
I then loaded a program and ran it. (air cut)
No problem, its been running perfectly.

Jan,
I just tested the code here with my test rig several times, and it runs perfectly. I used PS v2.7.5 and grbl 1.1f.

Have you double-checked your probe wiring/connections?

Please post your grbl version if you have not already done so. Thanks.

Sorry, Iā€™m out of time to do more just now. I will pick back up on this as soon as I can.
John

1 Like

I have checked all wiring, but will go over it again.
How do I fined my Grbl information?

With PicSender connected to the X-controller

Press the gold GRBL button

On the next screen press the green GRBL settings button.

Copy the text in the right pane and post it here.

Use the gold RETURN button to get back to the main screen.

Thanks Larry,
$0=10 (step pulse, usec)

$1=255 (step idle delay, msec)

$2=0 (step port invert mask:00000000)

$3=4 (dir port invert mask:00000100)

$4=0 (step enable invert, bool)

$5=0 (limit pins invert, bool)

$6=0 (probe pin invert, bool)

$10=2 (status report mask:00000010)

$11=0.020 (junction deviation, mm)

$12=0.002 (arc tolerance, mm)

$13=1 (report inches, bool)

$20=0 (soft limits, bool)

$21=0 (hard limits, bool)

$22=0 (homing cycle, bool)

$23=3 (homing dir invert mask:00000011)

$24=25.000 (homing feed, mm/min)

$25=750.000 (homing seek, mm/min)

$26=250 (homing debounce, msec)

$27=1.000 (homing pull-off, mm)

$30=12000. (rpm max)

$31=0. (rpm min)

$100=40.000 (x, step/mm)

$101=40.000 (y, step/mm)

$102=188.947 (z, step/mm)

$110=8000.000 (x max rate, mm/min)

$111=8000.000 (y max rate, mm/min)

$112=500.000 (z max rate, mm/min)

$120=500.000 (x accel, mm/sec^2)

$121=500.000 (y accel, mm/sec^2)

$122=50.000 (z accel, mm/sec^2)

$130=540.000 (x max travel, mm)

$131=540.000 (y max travel, mm)

$132=100.000 (z max travel, mm)

Ok,
So based on the last message that I got from picsender, I felt that it had to be a hardware issue.
I did nothing more than a simple continuity test on the probe wires.
It doesnā€™t make any difference which wires I check they both have cross continuity.
(which to me, doesnā€™t seem right)
Now Iā€™m not an electrical engineer, but can someone explain this wiring at the plug?

Nor am I but that look odd to me. Snip of the red wire extension to the 2nd pin, so that only the center pin is connected to red wire. Easy enough to go back should it not behave differently.

Cross continuity = there is a short somewhere for sure.