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Brother TC-229 power alarm/problem

macgyver

Stainless
Joined
Aug 2, 2012
Location
Pittsburg, KS
I am looking at a '96 Brother TC229 that my friend bought and has decided to sell it. It was reported to run reliably every day before the auction, but has had this problem since it was moved to his shop. When it first showed up they would have to cycle the main power switch on the back cabinet until the control panel power light would come on and then it would power up normally I guess. He was able to play with it a little. When I was looking at it a couple days ago we couldn't get it it to turn on. When I turn on the main switch the power alarm light/button on the control panel comes on red and it also lights up a red LED on one of the boards in the back main cabinet. I checked for anything obvious and tried to make sure cables were connected and tight. The longer I messed with it, the longer the green power light would be on before the red alarm light came on. Then it went back to going red immediately.

I did not have a meter with me to test anything. I was thinking it may be a loose connection somewhere and plan to go through things and try to unplug connections but I noticed a battery pack on it and I am afraid I may wipe the memory if I unplug the wrong thing.

Am I correct in that it has to have a battery backup for parameters?

I plan to go back with a meter and measure voltage and make sure all the fuses are good.

How sensitive to voltage variance are these? The tag says 230v.

Another problem is that it was shipped with the wrong MPG pendant. The connector on the MPG does not match the control panel connector. Is it possible to get the correct connector and repin it? Are the MPG's different besides the connectors?

I am completely new to anything Brother. I have a cnc router with a Fanuc OM and that is what I am most familiar with as far as troubleshooting etc.

Being a Brother newbie, I understand this one is a G code machine, I think the control is a CNC-820. I was told it has app 55k of memory. I have read you cannot DNC with this machine. Is that accurate? Also, how are programs loaded, is it a RS232 or something else? Having a Fanuc OM, I am used to no memory, but I can DNC to my machine easily.

Thanks for any help,
Jason
 
Hey Jason. You should check the incoming voltage first. You should try to supply it between 205 and 230V. Check leg to leg and each leg to ground. Leg to leg should be within a few volts of each other. Leg to ground should be about half of the leg to leg. The MPGs have been the same forever. Not sure what you have there. Connector should be round with about 15 or 20 pins I think. A Speedio MPG should work on that machine and vise versa. Communication is via RS232. There should be a connector labeled PTP/PTR, that is the one you want to use. Null Modem cable with HyperTerminal or Predator or whatever else common out there. No drip feed capability on those period. The Back up batteries are inside the rear control cabinet. A set of two AA batteries. Only change once machine is powered up and ready to run. The spindle on that machine is not preloaded like all the newer brother machines since the S2A. The 229 had a rigid casting (same as S2A essentially), control not as good as A00 and parts especially electronics will become harder and harder to get.
 
Frank thanks again,

In reference to the spindle, how much difference is a preloaded spindle? In other words, is the one on the 229 'bad'? If I recall he told me this one is 16K rpm capable, is that right?

As for the rest of the machine, it sounds like it is good iron but like other old machines the electronics are the Achilles heel? My current machine is older than this one, but being Fanuc I have had good luck on finding info and parts if I need them. What parts on the 229 are the deal breaker that I can't find if I need them?

I think I also read that this uses air to keep coolant out of the spindle bearings, if so, how much air does it use? I got surprised with my router that has huge counterbalance cylinders on Z and eats air like crazy.

My needs for a mill are not extreme. From what I am finding, the two things that concern me the most are the small work envelope and it possibly being essentially an orphan. I don't see a mill running in my shop anywhere close to full time let alone shifts, but I may be wrong. I may get one in house and find a ton of work for it.
 
The preloaded spindles improve surface finish and runout for better milling. The newer (1998 up) preloaded spindles have ground spacer rings that establish the preload for that particular spindle and bearing set. I think boards, drives, motors and cables can become difficult to impossible to get. You should call Bob in Yamazen parts dept. to discuss parts availability. 877-619-7278. Air consumption probably in the 1-2 cfm range.
 








 
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