Fadal vmc 15 88hs rs232, new board not working

[dsergison]

I had my rs232 board quit. There is a diagnostic procedure if you type DI GO3000 you get a menu to test it with a mirrord connector...... my old one was not working, I sent it to FADALCNC. They tested it, confirmed it's bad, and sent me new but different board. This new board is different in that it is updated and can control the axis drives clock also, if you want it to, but you can leave it just as it was if you like. (all according to them)

My new problem is, my rs232 still does not work with the new board, and the mirror diagnostic loopback test menu when I enter DI GO3000 is gone. it just pops up a ? mark.

Anyone?
Thanks.
so frustrated.
Dan

 

[bobotwf]

Well it seems calling fadalcnc might be a good first step, but the question mark seems common when memory is corrupted. I could see this happening since a board it was expecting is gone and different board is in it's place. If you feel up to writing all your settings down and reentering them you could reset the memory and see if it works itself out.

 

[dsergison]

I am calling them this morning.
meanwhile here is an exerpt of my email communication to them about it, I'll post it here in hopes someone recognizes my likely problem or perhaps I find the solution with fadalcnc's help and I'll put it here too, and hope it helps someone else.


(
I cannot commuicate to the new rs232 card.
I have tried the mirror connector test, and it fails.

additionally,

I put the new card in and set parameters and backlash. I powetred it up and I cold started it, but it was erroring the x axis. then my X axis went nuts after cold start it and was moving uncommanded. I e-stopped it, powered it off, reseated the cards and connectors, and repowered.

After reseating the cards and connectors, it again needed the parameters and backlash. but the second time and from then on it behaved properly and cold started normally.



but it still fails rs232 mirror connector test in the controller.

my Fadal pc software loopback test through the controller also fails.

I have a video of the non-destructive loop test.
It passes everything except the rs232 mirror test.


What was done in testign my old boards? It is impossible for me to see a single point failure cause this because you say you checked my rs232 board in your chassis and found it bad. I find my old and your new board to be not communicating in my chassis with either the mirror test or my pc, eliminating my pc or pc to machine cable. You also had both of my other boards there, but I have no idea what you did to test them.

)

 

[dsergison]

machine still dead.

I've tried 2 new type boards from Fadalcnc, and I had my original board rebuilt by Galco, and it still does not work.

I am about to be sending Fadalcnc all of my boards so they can try them all together in their machine.

Is there anyone near Peoria IL I can pay to try some board swapping with?

 

[matt_isserstedt]

Dan

I had problems with my RS232 board when I was trying to get a USB-RS232 cable to work for DNC, doing the same type of checks..

All of the sudden weird stuff like you are describing was happening and the machine won't run. I thought I cooked my board. However it was seated incorrectly. I figued this out by luck, i pulled it, checked, put back in and suddenly everything was fine again and RS232 works great.

I then got the Calmotion USB drive so I don't have to monkey with that any more. I program at a PC and carry a USB stick to the machine, download to the control, make any final adjustments for Z-height, and go to work.

 

[dsergison]

Dan

I had problems with my RS232 board when I was trying to get a USB-RS232 cable to work for DNC, doing the same type of checks..

All of the sudden weird stuff like you are describing was happening and the machine won't run. I thought I cooked my board. However it was seated incorrectly. I figued this out by luck, i pulled it, checked, put back in and suddenly everything was fine again and RS232 works great.

....

so ive had all my boards in and out a few times, I first sent my rs232 board and my video and my main board all to Fadalcnc, they said my rs232 was bad and sent me a new type. (maybe Fadalcnc just tested the rs232, found it bad, and sent new one back and did not check my main control board also?) I got them all back and a new type replacement rs232 board, not working. they sent me another new type rs232, not working. I sent my original rs232 to Galco for component level board repair and still not working....

By not working I mean not passing the control diagnostic loopback connector test, or communicating with pc.

I have traced all the cables internal and external and they are ok. I traced from the board plug, through the internal cable through the cabinet connector, through my my serial cable to my pc where i jumperd my 2-3 pins at the pc end, and all the way back to the board connector.

I bought a new pci serial card for the pc... not working either.

about the only thing I have not tried is a new main control card, which Fadalcnc is going to actually test them all in their chassis when I send it to them tomorrow.

 

[IAMATT]

I do believe their is a lead from the keyboard interface to the clock board that may need to be swapped to the new board. In addition why not use the new board as the clock board? it is an all in one board.


Also you spent too much you could have bought a used board on ebay for hundreds less than a new all in one board.

 

[dsergison]

Because they told me I would need to retune all my servos if I changed clocks. And because they admitted lots of weird problems with the new style board.

Hard to buy cheap boards. Not knowing which is actually bad, not having another machine to swap with to help identify the bad board.

 

[RevetsP]

If you get really stuck try calling Integra Machine Tool, they have guys that worked for Fadal themselves and continued to work on them after they went under.

 

[dsergison]

Damnitsomuch.... Fadalcnc says the repaired board works fine for them, installed along with almost all of my boards in their machine. At least they are refunding me most of my costs.

They do say it does not pass the self diagnostic, but also they say that's not uncommon for them to not and be fine. ?????

I have little faith it will work here as nothing has been changed.

I sent them every board except the axis boards to test together.

Can my chassis be bad?

Will see in a couple days.

 

[Chobyn]

What version of the control software are you on?
Is the board a 1040-b, or a 1040-c? it matters.

We went through this recently (lightning strike fried several boards on some machines)
Ultimately we ended up getting a 1040-b board, new, not re-manufactured.
Other option per our tech was to update the software as the newer boards dont recognize the older controller software.
Might be an avenue to check out.

 

[dsergison]

the rs232 transfer works now but only if I type TA,1 on the control, and only if I use with a different program FadalCNC-DNC

I've never had to type TA,1 before, and I used to use the software NCFadal. I used to be able to send programs when the machine was at the enter command prompt.

I determined my pc's built in serial port does not work byt getting a new pci-serial card and it does work, also I set up an old pc that I had used before with this mill and pc built in serial works, but again only with the new FadalCNC-DNC software which I have never used before all this mess.

So I can't figure out what changed to make my old NCFadal software not work. I liked it much more, it was much cleaner.

Something has got to be set differently on my vmc now, but I'm running all my original boards. (the rs232 was repaired at Galco)

 

[dksoba]

the rs232 transfer works now but only if I type TA,1 on the control, and only if I use with a different program FadalCNC-DNC

...

Something has got to be set differently on my vmc now, but I'm running all my original boards. (the rs232 was repaired at Galco)

Does your loopback test work?