Laser comes on for a few seconds and shuts off

Community Support ❓ Something's Up
1

I moved my 12 x 30 laser setup to make room for another 30 x 30. Since the move, the laser will come on for a few seconds and shuts off. The program keeps running but the laser if off. I’ve reseated all connectors and changed the power setup and it still happens. Power off, power up, still happens.

Nothing in the setup or computer has changed. Happens with Gsender and LightBurn.

**** UPDATE ****
I can run the test fire in Gsender and Lightburn for any length of time and it works. As soon as I try to run a program where the gantry moves, the laser cuts out after about 2 seconds.

2

That sounds like a typical over current trip or overheating trip.

Can you hear a faint click when it happens? It could have a mechanical circuit breaker tripping.

Is there something different about the electrical receptacle you’re plugging into?

Is the whole laser box going dead or just the laser itself?

3

Can’t hear anything because the fan on the laser drowns everything out. The lights stay on in the driver box for the laser. It is on a new circuit but I tried a couple of circuits and even split the load between the two.
Just the laser shuts off, it physically continues the ‘toolpath’ but the laser shuts off after less than 5 seconds.

4

That sounds like some kind of overload protection for the laser built into the laser driver.

Without a schematic, I don’t know what to recommend except getting with the manufacturer for a suggestion.

5

I can run the test fire in Gsender and Lightburn for any length of time and it works. As soon as I try to run a program where the gantry moves, the laser cuts out after about 2 seconds.
I’m going to be speaking with Ikenna today about it.

6

@Plagmar Please report back here, Don, with Ikenna’s solution.

7

Will do. I have one more piece of troubleshooting I want to do before speaking with Ikenna.

8

So, ran another test. Unbolted the laser from the gantry:

  • test fire works while gantry is stationary
  • run a simple test where the gantry moves and the laser is stationary (in my hand) and the laser cuts out
9

Final test

Swapped the longboard from another machine and although it runs for a longer period of time, the laser does crap out still.

10

@Plagmar Does it do it with all files?

11

I tried one file and it did it. Drew two simple boxes and it crapped out.

12

Are you using Lightburn?

13

Yup, using Lightburn

15

@Plagmar It’s interesting. It’s like it’s getting a G0 command instead of a G1.

I’m sure that Ikenna will figure it out.

1 Like
16

Ordered a new laser driver. During my testing, the toggle switch ran out of toggles :rofl:

Hopefully it’s this for a fix…

17

After troubleshooting with Ikenna yesterday, he thought that the laser driver was likely the cause of my grief. I ordered a new one yesterday and it arrived today.

All hooked up with new cables and I’m back, baby!!!

18

@Plagmar It’s good that Ikenna was able to diagnose this and you were able to replace the bad part. I’m closing this topic.

Have fun burning things.