Okay, here are the results from the tests. Voltage did not appear to change as laser power was increased or decreased.
Laser fired automatically upon powering on the machine for tests M1 and M2
Please let me know if I missed anything.
While the LVPS is not plugged into the laserboard… r
Do not short the inner pin to the shield with the meter probes …
In the M3 case the laser turned on correct??
Unit was powered on for all 4 tests.
Laser began firing automatically for tests M1 and M3
I apologize for my not tracking with you here… when I power on the C3D by plugging in the DC cable the LED indicator comes on showing the board is receiving 24V.
Not sure what you mean by shield - is that meaning the back side of the DC in? The part I circled in the photo?
Inner pin being the pin on the backside of the board measured to the G pin on the LV connector?
I am referring to the connector on the end of the LVPS not plugged into the board.
Forget that measurement for now.
Something very strange and we are missing something here…
The laser comes on with K40 power as long as the LPS-LV connector is plugged whether the C3D is powered or not.
Yet: The Laserfire signal is always high (3+ volts) which suggests it is not pulling the L pin on the LPS low.
Yet From a previous test:
If we plug the LPS-LV connector in with the L pin removed from the connector the Laser does not fire at power on.
Did I get all that right?
@donkjr Yes, that all sounds consistent with what I have observed.
For what it’s worth: If I retrace my steps and think back to when I first started setting all of this up… I powered on the machine stock and test fired the laser. All appeared normal.
Swapped the C3D board into the unit and powered on - I noticed a hissing sound - which I now know is the sound of the laser tube firing. So I believe it has been doing this from the get go. ie, tripping the GFI doesn’t seem related to the issue I am having.
In case it matters… I unplugged the L pin from the LPS side of the plug, had the LV plug connected to the LPS and the C3D board. Laser would not automatically fire.
Laser module configuration
laser_module_enable
true
Whether to activate the laser module at all. All configuration is ignored if false
laser_module_pin
2.5
This pin will be PWMed to control the laser. Only P2.0 - P2.5, P1.18, P1.20, P1.21, P1.23, P1.24, P1.26, P3.25, P3.26
Can be used since laser requires hardware PWM
what about the:
switch.laserfire.enable settings that are in the Laser Module???
This is a stupid test but I am stumped (thats only temporary):
Plug the LPS side of the plug into the LPS with the L pin in it.
Take the equivalent pin (laserfire) pin out of the connector at the C3D side and plug it into the C3D…
I expect the laser will not fire at power on…
Another stab in the dark… looking for clues.
Put all the pins in the LV connector (both ends) and connect to the LPS and the C3D.
Unplug the other connections on the LPS other than the AC.
Post picture of this setup…
Does the laser fire at power on?
Laser module configuration
laser_module_enable
true
Whether to activate the laser module at all. All configuration is ignored if false.
laser_module_pin
2.5
this pin will be PWMed to control the laser. Only P2.0 - P2.5, P1.18, P1.20, P1.21, P1.23, P1.24, P1.26, P3.25, P3.26
can be used since laser requires hardware PWM
laser_module_maximum_power
1.0
this is the maximum duty cycle that will be applied to the laser
laser_module_minimum_power
0.0
This is a value just below the minimum duty cycle that keeps the laser active without actually burning.
laser_module_default_power
0.8
This is the default laser power that will be used for cuts if a power has not been specified. The value is a scale between the maximum and minimum power levels specified above
laser_module_pwm_period
200
this sets the pwm frequency as the period in microseconds
switch.laserfire.enable
false
switch.laserfire.output_pin
2.6
switch.laserfire.output_type
digital
switch.laserfire.input_on_command
M3
switch.laserfire.input_off_command
M5
Correct, laser does not fire at power on with these steps taken.
Laser fires immediately at power on with only the AC plug on the left, P and G jumped together, and the LV connector plugged in. Seems like it fires at a higher power and it fires immediately at power on. Typically it takes a few seconds for the laser power % to show, then the laser fires.
If I remove the jumper on P and G laser does not fire at power on, no laser enable, and no laser test. Laser test button on LPS will fire laser.
@donkjr shouldn’t that be:
switch.laserfire.output_pin 2.6^
given the comment in my smoothieware config.txt file:
# connect to laser PSU fire (!^ if to active low, !v if to active high)
Good question but that should be ok:
Below is a correct config file from the C3D site:
Note that the Laserfire switch module is turned off so the setting on P2.6 does not matter.
This config file looks ok if the laserboard drives an inverting (open drain) driver from P2.5.
Laser module configuration
laser_module_enable true # Whether to activate the laser module at all. All configuration is
# ignored if false.
Laser module is enabled
laser_module_pin 2.5 # this pin will be PWMed to control the laser. Only P2.0 - P2.5, P1.18, P1.20, P1.21, P1.23, P1.24, P1.26, P3.25, P3.26
# can be used since laser requires hardware PWM
Port 2.5 is used for laser fire and not inverted. It will be inverted through an open drain driver?
laser_module_maximum_power 1.0 # this is the maximum duty cycle that will be applied to the laser
laser_module_minimum_power 0.0 # This is a value just below the minimum duty cycle that keeps the laser
# active without actually burning.
#laser_module_default_power 0.8 # This is the default laser power that will be used for cuts if a power has not been specified. The value is a scale between
# the maximum and minimum power levels specified above
laser_module_pwm_period 200 # this sets the pwm frequency as the period in microseconds
switch.laserfire.enable false
Disables the laserfire switch module
switch.laserfire.output_pin 2.6
switch.laserfire.output_type digital
switch.laserfire.input_on_command M3
switch.laserfire.input_off_command M5
Config file and firmware files have not been altered from what came stock from C3D
Here is what we know:
Cases where the laser DOES fire at power up
Laser fires immediately at power on with only the AC plug on the left, P and G jumped together, and the LV connector plugged in. [with K connector unplugged]. Seems like it fires at a higher power and it fires immediately at power on. Typically it takes a few seconds for the laser power % to show, then the laser fires.
When the laser turns on at power up. However, the C3D laserboard “laserfire” signal is >3vdc, not ground
Laser fires at power on when LV connector is plugged into LPS and C3D, regardless if the C3D board is powered on or not.
Just pulled the 24v and 5v pins out of the C3D side of the LV connector - laser fires at power on. Same result whether they are connected or not.
Cases where the laser DOES NOT fire at power up
Laser does not fire in all cases that the [LPS-L to C3D-Laserfire] wire is removed at either end.
If I remove the jumper on P and G [with K connector unplugged & LV connector plugged in ] laser does not fire at power on, no laser enable, and no laser test. Laser test button on LPS will fire laser.
Laser does not fire at power up with a Nano V C3D controller installed.
if we unplug everything but the AC connection from the LPS it DOES NOT fire at power up.
We also know:
- The configuration file is good!
- The Laserboard, LPS, and Laserboard LVPS share the same ground.
Assumptions:
The 24V and 5V connections in the 4-pin LVPS connector on the laserboard are not connected.
Readers …
Anything I missed?
Looks correct to me. Only thing I might add:
Laser fires at power on when LV connector is plugged into LPS and C3D, regardless if the C3D board is powered on or not.