Sainsmart 3018 PROver LAser

Hi
I’m very new to CNC laser work. I have a Sainsmart 3018 PROver with the Genmitsu blue-violet 5.5w Laser module kit specific for this CNC machine. I have previously set up the router and it all work. But I simply cannot get the laser to work. I’ve watched every tutorial going - I’ve downloaded LaserGRBL and Lightburn. The equipment moves when programmed but the laser just doesn’t come on so I must be doing something wrong - but can’t figure out what. When I push in the button on the control board for the laser, it stays on permanently, so it seems to work. This is so frustrating! Can anyone help before I throw it out of the window?
Any help would be hugely appreciated
Connections below - I’m using the mains power but not sure what the 3 pin socket/point bottom left is for - there doesn’t seem to be a connection point on the main board





I’m wanting to use this laser on leather.
Many thanks in advance :slight_smile:

@Charlie27 ,
It is hard to see in lo-res images, but the wiring looks OK to me. You have a 2-wire PWM connected from the controler board to the laser board. The other connector is for a 3-wire PWM cable (for controller boards that use one) and is not used in your setup.

I dont see where the laser gets it’s power from? do you need to plug an adapter into the barrel-jack connector on the laser board when you are using it?

You say it comes on (full!) when you press the test button, if so, this makes me wonder how about your controller config. Is the laser PWM pin# the same as the spindle PWM pin#?

Finally; Which commands are you using? If you have laser mode enabled the laser may only come on while the machine is in motion.

Please note that we dont necesscarily have may Genmitsu specific people here; although we do have lots of experiene with very similar machines and controllers.

Genmitsu dont really do ‘community’ as a support option; but it may also be worth asking this on the genmitsu facebook site; or their subreddit.

Hi
Thanks for the reply.
I’ve got it connected to the mains. The manual states that the laser will be constant when the fire button on the laser controller panel - so this is right. I’ve used the settings given on the various tutorials:
Settings.pdf (41.6 KB)

Thanks
C :slight_smile: