Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: rbullard on May 27, 2018, 12:34:08 PM

Title: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 27, 2018, 12:34:08 PM
I have a LT6090 from China, purchased the licensed Mach3 version R3.043.066 (properly installed, shows my name and this version), and cannot for the life of me figure out why the code stops running very predictably approximately every 10 minutes / 10,000 lines of code. I have Mach3 installed on desktop 64bit Win7 with USB controller and it runs fine...up to about 10 minutes / 10,000 lines of code. Then I have to hit, reset, run from here, Start, check the box about feed rate, then wait for spindle speed to get back up, and hit start again.  It then starts where it left off.  I've discovered this works to get me thru a project most of the time, however on some projects when i do this restart it seems to shift the project slightly on one axis by just a little, but after restarting several times in a big code it is obvious and becomes a ruined project. What I've done to try to figure it out is:

1) Tried a different USB (used the one off my laser that works fine with the laser -- but it made no difference on the CNC as it still stopped approx. every 10,000/10 min.);
2) Checked the computer -- not in sleep mode, not connected to internet, no screensaver, no other programs or anything running & nothing in terms of timing that would make it stop;
3) Turned off all electrical components including the lights (!) -- code still stops at around 10,000/10 min.;
4) Ran the code with CNC machine OFF -- but USB connected -- code still stops at around 10,000/10 min.;
5) However, when I run the code with the machine totally disconnected (USB disconnected b/w computer and controller) -- the code runs fine.

If anyone can help me figure this out, I would greatly appreciate it.  I'm pulling what little hair I have left, out.
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: joeaverage on May 27, 2018, 02:11:51 PM
Hi.
sounds like some power saving feature of the PC.

Craig
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 27, 2018, 03:50:25 PM
I thought so too, except that it doesn't stop at all if the computer is not connected to the USB controller.  If it was a computer issue it would stop regardless.  I checked those things also and dont have any sort of anything set to sleep (set to "never") or screensaver (disabled)...
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: ger21 on May 27, 2018, 04:29:39 PM
Is there any type of message when it stops?
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: joeaverage on May 28, 2018, 03:01:35 AM
Hi,
in Device Manager expand the USB Hub entry and right click on Root USB HUB, click Properties and look at the Power Management tab. Does it show that the OS may turn
the USB Root Hub off to save power?

Craig
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 28, 2018, 01:03:19 PM
Is there any type of message when it stops?
No - The only message next to reset is just "Press Reset...Emergency Mode Active" ... No error codes
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 28, 2018, 01:04:17 PM
Hi,
in Device Manager expand the USB Hub entry and right click on Root USB HUB, click Properties and look at the Power Management tab. Does it show that the OS may turn
the USB Root Hub off to save power?

Craig
Man I was hoping that was it.  Just checked it and No, it isn't checked.
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 28, 2018, 01:10:06 PM
I need to correct something -- It actually may not have anything to do with certain number of lines of code (just that is what it seemed at the time I check it).  I started logging again the times it stops and it seems that about 95% of the time it is within a 9-10 minute time frame that it continually stops but I have seen it stop in the first 4 minutes sometimes (usually the first run of the code).  As far as the number of lines of code, I can't say unequivocally that it is every 10,000 -- just that when I was logging the line number it was on yesterday's test as it stopped, it seemed to be around 9500-10000.  Another test today showed that it did it around the 10 minute mark but it was only on about 6000 lines of code.
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: RICH on May 28, 2018, 01:26:48 PM
Guessing since it's repeatable............. thermal shutdown of the LT6090 chip...... change the jumper on the chip????

 Option maybe ...get rid of the Chinese junk?

FWIW,
RICH
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: rbullard on May 28, 2018, 02:37:32 PM
Guessing since it's repeatable............. thermal shutdown of the LT6090 chip...... change the jumper on the chip????

 Option maybe ...get rid of the Chinese junk?

FWIW,
RICH
I'll research that. Thanks.
I'm not to the point of calling it junk just yet. It works fine with this exception and I have to assume it's some kind of timer or setting or something I'm not aware of.  I paid a fair amount of money for it but certainly am not of the mind or pocketbook to afford probably what you or others here have.
I have a chinese laser that works great. I know some complain about it, but once you work with it and figur it out, it's great.  The chinese are certainly piss poor regarding after service assistance (that's for sure), so you're sort of on your own trying to do that.  That's where I'm at right now.  Just gotta get this figured out.  I have a few other things I'm gonna try and will report back but if anyone has any other ideas, let me know.
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: ger21 on May 28, 2018, 09:13:21 PM
Is there any type of message when it stops?
No - The only message next to reset is just "Press Reset...Emergency Mode Active" ... No error codes

So the reset button is flashing when it stops?
Sounds like you have noise triggering your estop input, or possibly a limit input?
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: joeaverage on May 29, 2018, 12:37:57 AM
Hi,
is it possible that there is an overheat alarm which causes the Estop?

Would explain the approximate consistent fault AND the Estop.

Craig
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: ger21 on May 29, 2018, 07:50:07 AM
If it was overheating, I doubt that he would be able to continue running after it stops?

Or if it did, I'd expect it to stop much sooner the next time?
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: RICH on May 29, 2018, 05:17:52 PM
Only the Chinese know how their thermal overload  works. suggest the user jumper it out and test.
Have a look at the schematic.

RICH
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: Pythagoras on June 03, 2018, 08:27:23 AM
My 2 cents, noise on the Estop.
Also are you running the same gcode, and is it stopping at the same point in that code?
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: Mpace100 on February 16, 2020, 10:22:23 PM
Any luck with this? I am having exactly the same issue. I have tried on different PCs with the he same result.

Thanks Marvin
Title: Re: Mach3 stops approx every 10 min. / 10,000 lines of code
Post by: GabeR on April 08, 2021, 12:56:48 PM
Have the same issue. every 10 minuts stops without errors, anybody figure it out?