ShopSabre Sidekick 10 Acorn Retrofit

[ShawnM]

Thanks Jeff. I am cutting 15/16" holes in the 1/2" plate. it's cutting near perfect holes with THC on even with the voltage issue I'm having. I have a new Ingersoll Rand dryer and have a regulator and gauge right at the plasma cutter. I have it set to 105 PSI and it does't drop below 100 ish while cutting. Air is not the issue here.

What's happening is the torch raises up after the THC delay because the voltage is not correct. By the book it's 131V for 1/2" plate at 85A. When the cut starts it's ok but then the torch raises up to try and correct the voltage reading. I only see 93V on the CNC screen in Acorn when cutting the plate. There's an issue somewhere with voltage and the THC is trying to correct for this voltage irregularity.

It's doing this now on all cuts, the voltage isn't consistent on the screen from the THC. It won't match the numbers in the profile manager.

Do a test for me on your machine. Cut anything and see if the voltage on the screen that the THC is measuring is what you have set in the profile manager.

I've opened the Hypertherm to confirm it's set to 50:1 and the THC config screen in Acorn is also 50:1. Not sure what is happening still.

[cnckeith]

reset THC voltage config by using the THC configuration macro.
then
rerun the THC configuration macro to recalibrate the THC voltage.

[ShawnM]

I can certainly try this tomorrow and hope for the best.

My question is what would cause it to go out of calibration? Why do I have to re-run the test? How often will this happen?

I opened and verified that the Hypertherm is set to 50:1 (factory default setting) and even checked the voltage divide board in the Hypertherm with their tech support. Both impedance readings per Hypertherm check perfect so it's not anything to do with the Hypertherm. It's less than 6 months old as well.

After my first calibration with Keith it cut great and I cut hundreds of parts without issue out of 16 gauge steel. Now after the holiday break and back to cutting I'm having some weird issues and I made no changes to the wizard settings or THC configuration and there are zero errors in my error logs.

[jcoldon]

Check cpc cable make sure it pins are ok. Is this a real hypertherm cable or diy . Also make sure all your grounds are good on the table .
Do not Coile grounds or extra cpc cable. check the wire going in to the controller make sure is away from other inputs . Also check your nozzle and shield . a bad pierce can ruin a nozzle in 1 pierce . causing voltage to be off . Make sure you use correct amp nozzle for the amp setting you are using
Are you use shield or open shield on torch . All this stuff changes voltage . voltage readings are always problems in plasma . mostly caused buy no or ungrounded tables I run a 10 GA ground from my z axis to x axis to the y axis to the frame so the slides are not acting as the ground . As i stated small holes no thc . jim colt has posted this many times . Hypertherm come set with 50 to 1 . there lots of reasons voltage could be off i stated above
another also check wall power make sure it not dropping in voltage also you can measure the cpc voltage with a dvm keep in mind it not going to read what on the screen . Believe it or not a coiled ground to the plate can alter thc voltage readings in some cases i seen it personally

[cnckeith]

I can certainly try this tomorrow and hope for the best.

My question is what would cause it to go out of calibration? Why do I have to re-run the test? How often will this happen?

thc calibration is a set it and forget setting. should not have to reset unless you change out something that would effect torch voltage.

[cnckeith]

Check cpc cable make sure it pins are ok. Is this a real hypertherm cable or diy . Also make sure all your grounds are good on the table .
Do not Coile grounds or extra cpc cable. check the wire going in to the controller make sure is away from other inputs . Also check your nozzle and shield . a bad pierce can ruin a nozzle in 1 pierce . causing voltage to be off . Make sure you use correct amp nozzle for the amp setting you are using
Are you use shield or open shield on torch . All this stuff changes voltage . voltage readings are always problems in plasma . mostly caused buy no or ungrounded tables I run a 10 GA ground from my z axis to x axis to the y axis to the frame so the slides are not acting as the ground . As i stated small holes no thc . jim colt has posted this many times . Hypertherm come set with 50 to 1 . there lots of reasons voltage could be off i stated above
another also check wall power make sure it not dropping in voltage also you can measure the cpc voltage with a dvm keep in mind it not going to read what on the screen . Believe it or not a coiled ground to the plate can alter thc voltage readings in some cases i seen it personally

thanks for the good tips!

[ShawnM]

Yes, all great tips. It's not a ground issue, I have a 10' copper ground rod, 3/4" in diameter in the ground for earth ground. The work lead is on the ShopSabre diode next to that on the table. The machine has all three axis grounded with a 12 gauge wire to the same point.

I have 208 three phase power for the plasma cutter. All good in that department.

The CPC cable came from ShopSabre and tests good.

I'll re-run the calibration test again with brand new consumables.

The holes I'm cutting are almost an inch in diameter so they are not that small. It cuts good even when the torch raises up almost 1/2" above the steel to try and correct for the voltage.

Nothing has changed on the machine from the old controller to the Acorn except the Acorn. It was cutting great for the first few weeks and now I'm having some hiccups to work through. Still trying a few things.

[cnckeith]

Shawn,

Hello. Latest beta is here.

https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=6713

[ShawnM]

Attached is the current report with the newest beta software. Also a link to my google photos with the video of the keyboard jog issue that is dated today. The page up/down buttons on the keyboard do not move the Z axis. The arrow keys move the X & Y axis just fine.

Google drive video with keyboard jog issue: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Jy6QGNh5Wy5FFF3Q6

Also, I could not import my drive xml file that I saved from the last beta. I have emailed that file direct to Keith.

report_80F5B52C3273-1028215302_2022-01-18_15-02-38.zip

(1.7 MiB) Downloaded 47 times

[cnckeith]

thanks Shawn! looking into it now.