Accuset 2 Error message

NMFP · September 20, 2014, 09:07:12 PM

Sawed a large hardmaple and cherry job Thursday without any issues. Pulled the mill to another location this morning to saw soft maple, red oak and hard maple and the display would only say Check Breaker or cable. The up and down motor worked in manual mode which is how I sawed all day with it, using the scale.

Question is, how do I determine if its the communication cable in the track or the H bridge cable? Both are rather expensive and want to only replace the one that's the issue.

Is there something else that could be the problem? When I used the diagnosis mode, it would not even tell me battery voltage.

Its a 99 LT40 SH Remote with Accuset 2

backwoods sawyer · September 21, 2014, 12:46:17 AM

Sounds like a short. check for damadged cables and call WM doc Monday morning ;)

just_sawing · September 21, 2014, 07:48:15 AM

Just had this happen on my 70. WM came to the rescue and since the machine works on manual it means that there is a cable issue from the ACCUSET to the box. Mine was the y cable at the mill had come loose. I don't know the differences on the 40 but follow the cable from the accuset head all the way back with someone watching the display. when you wiggle the short it should show.

drobertson · September 21, 2014, 08:06:10 AM

I've had issues in the past just like this, seems like after a move as well, could be a fluke. Mine ended up being the splitter cable from the bridge to the other cables, just mine not sure what to tell you, make the call,

NMFP · September 21, 2014, 10:02:18 AM

Thanks guys. What I found strange was that it worked great Thursday, all day and then sat Friday hooked to the truck and then went to set up Saturday at a job and it would do much of anything other than work in manual mode. When I was sawing Saturday though with the scale... sometimes I would want to move a setting and it would either take off and go up and not want to stop or go down and not want to stop almost like the setworks was trying to take over. Has that happened to you guys before?

terrifictimbersllc · September 21, 2014, 01:02:44 PM

Yours is the error message that doesn't go away when the reset error option is pushed. Check the cable connectors in the big circuit box on the head. They look like computer cords and have knurled knob bolts that loosen with vibration. one going into the H bridge and I think two others. Also that all the other accuset cable connectors are tight. Look carefully at the cable all along the cat track and make sure to take up any slack in it and secure it with wire ties to the other cables in the plastic tubing. If there is a loop in your accuset cable it can catch on one of nubs on the inside of the the cat track and get pulled hard or even torn, as the track moves. You might also want to have a close look at what your cat track is doing on a full length travel of the head to one end and back.

prittgers · September 21, 2014, 01:13:54 PM

There is definitely the chance your problem is caused by an 'air gap'. Another place to look is where the cat track covers the cable end just ahead of the fender on some models. If the connector comes loose it can happen right there. Good luck!

drobertson · September 21, 2014, 02:50:05 PM

yep, same, it turned out being what wmz calls the splitter cable, reports were they had some defective ones that turn up after a while.

NMFP · September 21, 2014, 07:58:26 PM

I went out today and checked all of the connections. Everything is very tight and I still have the error message. Had my wife watch the diusplay as I wiggled and jiggled the wires and still nothing. Is there a way to test the cables other than with an ohms setting on a volt ohm meter?

I am not a fan of just replacing parts as I like to fix the actual problem.

All of your suggestions are appreciated. Although it seems to be a simple system, I find it complicated at the same time as far as diagnostics.

Is there a certain feature or area to look if it is not sensing battery voltage? I had it show battery voltage one time today and then it went away.

backwoods sawyer · September 21, 2014, 08:18:30 PM

Go into the control panel like you are calibrating the head. I believe it is the next layer deeper under diegnostics.
Got the book handy? I don't ex still has all that stuff.

NMFP · September 21, 2014, 08:23:13 PM

Yes, I have the users manual but it doesn't go into any real detail. I guess I am just wondering if its something more than the cables? If its just cables, I can deal with that but if its something major, I am not really going to be happy at all.

Any thoughts based on the error message I am receiving?

backwoods sawyer · September 21, 2014, 08:57:33 PM

I am leaning towards the cables.
Hope it is not an exspensive fix if it's not.

NMFP · September 21, 2014, 08:59:55 PM

Is checking for basic continuity acceptable for these types of cables? Don't want to cause more problems than what I already have.

Thanks for all of the help.

backwoods sawyer · September 21, 2014, 09:04:53 PM

Disconect both ends and go pin to pin.

Gary_C · September 21, 2014, 09:11:21 PM

Check your ground connections carefully for loose or corroded connections. Nothing will cause more problems to some of these circuit boards than a poor ground. Could be why it cannot read the voltage.

NMFP · September 22, 2014, 06:46:59 AM

I found a ground within the large box on the head of the mill but is there one in the command control box? Seems like there are so many grounds on this machine instead of a centralized ground.

Opening the door on the side of the mill is sometimes intimidating. Almost to the point of just closing it up and not wanting to look at it.

I will work on it this week at night and see what I come up with.

Thanks guys!

terrifictimbersllc · September 22, 2014, 06:55:38 AM

Where is the breaker it is referring to in the error message-look into that. Also if anything related to this goes through the other cat track wires (through the connectors at the box P1 and P2, each 16 pin), check the clamps that secure those outside the box. Those 16 pin connectors can have problems too. One tell-tale is if the problem is intermittent as the head goes down the track. I'd start with looking at all 32 lines on the circuit diagram to understand whether any of these could be related (or ask WM support this question), and then a phone call to WM electrical support.

drobertson · September 22, 2014, 09:24:01 PM

Amazing! waiting for an answer, like I don't know what it is,,,, sorry had to add,

NMFP · September 23, 2014, 08:35:01 PM

Checked the long cable in the cat track and checked for continuity. That cable is good.

Anyone have a diagram for the pins on the h bridge cable? I don't know how to check that.

Everything is tight at each of the connections but I feel the problem is the h bridge for some reason.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

MartyParsons · September 25, 2014, 08:57:57 PM

Hello,
There is no diagram that I am aware of. I just switch out the cables till I find out which one is not communicating. If the voltage is not coming up you may want to just jump over the accessory solenoid terminals to make sure it is getting enough current through it. It seems strange that you have an error message and the saw head still moves up and down.
Most times when the saw head moves up or down on its own you are loosing transducer communication. I saw a mill a few months ago that the magnet was not strong enough to send the signal. I shook the transducer and the head went up on its own. Replaced the magnet and it solved the error message and the saw raising on it's own.
Hope this helps.
Marty

drobertson · September 25, 2014, 09:03:19 PM

wmz did add a stabilizer to the magnet assembly. this may have helped, could not hurt for sure. But when they told me there was an issue with faulty splitter cables the light came on. this was a simple fix, and at no charge.

Peter Drouin · September 26, 2014, 06:18:47 AM

Quote from: MartyParsons on September 25, 2014, 08:57:57 PM
Hello,
There is no diagram that I am aware of. I just switch out the cables till I find out which one is not communicating. If the voltage is not coming up you may want to just jump over the accessory solenoid terminals to make sure it is getting enough current through it. It seems strange that you have an error message and the saw head still moves up and down.
Most times when the saw head moves up or down on its own you are loosing transducer communication. I saw a mill a few months ago that the magnet was not strong enough to send the signal. I shook the transducer and the head went up on its own. Replaced the magnet and it solved the error message and the saw raising on it's own.
Hope this helps.
Marty

Where is the magnet?

Dave Shepard · September 26, 2014, 10:57:55 AM

To the right of the scale board is the transducer bar. I think the pickup (magnet) is behind that towards the bottom. It rides on the bar.

The transducer bar is the shiny rod straight above the guy getting cut in half in the pic:

drobertson · September 26, 2014, 09:37:11 PM

good pic dave! but have to say, anyone with this mill knows just what it is,,, or they have been real lucky. And I don't believe in luck.

NMFP · October 01, 2014, 10:57:11 AM

Changed the H bridge as that is what was recommended by WM, but still have the same issue.

As far as checking the magnet in the transducer, would that allow the diagnostics mode to still not register voltage from the battery? I have checked the grounds and find everything to be clean and tight.

Starting to get frustrated as I only have a few hours a week to work on it and I am finding there really isn't a way to diagnose the situation without parts replacement.

Any thoughts? Thanks for all the help so far.