My GF Pro stopped cutting through proofgrade acrylic. I figured it was just dirty, so I cleaned all four lenses: lid camera, cabinet left side, printer head side lens, printer head removable lens. I am using an external fan, which I have used for about a year now without any problems. What is happening?
Also, I have noticed that sometimes the inside lights turn off in between the time I close the lid and when I walk back to my computer to line up my art. This is new.
EDIT: they are not actually turning off, but bed image just appears dimmer on my screen. Lights so seem to slightly change when I open and close the lid. Canāt tell if they are as bright as they are supposed to be, because I never really paid that much attention to their brightness before.
It is very possible that your machineās tube is losing power if you are using the one you had when you joined the forum in 2016. Have you cleaned the air assist fan recently? Does the machine cut well if you slow your speed slightly?
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I am using the same one since 2016 ā I was an early adopter. I am not a heavy user of the machine, but I donāt know if hours-of-usage is a factor, or just time-since-purchased. I am using an external fan instead of the internal one, based on recommendations I read here (and it has been great!). If I slow it down, I am sure it will cut better. Is that what I need to do from here on out? How much life does this tube have left in it? It sounds like an expensive fix.
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As it is still working I would just slow it down. If it is not PG acrylic, that could also be the problem. I have a couple of sheets that do not have a brand on them and they also can be a problem
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Okay, not suddenly the bed image is garishly bright and washed out, where before it was very, very dim. Is my lid camera going bad, maybe?
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Thete is a standard minimise power use when nothing is happening the goes back to bright as soon as you do something.
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Well, Iāve had the machine for 8 years and itās only been recently I have seen the too dim/too bright behavior.
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(edited) I noted that the cable glued to the underside of the lid, that leads to the lidās camera, terminates into the light strip, which in turn runs to a small connector in the lid (one on each side). These then funnel down to a slightly larger connector in the body. I checked all of these connections and they seem to be properly secured.
It seems that if the lights are normal brightness, not too bright, not too dim, I can get a normal proofgrade cut. If they appear too dim or too bright on the bed image, I will not get a complete through cut. There is definitely an issue here.
Also, I guess I didnāt specify previously that I am using proofgrade material from GF store.
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Not the tube then. It might be the power or a bad connection somewhere. Too bright could kill the lights prematurely.
Contacting Wiregrass might be a good next step.
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The suggestions above are all valid, but if this is one of the early machines, you are way ahead of the odds. Mine lasted about 6 years and was really a struggle for the last year. They are designed to last about 2 years.
The tube itself is a common cause of failure - itās not a scientific-grade instrument. It essentially āleaksā over time, regardless of use. So, for example, a tube that sat on a shelf for as long as one that was used may be just as likely to fail in the (designed lifespan) period of time.
So, thankfully, most people had many more years than originally expected, but this is just a hobby machine, and you have to expect it to be replaced, if you like having a laserā¦
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Are you using āset focusā or autofocus?
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Sounds like black cable connection issues. Those are GF spare parts. Shipping is usually almost as expensive as the cable though.
Do the lights change brightness if you wiggle the various connectors & loose sections of the wiring? That would indicate a broken or cracked wire. Check the connection of the little board the lid flat wire plugs into. In fact check to see that all the lid light connectors are clicked in. Things may be moving when you open & close the lid which is why sometimes you get normal brightness as connections are moved making better connections in the wiring.
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Iām using Automatic.
I fiddled with the connections as you described last night and it seemed to return to normal behavior, at least for the time being. I think that is the source of the problem.
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Try using set focus - itās possible with your lighting issues that it isnāt focusing on the surface correctly which would cause cut through issues.
I am pretty sure you are right. Opening and closing the lid causes the lights to either go on normally (becoming more rare), go on brighter, or cut off altogether. Iām woefully ignorant when it comes to how to get the spare parts. Do I order them from GF or from Wiregrass? And how can I get verification that this is the correct next step? Will GF support help me with that?
The oldest machines had a very short run from the black cable to the rest of the machine. the new ones are very much longer. a broken connection there may be episodic and increasingly common till it does not connect at all. If that is a part of the problem the extra bright lights endanger the magic smoke held by the chip at the end of that cable possibly to let it escape if the lights get bright enough.
Wiregrass does sell that chip, and the black cable is also replacable. but both are a PIA to try and replace.
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You can contact Wiregrass and I believe theyāll do the work for you. Or you can purchase the black cable from GF and they have instructions for replacing it. Support can also help if you run into a problem.
There is a way to test the cable using a multimeter as long as you have a reference cable or someone who will get you readings from their functioning cable. But if youāre not already familiar with how to do it, a replacement without testing is easier.
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Thanks, rbtdanforth. I donāt understand this part: āthe extra bright lights endanger the magic smoke held by the chip at the end of that cable possibly to let it escape if the lights get bright enough.ā what is the magic smoke?