Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

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roy_okc
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by roy_okc »

Awesome that it has corrected itself. I wonder if there was a capacitor that was holding power longer than an overnight unplugging.

Not that you need it now, but one way to transfer large files is to copy to Google Drive, DropBox, etc., and share the one file to recipients of a special URL link. The recipient would then use the link to retrieve the file. Just make sure you get a link that is read only and only to the one file, perhaps in a special directory that you will later delete.
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everettdavis
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by everettdavis »

Set up an account on YouTube, post your video there and send them a Link to it.

Hard to say exactly why it started working, but working with electronic equipment through the years I have seen some peculiar things relative to ambient temperature causing metal wiring to flex expanding or contracting that enabled pins in connectors to touch, then separate causing some pesky things. Equally a cold solder joint on a board, and the case of the machine moving due to expansion, flexed the board and allowed a sufficient connection to exist to run, or broke the connection and prevented it.

Wires can be abraded on insulation, and the flexing allowed an exposed section of sensor wiring to short against the case at times, then pull away allowing it to work.


No rhyme or reason as to what specifically, or when, but darn hard to troubleshoot in concealed wiring.

Equally, it can happen inside sealed components that you cannot see inside.

I am sorry you have not been able to nail this one down, but I know that we are all interested in seeing what was wrong when it is discovered.

Everett
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dusty
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by dusty »

dickg1 wrote:Back on May 1, Tech Support requested that I make a video of the control panel. I did and "thought" I forwarded it. Checked the following Monday and Customer Service had not received it. Yep, too big a file for G-mail. I made another, shorter video,too big. Made a third, even shorter, yep, too big. Obviously I needed a different approach. Well, today I thought I had one, turned on the PP to start the video and the PP started running !!!

There was nothing done to it in the two week interval since the last video attempt. I checked it at 9500 rpm and it accelerated to speed as normal.

What caused it to correct itself?

Dick
I don't mean to be pesky but it did not correct itself. Believe me. I spent years in quality control doing environmental testing (temperature, drop, vibration, etc.). It was not uncommon to experience a test failure and then not be able to replicate it only to have it return after we had scheduled formal acceptance testing with the customer.

It will return AT THE MOST INCONVENIENT TIME.
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by Mike907 »

Maybe a cosmic ray made it down to sea level. :rolleyes:

http://www.solarstorms.org/SEUavionics.pdf

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reible
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by reible »

Sorry, but I have agree it is unlikely to have solved itself for long. You now have what is technically called an intermittent. I'd still take a look at the cables, pinched or shorted, the connectors, loose or not fully engaged.

If it is in the black boxes then it is better to go for a swap out of parts or send it in and see if they can reproduce the fault....... which they might not be able to do.

Ed
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rjent
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by rjent »

As a programmer, especially with programmable chips like eprom and the like (don't actually know if that is what they use or not), that is a very likely situation. All you have to do is drop one bit in a byte of info and the system crashes. The PowerPro has a non volitile memory and a "scratch pad" memory that it moves data back and forth. The non volitile is literally physically programmed (ones and zeros) and can not be changed, but the scratch pad area changes. If you left it off for a long period of time, the system came back with a fresh image of it's programming and is now working. Could it happen again, likely, but not necessarily. I would just run it and see what happens.

Like it has been suggested, post the vid on Youtube and direct tech to it, but they are probably going to just tell you to run it as well.

JMHO :)
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masonsailor2
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by masonsailor2 »

Has SS built in a way to reboot the computer or does it reboot every time you turn it on ?
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JPG
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by JPG »

masonsailor2 wrote:Has SS built in a way to reboot the computer or does it reboot every time you turn it on ?
Paul
I am gonna guess it does a power on reset(boots every time power is 'restored).


Gotta wonder it it was plugged in(and powered on) the entire time it was 'malfunctioning'.
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woodmeister
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by woodmeister »

I had a power pro and sold it because I was afraid it would not be a good deal in the long run. Love my 510 an sticking with it.
Sorry SS has let many people down in this area.
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dickg1
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Re: Where Is ShopSmith Tech Support?

Post by dickg1 »

JPG wrote:
masonsailor2 wrote:Has SS built in a way to reboot the computer or does it reboot every time you turn it on ?
Paul
I am gonna guess it does a power on reset(boots every time power is 'restored).


Gotta wonder it it was plugged in(and powered on) the entire time it was 'malfunctioning'.
My PP was unplugged and (obviously) powered off for three weeks. During that time I powered it up to take the video of the power panel that I was told Tech Support needed, then unplugged it. BTW I use it on 220V. On my third attempt to create a video acceptable to G-mail, it started at 500 RPM much to my surprise. Subsequently, I have been using it for routing at 9600 RPM with no hiccups, so far -- like nothing ever happened. I am aware that it could be an intermittent and am waiting for the other shoe to fall.

Dick
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