New Generation 2 PowerPro Headstock Touchscreen

[claimdude]

I will check the manual for an info on the new overload system and report back here.

]

Yeah, I kind of thought it looked like a thermal overload protector, but have only seen these on a few products. It looks resettable, but I was wondering how it worked, i.e. how can it be close enough to sense thermal temp of motor, but maybe the point is ambient rise inside the housing will set it off of the Gen 2 overheats? Referring to that device to the right of the fuse socket on the back of the headstock in the pic from Jack.

I agree with your comments on the thermal overload. The Gen 1 monitors what I believe is heatsink temperature of the control module and takes action (software) in case of overheat. The motor slows down but does not stop, which keeps the fan turning. You're supposed to stop using it. I don't know what to make of the addition of the old-school thermal overload monitoring something else, air or case temp. Is that in addition to the old system? If yes, does it trip at a lower threshold? I was surprised when I saw it on Jack's picture, from the words I thought they were adding it to the motor case. I presume that a Gen 2 either runs longer or shorter before overheating under like conditions. Maybe it's all in the manual...

Phases - I think of this as naming convention. But I mostly worked on stuff with three phases and we referred to any 180 degree (or opposite amplitude) products as A', B', or C'. We called them phases. It is in the same category for me as direction of current flow, I learned electron flow in the service and had to re-learn it as conventional flow (aka hole flow) in college where amps flow in the opposite direction. As woodworkers, it is relevant that equipment labeled 230V single phase will work on household 240VAC (whether we call it 220, 230, or 240).

- David

[RFGuy]

I will get you the measurements in a day or so. Certainly by the weekend. The screen looks all scratched up but that is the protective cover, figured I would leave it on till installation is complete. Mark 5 is set up for removal and replacement and the new headstock has a 220 plug on it. I will keep y'all posted.

Jack,

Thanks and we appreciate any info you can provide or feedback you have on it. Just going off of other dimensions of the headstock in the pics you posted and guesstimating, it looks to me like the new LCD display is only around 3.4" x 1.9" viewable display area (or 3.9" diagonal). To me, this is disappointing as I was expecting at least a 6" x 4" LCD display. I know there are size constraints of the existing headstock opening and I assume SS is trying to keep it to where customers can continue to upgrade from Mark V headstock or PowerPro Gen 1 headstock into this, but it is disappointing that they didn't try to get a larger display in there IMHO. Still a notable improvement over Gen 1, but I was hoping for more. For comparison sake the old iPhone 5 has a slightly bigger display than the Gen 2 PowerPro.

[claimdude]

I didn't get it measured last night the screen (usable) id much larger than the old iPhone. I will get the specifics later today or tomorrow. My day job is managing property claims adjusters in East TX and we are a bit busy with storms at the present.

I will get you the measurements in a day or so. Certainly by the weekend. The screen looks all scratched up but that is the protective cover, figured I would leave it on till installation is complete. Mark 5 is set up for removal and replacement and the new headstock has a 220 plug on it. I will keep y'all posted.

Jack,

Thanks and we appreciate any info you can provide or feedback you have on it. Just going off of other dimensions of the headstock in the pics you posted and guesstimating, it looks to me like the new LCD display is only around 3.4" x 1.9" viewable display area (or 3.9" diagonal). To me, this is disappointing as I was expecting at least a 6" x 4" LCD display. I know there are size constraints of the existing headstock opening and I assume SS is trying to keep it to where customers can continue to upgrade from Mark V headstock or PowerPro Gen 1 headstock into this, but it is disappointing that they didn't try to get a larger display in there IMHO. Still a notable improvement over Gen 1, but I was hoping for more. For comparison sake the old iPhone 5 has a slightly bigger display than the Gen 2 PowerPro.

[edma194]

I know there are size constraints of the existing headstock opening and I assume SS is trying to keep it to where customers can continue to upgrade from Mark V headstock or PowerPro Gen 1 headstock into this, but it is disappointing that they didn't try to get a larger display in there IMHO.

I don't think the opening is the constraint, it only needs to be large enough for wiring to pass through. There's just limited available space on the outside of the headstock. The display has to fit between the power switch, quill feed, and headstock lock. They could have extended it over the belt cover maybe, perhaps requiring one of the belt cover screws to move out of the way.

[RFGuy]

I didn't get it measured last night the screen (usable) id much larger than the old iPhone. I will get the specifics later today or tomorrow. My day job is managing property claims adjusters in East TX and we are a bit busy with storms at the present.

Jack,

No worries. I understand and it is fine whenever you can get to measuring it. Honestly, these kinds of specs are what SS should release on their website, but complete specs are often difficult to obtain which is why some of us ask these questions here on this forum. I even double checked the dimensions off of the one PowerPro Gen 2 pic from the website. There is one on the website that is almost looking straight on, so no parallax, which makes getting a more accurate size guesstimate easier. The Gen 2 display width is smaller than the width of the pulley cover (left side of headstock). So, to me, clearly the LCD viewable display width is less than 4". I had hoped it would be 6" which tells me the LCD display is more usable on Gen 2 compared to Gen 1 and this is a great improvement, but I had hoped for a more usable and easy to read LCD display on Gen 2. Keep in mind some of us are 6' tall and the display on the Gen 2 headstock is a long way away from our eyes, e.g. 32" for me. In comparison an old iPhone 5 phone held a comfortable distance from the eyes is half the distance away that a Gen 2 display will be. This is going to cause leaning over and neck fatigue trying to see that Gen 2 LCD display which IMHO is a bad design. A 6" x 4" LCD display would have been more usable. This is why I ask these kinds of questions. To some of us ergonomics, aesthetics and design functionality are all important product metrics and all need optimizing for a happy customer.

Imagine holding your old iPhone 5 at 32" distance from your eyes and using it...ideal reading distance for someone with normal eyes is 15" by the way.

[larryhrockisland]

Shopsmith has posted a video on the Gen 2 upgrade
https://youtu.be/FLY9_d3bHxY

[RFGuy]

Shopsmith has posted a video on the Gen 2 upgrade
https://youtu.be/FLY9_d3bHxY

Larry,

Thanks! Just skimming the video so far because a lot of good info in there. Looks like in drill press mode the display is still in a rotated orientation, so that answers one question from before. Much appreciated.

[freemanpa]

I just finished a PP1-to-PP2 upgrade on one of my 2 Mark 7s so I measured the screen. It's 3.75" wide by 2.14" tall, 4.3" diagonally. Give or take a couple of hundredths.

FWIW, I think there's way too much empty space in the case for the PP2 display. Probably could have been made smaller. My $0.02.

[DLB]

I haven't gotten through the whole video yet, but in it Jim mentions that the thermal overload device is in addition to the previous thermal protection scheme.

- David

[larryhrockisland]

I just finished a PP1-to-PP2 upgrade on one of my 2 Mark 7s so I measured the screen. It's 3.75" wide by 2.14" tall, 4.3" diagonally. Give or take a couple of hundredths.

FWIW, I think there's way too much empty space in the case for the PP2 display. Probably could have been made smaller. My $0.02.

How much do you have to dismantle just for the touch screen upgrade? I'm guessing we have to pull the motor and power supply for good access to install the fuse and overload protector. Is there a "dust proof motor/speed sensor" and is that what is shown just to the left of the fuse in the website pictures, that has to be swapped out at the back of the motor? Wish we could read the manual for the touch screen upgrade.

Jim McCann talked about the new belts provided in the full upgrade an it seemed like they might be "better", less likely to slip, than my original 12 year old belts. If I do the touch screen upgrade it might be a good idea to change belts while I'm in there.