Help with Laserpro Mercury I 25w Laser

[Brad Way]

I just purchased a used Laserpro Mercury I laser and it is working well. However there are a few things I am unsure of. I believe the limit switch for the table in the upper most position isn't working correctly. I also am missing the gas shocks on the lid. I am hoping someone with the same laser can post a few pictures so I can get it working correctly.

Thanks!

[Chad Fitzgerald]

Hi Brad, i have a laserpro spirit, i dont know how similar they are but i can try to help.
the shocks on the lid, i think you can get them at an auto parts store. mine are about 7 1/4" center of ends, when closed.
as far as the limit switch, whats it doing, or not doing. Mine can be adjusted up or down with an allan wrench if its just out of wack. i dont have a camera so i cant take pics for you. well i have one but its a piece of....
Chad

[Chuck Stone]

I have a LaserPro Mercury I (30w) and the shocks were just about gone when I
got it. After getting bonked on the head one last time, I disconnected them and
have a hook in the ceiling over the laser. A bungee cord through the handle holds
the lid up just fine, and I haven't been knocked unconscious since!

As for the limit switch, mine is on the inside of the white machine frame (not the rails)
and closest to me on the left. Small switch, brown and black wires. The actuator arm
faces down. Easy enough to put a meter on it to check continuity. The switch might
be a $2 item at Radio Shack if yours isn't working.. but then, getting anything out of
Radio Shack without signing a 2 year contract is getting more and more difficult now..

[Mark Sipes]

$3.49 just had to replace one of mine on a Trotec. Roller Lever Switch 275-0017

[Richard Rumancik]

Brad, what is the date of manufacture of your machine? If it is the same as mine I have the following notes in my file for the gas springs:

Compressed length: 7.25"/184mm
extended length 10.75" (273 mm)
body dia: .730 (19mm)
rod dia: .350" (8mm)
force 12 lbs (55N)
stroke 3.5" (89mm)

I could not find an exact match and used a Columbia struts gas spring. http://www.columbiastruts.com/

I ordered from eBay several years ago but I don't think they are sold there anymore. You can order from the website. The closest I could find is the 12 extended 3" stroke with 20 lb force. (looks like it would have been a CS1200-20). The force is more than I wanted but works okay. I make a new angle bracket because of the longer extended length. Do you have the brackets and ball ends? If so try to get ends that match the ball diameter (probably a metric sized ball). Maybe you can find a closer match than I did from somewhere else. A lot of springs at the auto supply are too long and too high in force. You need more like a toolbox strut.

Can you be more specific what you need to know about the limit switch?

[Tony Lenkic]

For my ULS machine I ordered replacement gas springs for H.A. Guden Co.


www dot guden dot com/Control/Gas-Springs

[Brad Way]

$3.49 just had to replace one of mine on a Trotec. Roller Lever Switch 275-0017

Can anyone take a picture of their limit switch? Here is what is odd. If I press the Auto focus the table comes up until the auto focus probe hits the table. However the probe actually hits the ruler that is located on the upper side of the table. I used to think this was a limit switch problem but now I am thinking it is a home position problems. Where is the home position..in the upper left corner? I am using the auto focus wrong?

Thoughts?

Thanks everyone for the information on the shocks...I will probably order a few from McMastercarr.

[Brad Way]

Brad, what is the date of manufacture of your machine? If it is the same as mine I have the following notes in my file for the gas springs:

Compressed length: 7.25"/184mm
extended length 10.75" (273 mm)
body dia: .730 (19mm)
rod dia: .350" (8mm)
force 12 lbs (55N)
stroke 3.5" (89mm)

I could not find an exact match and used a Columbia struts gas spring. http://www.columbiastruts.com/

I ordered from eBay several years ago but I don't think they are sold there anymore. You can order from the website. The closest I could find is the 12 extended 3" stroke with 20 lb force. (looks like it would have been a CS1200-20). The force is more than I wanted but works okay. I make a new angle bracket because of the longer extended length. Do you have the brackets and ball ends? If so try to get ends that match the ball diameter (probably a metric sized ball). Maybe you can find a closer match than I did from somewhere else. A lot of springs at the auto supply are too long and too high in force. You need more like a toolbox strut.

Can you be more specific what you need to know about the limit switch?

My machine is a 2003. Thanks for the information. This is exactly what I was looking for. Now I just need to find the parts. As for the limit switch see my prior post.

[Richard Rumancik]

. . Here is what is odd. If I press the Auto focus the table comes up until the auto focus probe hits the table. However the probe actually hits the ruler that is located on the upper side of the table. I used to think this was a limit switch problem but now I am thinking it is a home position problems. Where is the home position..in the upper left corner? I am using the auto focus wrong? . . .

Well, a few comments about autofocus. . . .

I would not autofocus on an empty table as I think it is risky. The table has to go up first to trip the switch in the probe, then back down. The upward travel could be in the prohibited travel zone on an empty table if I am not mistaken. So you could trip the max. upper table limit. I am not in front of my machine and going by memory . . .

The autofocus is intended to be used on the surface of the item to be processes which usually is elevated above the table by quite an amount, especially if using the cutting table.

Also you would not normally focus when at the home position. The probe is on the right side of the carriage so if it is hitting the ruler your home is probably off. If you don't know how to reset the home position, ask, and I will look up the procedure.

Having said all that, many of us do not use the autofocus "feature". Once you crash your machine you will realize the inherent risks in using it. e.g. If you inadvertently press "autofocus" when trying to raise or lower the table, you might get a surprise (depending what you have on the table.) I build a guard around the autofocus buttom, modified the wiring etc to disable autofocus during cutting, then decided it just was not worth it after all. I use the probe exclusively.

[Brad Way]

Well, a few comments about autofocus. . . .

I would not autofocus on an empty table as I think it is risky. The table has to go up first to trip the switch in the probe, then back down. The upward travel could be in the prohibited travel zone on an empty table if I am not mistaken. So you could trip the max. upper table limit. I am not in front of my machine and going by memory . . .

The autofocus is intended to be used on the surface of the item to be processes which usually is elevated above the table by quite an amount, especially if using the cutting table.

Also you would not normally focus when at the home position. The probe is on the right side of the carriage so if it is hitting the ruler your home is probably off. If you don't know how to reset the home position, ask, and I will look up the procedure.

Having said all that, many of us do not use the autofocus "feature". Once you crash your machine you will realize the inherent risks in using it. e.g. If you inadvertently press "autofocus" when trying to raise or lower the table, you might get a surprise (depending what you have on the table.) I build a guard around the autofocus buttom, modified the wiring etc to disable autofocus during cutting, then decided it just was not worth it after all. I use the probe exclusively.

Great feedback and this is very helpful. So far I am very pleased with the Laserpro setup but just need to learn how to make everything work since it is a little different than the Epilog setup I have used in the past.

As for the home position I do think it might need to be reprogrammed so if you able to provide more detail it would be helpful.

Thanks!

[Richard Rumancik]

Brad, here is one version of the procedure I had in my file. I have not actually followed this one but it should be good . . . The procedure I used was on the LaserPro USA site many years ago and is a bit different, but the site/page is gone.

A few points: once you get into the procedure on the control panel, you will not be able to raise or lower the table to focus. So when you are using the red beam as a pointer to find the origin, and it is out of focus, you will get poor accuracy. In my notes I indicated that I adjusted the red beam into focus by turning the table screws by moving the belt manually.

If you are not particularly fussy about getting an accurate 0,0 you can dispense with the calipers and just jog the red beam to the 0,0 origin. This option is referred to at the bottom of the procedure.

In step 9 it says "save the settings . . . .". In my other procedure it says "power off the machine to apply the origin settings . . . . " From my recollection you do need to power off to write the new origin data to the EPROM. Then you can restart and see if the setting was accepted and is correct.

If this does not seem to work let us know and we can debug it.

[Brad Way]

Richard...thanks for the directions to set the origin. I will try this tomorrow and see how it works out.

[Mohamed Dahrouch]

Hello Everyone, I’m new to this forum...
I really like the people here and your problems, articles and solutions are always interesting to read and explore.
For the main time, I have a problem with my laserpro Mercury 50w, which I’ve been using for a long time. When sending a file to print via my computer, and pressing the START button, the laser doesn’t work, even though it’s working (I changed the laser tube to another machine, and it worked perfectly.).
I checked other common problems, like the opened door and damaged cables, but still doesn’t work. I checked the mother board and found out that there is no power between the power supply and the mother board even though the file is running. It shall be measuring 0V~5V. (Motherboard output)
Can anyone of you please help me? Thanks in advance.
Mohamed,

[George M. Perzel]

Mohammed;
Email me with your address and I will send you a checklist procedure for the Mercury 1.
Best Regards,
George
Laserarts
gmperzel@rochester.rr.com

[Marco Laguzzi]

HI at all, I'm a newbe to the forum too.
Many thanks to the gurus for solutions and info...
I have a old Laserpro Mercury 25W but still in good condition. Now my machine presents a misterious problem.
On startup all axis moves correct to their sensors but after the initialisation X axis don't move to all left position... It stop in center and always in same position.
When I move manually X azis it can't move in the left half of carriage because the X 0.0 origin it's in center.
I have checked all electric connection but seems all ok. The head moves correct when i send a job but only in right half of plane.
I'have seen that if I move X axis of 100 mm with arrow keys, it moves only 87 mm. the Y it's ok.
With set origin procedure nothing changes....
Any ideas ?
thanks
Marco

Edit: i have try also system diagnostic ... seems all ok!