Epilog Mini fails to start

[Marc Pod]

Hi,

As of today Epilog Mini won't start up. After power on it only shows black squares(see atached pictures). Any ideas?????

[Tim Bateson]

#1 Unplug & re-seat all of the board cables.
#2 Call Support

[John Noell]

Plus 1 to Tim's suggestions. (However, unless it is a cable, my Mini did the same and it was the mainboard. Yes, $1,000+)

[Steve Clarkson]

Good news!!! I'm the proud owner of a new motherboard as of last week.......and Epilog has almost cut the price in half.....so it's a LITTLE more affordable now.

[Jeanette Brewer]

I trust that you followed up with tech support on this today? If not, start there in the AM.

303-215-9171
tech@epiloglaser.com

[Marc Pod]

E-mailed tech support yesterday. Got answer in about 10 min that MB needs replacement.
@steve clarkson if not secret what is price of new MB these days. thanx

[Bill George]

What is going with Epilog, if its not a motherboard its a tube failure. You never hear of other brands replacing MB's so often or at all? And don't run at 100% speed?

[Jeanette Brewer]

E-mailed tech support yesterday. Got answer in about 10 min that MB needs replacement.
@steve clarkson if not secret what is price of new MB these days. thanx

IIRC, motherboards are around $500.

[Tim Bateson]

What is going with Epilog, if its not a motherboard its a tube failure. You never hear of other brands replacing MB's so often or at all? And don't run at 100% speed?

I replaced my motherboard over a year ago - at that time, about $1,400 (with overnight shipping). In my case I traced it to a bad ground during an electrical storm - my fault.

[Marc Pod]

In my case MB failed after 9 years of running. Tube is not at 100% but still usable. Have to run jobs 5% slower. Still waiting quote for MB from local distributor.

[Marc Pod]

I got a quote for 1600EUR cca 1750USD. A bit high if MB is around 500$ ??. Can anyone PM me address of US reseller. If MB in US is really around 500$ all costs including TAX, customs and shipping under USD1000.

[Bill George]

I got a quote for 1600EUR cca 1750USD. A bit high if MB is around 500$ ??. Can anyone PM me address of US reseller. If MB in US is really around 500$ all costs including TAX, customs and shipping under USD1000.

So is that exchange or trade in the old MB? Wonder what goes wrong with the Epilog boards you never hear about a ULS or Trotec one going bad?

[Tim Bateson]

So is that exchange or trade in the old MB? Wonder what goes wrong with the Epilog boards you never hear about a ULS or Trotec one going bad?

OK, I'll try again... I'm guessing a lot of years of hard use and just as I answered before, a lack of a good ground - user error. Replacing the MB was a small price to pay for all of the $$$$ that machine had made me. Support is even surprised the old tube is still running at nearly 99%. VERY solid machine, built to run day & night... and it has.

[Bill George]

Electronics don't wear out. Capacitors age and fail and mechanical relays wear. In my active ham radio days and in fact I still have a old 2 meter rig in the basement over 20 years old. If I powered it up today it would work. Aircraft electrical and electronics, some of the B52's I worked on in the mid-60's were the last ones they built. They were still flying when most were put in mothballs in the 90's, some are still on active duty. Its a matter of proper design and cooling.