Sawstop contractor error

[dan lemkin]

Hi,

I have a contractor sawstop. About 1 year old. During the winter it kept coasting down. I called sawstop and was told that it was because the sensor was cold. It never worked reliably, even after warming it up.

Now that it is warm, I started using it again. Same problem. It will start up, then within a minute or so, rapid green blink, coast down, and turn red.

I replaced the cartridge today... no change. I took off the blade, and blew out everything, with compressed air. Re-assembled and no change. I changed recepticle... on dedicated 20amp circuit.. no change. Checked all plugs, connections... nothing is loose.

Here is video of the error I am getting. I can not find the pattern in the book.

SAWSTOP VIDEO


Any ideas?
I will be calling sawstop on monday... but maybe an answer lies out there that will allow me to fix this weekend.

[Charlie Kocourek]

That is a PROBLEM!

I have had amazing service from Saw Stop. Every time I called they called back and had an answer. One time I called because I had an odd error and could not get my saw to run. As it turned out, I left the inspection door open. Closed the door and everything was fine. I don't have an answer to your question, but I am sure they will figure it out. Not much consolation when your saw won't run, I know. The "because it is cold" does sound kind of lame. Let us know when you finally get an answer.

Charlie

[Brendan Plavis]

Try rubbing down the sensor, maybe something funky is on it, and the malfunctions are its way of saying its POed...

Other than that, good luck with techsupport... I had a tech support person one time tell me that wireless signals "walk" down hallways instead of going through walls... No lie... "walk"

[John Coloccia]

I think it's blinking out the code for the cartridge key not being fully turned (not making good contact maybe?). I think the steady red is the "replace cartridge" code, so maybe you have an intermittent there somewhere or it's just not seating well for some reason. Has it always done this? I know of one, and actually maybe two, wiring harnesses that have been pinched and damaged so you may want to give a quick look at that just to see if there's something obvious there.

Or maybe it's a new model that spins down when it detects you're ABOUT to do something dangerous

[Neil Brooks]

Cold, huh?

Why does that make me think corrosion on some contacts, somewhere?

Have any Lectra-motive, or other contact cleaner ??

I might suggest pulling what can be pulled, and trying to clean out visible contacts.

Is that IT ?

Dunno. COULD do it, though.

[dan lemkin]

the tech explained that the saws were designed to run in garage shops... therefore taking into account cold environments. Correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding is this...

The tech said the cartridges have a heating element in them to keep the mechanism warm. When it fires, that huge capacitor discharges and melts a fuse which releases the spring, which shoves the aluminum block into the blade. Maybe in a very cold environment, the fuse might not melt quickly enough and would delay or prevent reliable firing...

Actually kinda cool that they think of this stuff. He said if you keep the master switch on, it keeps the heating element energized... which is kinda a waste of energy, but supposedly will not harm the saw.

The only contacts I see are the little DB25 VGA style contact... no way to really clean this. I did blow it out with compressed air. I tried a brand new cartridge... and that did not work... so not sure where/if an intermittent connection would be.

The only plug I saw is the edison to the wall, and there is a power connector to the motor... that appears to be solid. The motor does not hesitate or indicate any power fluctuation...

the enigma continues...

dan

[David Prince]

Put your finger on the blade when it is on and spinning and see if you can get the saw to reset itself!

J/K LOL

[Neil Brooks]

Got a decent voltmeter?

Have you verified that there's *absolutely no problem* with the power to that circuit/outlet ??

Ya' never know....

Even plugging in a table lamp ... and turning it on ... to see if it shines brightly and steadily vs. flickering, and then dark....

[dan lemkin]

I do.. I actually have a oscilloscope meter with trending... I will check the outlets... But it is all new copper... so don't suspect much.

I also have a TED5000 with voltage trending... at my service panel. Here is a recent graph.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Dan,

The incoming power looks good to me!

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

Please check your red cartridge key and check distance between blade and aluminum brake. I did have near same problem, but my cartridge was old with old software. SawStop sent me a new cartridge and problem was solve.
Any way please call they tech suport.
Ed.

[Matt Meiser]

I do.. I actually have a oscilloscope meter with trending... I will check the outlets... But it is all new copper... so don't suspect much.

I also have a TED5000 with voltage trending... at my service panel. Here is a recent graph.

Show off.

[dan lemkin]

Show off.

Just a goon who likes toys... but the scope is really neat.

[Glen Blanchard]

Please check your red cartridge key and check distance between blade and aluminum brake.

I have to agree with Eduard. Check the distance between blade and brake. Use a nickel to set the proper gap.

[Terry Hatfield]

I do.. I actually have a oscilloscope meter with trending... I will check the outlets... But it is all new copper... so don't suspect much.

I also have a TED5000 with voltage trending... at my service panel. Here is a recent graph.

Now that's just wrong.