Engraving with Longer Ray5 using USB

[PapaJon9 (Jon Estante)]

I am stumped, when connecting to Longer Ray5 10w using the USB cable i can not get the laser to complete a cut. If i hit frame it frames, when i hit play it will start go for about 3 sec then stop, if i using memory card inserted to laser it works.

[ednisley]

@PapaJon9

• connecting … using the USB cable
• go for about 3 sec then stop
• using memory card inserted to laser it works

That says the USB connection is marginal, which is a common problem with diode lasers.

If the cable is more than about a meter / yard long, it must be a powered repeater cable:

USB Cable Issue

I have just purchased a Gweike Cloud RF laser, using with Lightburn. The supplied USB cable works fine but it’s very short. So I bought a nice long one, 5 metres length. USB C to USB A, I use Macs. It’s a good quality cable, but I don’t seem to be able to make a connection when I plug in to the laser and to my Mac? Any suggestions/fixes most welcomed. I came across a really useful post by @BillieRuben who seems to have knowledge of these machines and setting up, any idea Billie ? tia

Even a shorter cable can behave poorly, because the cable packed with the laser is the cheapest thing that didn’t fail in their testing:

My Cherokee Beast

WOO HOO !!! I got everything working right , FINELY !!! What was the problem? It turns out to be the USB to Controller board cable was faulty. That was the only thing I failed to check and that was it. I have a bad habit of buying one to use and one to loose. When I thought about the cable being bad, I got the cable out the spare controller kit and that one worked. I feel really stupid sitting here thinking how I spent 4 to 6 weeks crying and trying to fix this thing and never though…

A cable with ferrite cores on both ends, bought from a reputable supplier (rather than a randomly named Amazon / eBay seller who also offers beach attire and kitchen utensils), seems to resolve many problems. IMO it’s because the ferrite cores justify a price high enough to allow better (or any) QC for the internal wiring.