My laser power supply let out the magic smoke the other day. I ordered a new one, hooked it up. After a little bit of software confusion, I got it running. I started to cut out something super simple. Started great and ran for about 30 seconds before the DSP reset. Over the course of a whole day, I have slowly isolated everything from the controller to the point that all I have connected in a 24v power supply to run the controller and a volt meter to that 24v power supply. No stepper drivers, no laser power supply, no flow sensor, no relays, no limit switches, nothing. I have turned off water protection, homing, etc. so it just powers up and is “ready” to cut. The volt meter is showing 24.1v steady. The second I hit the start button, the voltage starts to drop until it hits 12v and cuts out. I can leave it sitting there for an hour with the DSP powered up, before I unhooked everything, it would home, I could jog the motors, fire the tube, fine, no dip in power. But the second I hit start it dips the voltage and shuts off. I ordered a new 24v power supply, should be here tomorrow, but it is weird that it will sit there steady as a rock until I press start, then it dips. The only thing I can think of is that one of the relays that control the air assist, etc is shorting. (When you jog or fire the laser, that relays doesn’t close, only when you start a project) Any ideas from the brain trust, or is the controller just toast?
Given that searching for “X7 laser controller” doesn’t produce any useful results, it’s difficult to offer suggestions.
Assuming the X7 is a DSP controller, it won’t have internal mechanical relays. The output transistors have only weak resistive pullups to the power supply, so those don’t seem like a problem.
The symptoms definitely seems like a power supply failure, because any reasonably sized supply will produce up to its rated current without more than a fraction of a volt drop.
I assume this is referring to LightObject X7 which is a rebadged Trocen AWC708. OP will need to confirm.
It is when you run the motors and burn at high power that the power supply does not deliver. Jog and Fire do not put a full load on the power supply.
The fact that the original one smoked indicates that it is likely undersized for the application. Hopefully, you bought one with a higher wattage or amperage rating.
It is a 708C lite.
I should say that all the 24v power supply does is provide power to the controller. The steppers are run on 36V, the relays and contactors that turn on and off the AC stuff (Pump, chiller, etc) are on a separate 12v power supply.
Right now I have the 24v supply wired directly a cord and plugged into the wall, and powering the controller, with nothing connected to it. It is just powering the controller. When I press start to run a program, voltage drops until the controller shuts off.
The new 24v should be here today. I will let yall know how it goes. I was just wondering if this was something commonly seen if a controller fails (I really don’t want it to be that). Hopefully it is the $40 power supply.
If the controller is the only thing on that power supply, and the supply is new, I would suspect the controller board. What we do not know is the power demand by the controller, and the capacity of the supply, obviously not enough.
With all those discrete modules, I have to ask, are all those power supplies using a common ground system?
They are all bonded on a common ground bus bar that is also attached to the chassis. The chiller is on a different circuit, but they are all grounded at the same breaker box.
It was the power supply. I got the new one a minute ago. Running a file, it is rock solid at 24.0 volts. Hopefully that is the last of my issues.
Perhaps I should have been patient and waited to try the new power supply before taking everything apart. LOL
Perfect!
Yeah, good luck with that. 
A good checkup never hurt, right?