OMTech 80W CO2 X/Y not working

I have an OMTech 80W CO2 and I haven’t used it in a while. I turned it on and the X/Y motors are not working. I opened the side panel and the green lights on the stepper drivers are lightly flickering. Is this a power supply issue? Should I change the power supply? Is there a better one I should get?

Definitely a problem with the 24 V power supply or the connections to it.

The wires on my OMTech had several crimped ferrules jammed into each terminal block on the power supply, so one loose screw can affect several drivers. Make sure both ends of all the wires are securely fastened into their terminals.

If the stepper drivers still show problems, then it’s time to replace the supply. They tend to be under-specified for the job, with the total peak current of all the steppers far exceeding the supply’s rated current, so run your own numbers by adding up the peak current setting for all the stepper drivers, plus two or three amps for the controller & other gadgetry, plus whatever LED lighting it may have.

I shoehorned a larger supply into the electronics bay of my OMTech, which turned into something of an adventure:

Protip: Lay a foam exercise mat on the floor in front of the electronics bay before you start. Your knees will thank you in the evening. :grin:

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@ednisley is likely making a correct diagnosis. You should be able to read fluctuations of a dc supply with a regular volt/ohm meter. The green lights means it’s OK, if they flicker, I’d also think power supply.

Anytime you have a failure, you need to ensure wiring. On my OMTech, the wires are put in the connectors, screw tightened and then a quick string of glue to ensure they don’t loosen during transportation and use.

I found if I just lightly tugged on the wires, they would just pull out if not screwed down. My machine at about 3 of them. Don’t know if it’s common or not.

On my machine, the motors got very hot and upon examination the current levels were set to twice the recommended value. I lowered the current at the stepper motor and now they only get a tad warm.

My machine is on a portable stand, so the electronics are at seat level. It helps some, but I find the opening where the cabinet flange is, it digs into my arms, what seems like, a few seconds.

Muttering, helps releave tension and reduces stress, no matter what you’re muttering. An essential field engineer quality.

:grinning_cat:

I added 2 things to the OMTech laser that were not part of the machine. I added an external air compressor with a pneumatic solenoid valve and also an LED strip around the inside. Could those have caused the problem of not enough power to move the X/Y motors?

I removed the LED strip but it still could not move the motors and the green light was barely visible and flickering.

The first image shows the two LEDs on the stepper motors and the green light is the one flickering.

The second image shows the controller where there is a slight red light in the back of the connectors.

The third image is the power supply.

If I need to upgrade to a better power supply can you suggest a model and version I should get? I saw something about a Mean Well but it did not have dual 24V and 5V outputs.

Did you put a snub diode in across the coil? You need to do that, but that isn’t the issue here.


I can’t see where the leds or the solenoids are wired up, nor can I see the whole controller. Does this have leds on it?

You need to find a voltmeter, they are cheap from Amazon and you’d likely know by now.

:grinning_cat:

Looks like that’s a KT332N controller and basically the same 24 V / 5 V supply as in my machine.

The only thing connected to the 5 V supply is the red-dot laser pointer, which you should connect to one of the +5 V supply outputs on the KT332N:

Then you replace the 24 V power supply with one bought from any reputable supplier (i.e., one who does not also offer a lIne of attractive beach attire and enhanced cosmetics).

The new supply should have a higher current rating, because the OEM one was under-rated for the job.