MechMate going crazy (picking up interference from motors, etc.)
 

After several hours of work with incredible tolerances my mechmate started to go totaly crazy losing steps on all the axis (few steps in some minutes).
It's not the fist time, but never on all the axis. The machine worked continuosly for 4 hours perfecly.
Now what was the only difference since all day ? I started watering the garden !
When the water well pump started the mechmate begin to go crazy, turnig off the pump and the mechmate started to work flawlessly !
Does the mechmate don't like the garden ? :)
I think that some random problems I had have similar explaination (turn hand router on, bench saw ... etc.
Now I have to investigate the cause. I'm inclined to think about radiofrequency disturb from other electrical motors .... or a voltage drop in the line caused by excessive absorption (which is easier to check with a multimeter).
By the way I had some times ago a recurring problem where the mechmate was also going crazy, but only on the Y axis, the problem became more frequent with time, the axis sometimes was going in the opposite direction even when I was moving it with the keyboard or joystick. the problem was a bad contact in the gecko green connector of the y axis, but it was not a loosing screw, it was the "spring" inside the connector so it was a bit more difficult to find for me.
Maybe my experience can help somebody else with similar problems.
ciao
Sergio

Sergio if it goes crazy again Shoot it !:)

Who ? the water pump or the mechmate ? :)

You probably have a ground connection somehwere for your electrical installations. If this is not sufficiant enough, it will kickback and give alot of interferrance. I know poeple who had to install a longer ground connection, or even 2 or 3 more to get a good enough ground connection.

So check that out, it sounds definetly like a problem that can be fixed.

Thanks Kim, actually the mechmate is not ground connected even if all the cable are ready, don't know about the water pump (but for his nature I think it is naturally connected ).
I will do the ground dispertion for the MM. I also thought installing an UPS to avoid any voltage drop.
In any case, knowing the problem it will be fixed.
Thanks

Well there's your problem then. Without a grounds connection to your mechmate, then interferrance will kick in when something else that sends out noise is activated...

If you have made all the onboard ground connections on your mechmate, why have you not connected it to ground in your installations..?

'case I wanted to do a new ground dispersion well near the MM ... but like many other things it remains a project :o