Lost communication with Redline Controller & Spindle

I keep getting the error “lost communication with the controller“ about 45 seconds into a roughing pass with a 3/8” roughing bit. The spindle also keeps running despite losing connection, which is troubling. My system is beyond properly grounded, and this has been happening way more frequently. I’ve touched every bit to check for static discharge, and find none. Does anyone happen to know what else this may be? I have a memorial piece that has a 14hr carve time, and I’d like to resolve it ASAP.

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It’s almost always Emi. Try running without your vac on to see if that’s the issue.

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Spitballing here but try unplugging the garage door opener and check for an open ground on the wall plugs with a circuit tester

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It worked better that time. I just don’t get how it could be affecting it at this point…

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If only there were was ways to mitigate emi :person_shrugging:

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Rewired the entire grounding system. I have it spliced into both ends of the dust collection hose, then back to the ground for the dust collector. So fae so good…

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Bare wire might be an improvement yet

I am new to this, but I got the same error and thought it was overloading, or some sensor disagreement, so I set feed and speed to 80% and that seems to have solved it, maybe.

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Hope so for you. Mine dies virtually every session with the machine but not every project. Long projects and short ones too. I try things that make me hopeful because nothing locks for two or three jobs then the fourth one brings me back to reality. I’m not pushing the machine for feeds & speeds, still using my Makita & original BB speeds even though the spindle & controller should be able to handle more.

Let us know if it turns out you’ve got it solved and what speeds you’re using to make it work.

Another suggestion even though you’ve got a nice ground running along the outside of your DC hose, but if your hose is using plastic, I guess support wire is the right term? Have you considered switching to DC hose using a metallic support wire? Then the grounding would be inherent in the hose itself.

All of my hoses use metallic core support wire (it does have some sort of plastic around the core, so it’s quite possible you’re in similar boat) which goes to galvanized steel hard runs and I don’t have static build up in the system. Even during the winter when I run the planer for hours and hours on end, I’ve never been shocked by the machine or the DC tubing.

Another thought is what type of plastic is being used with your adapters? I 3D print almost all of mine and use PA-12 CF, which is nylon with 15% carbon fiber. It reminds me when Onieda made their first dusty deputy for the Festool vacs (yeah, yeah I KNOW, ‘they’re not vacuums they’re dust collectors’,) and people were getting hit left and right especially during dry winter months sometimes cooking the vacs control boards, that thing shocked me hard so MANY times. Eventually Oneida sent out a new cyclone, which IIRC was made with carbon impregnated plastic as opposed to what the original was made of (Looked like a thick milk bottle, semi clear white plastic), they also added a few grounding straps. At the end of the day, after putting those fixes in place I haven’t been shocked since.

Hopefully everything you’ve put in place will continue to treat you right.

The hose does have a metal internal wire. The ground is attached to the start of the wire, and the finish, before splicing and heading to the ground connection for the dust collector.

I could just shorten it and run the ground to the garage door support, that may improve it. Now that I redid everything, the only time I get the static/blackout issue is when I’m running a 2 1/2” surfacing bit.

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