whenever the freq drive is running, whether it be moving the bridge, trolley, or spray arch rotating, we are getting several inputs that light up dimmly. These are inputs which should not be lighting up at that time. Sometimes the inputs are brighter, and sometimes they are very light. The inputs which are supposed to be turning on and off are working fine. Any ideas? i have dried the connections in the j-boxes and have tried several spare wires in the short festoon cables. I have also checked all of the prox switch cord connections. I'm thinking its is a problem with the main festton cables.
ghost inputs on lazer 4000
- Thread starter waright
- Start date
Waxman
Super Moderator
My machine is not a laser but I had ghost inputs last week. My problem was a bad cable end on a front rotate prox cable.
Mine was affecting the spray bar rotate. We found it by removing the prox assoc. w/ghost input and noticing the dim light persisted (not the prox). We had replaced the wire so we figured it wasn't that either.
Mine was affecting the spray bar rotate. We found it by removing the prox assoc. w/ghost input and noticing the dim light persisted (not the prox). We had replaced the wire so we figured it wasn't that either.
Tom Thumb
Active member
Sounds like you might have grounding issue.
lag
Member
I saw this on ALL our lasers with the ABB drive. It never caused an issue for us.
I know that does not answer your question ,but you should operate alright.
Maybe Kris ,or Mike ,from PDQ , can weigh in ,and better answer your question ,but as I stated ,all the ABB's we had, did what you describe ,and never caused us a problem.
Do you have an issue ,that you think, the VFD noise is causing?
I know that does not answer your question ,but you should operate alright.
Maybe Kris ,or Mike ,from PDQ , can weigh in ,and better answer your question ,but as I stated ,all the ABB's we had, did what you describe ,and never caused us a problem.
Do you have an issue ,that you think, the VFD noise is causing?
Thanks for the replies. This auto does have an ABB freq drive and it does seem to run fine with the freq drive noise. I am having some issues with this auto, though.
I have had to replace several prox swithces in the last two weeks and had the main pipe come unscrewed from the swivel. When the pipe came unscrewed, it put soappy water in the arch rotate motor due to a missing screw on the motor connection box, thus causing some intermittent freq drive faults.
Now the lazer is stopping at the passenger side rear corner, rotating 1/4 turn like normal, then rotating another 1/4 turn and going left into the side of a car and tripping the safety switch. It only seems to happen to the first wash of the day, then it will run fine afterwords. Sometimes it will do this more often.
I will go back tommorow to fix this issue, but I wasn't sure if my ghost inputs were part of my overall problems, or if the recent srting of problems were just coincidental. thanks for the help.
I have had to replace several prox swithces in the last two weeks and had the main pipe come unscrewed from the swivel. When the pipe came unscrewed, it put soappy water in the arch rotate motor due to a missing screw on the motor connection box, thus causing some intermittent freq drive faults.
Now the lazer is stopping at the passenger side rear corner, rotating 1/4 turn like normal, then rotating another 1/4 turn and going left into the side of a car and tripping the safety switch. It only seems to happen to the first wash of the day, then it will run fine afterwords. Sometimes it will do this more often.
I will go back tommorow to fix this issue, but I wasn't sure if my ghost inputs were part of my overall problems, or if the recent srting of problems were just coincidental. thanks for the help.
Waxman
Super Moderator
My auto was doing the same thing. (not a laser) Like I said, it was the connector on the prox cable.
Are you sure your cable and connector are good?
When it turns into a car did you check and see if there is a ghost input from the prox that is associated w/over-rotation?
Are you sure your cable and connector are good?
When it turns into a car did you check and see if there is a ghost input from the prox that is associated w/over-rotation?
lag
Member
If it is stopping ,and turning into the car at the rear the x25 prox(front limit) would be the first thing to check.
If it moves down the car a little then turns it could be x25 ,or the front input X21 is coming on to soon.
I would try X25 prox ,and or cable first.
AS a side note ,when ever installing the swival get it as tight as possible ,then get a cheater bar out ,and get it tighter.
Where you at in IOWA, PM me if you do not want to say on the open board. Good luck.
If it moves down the car a little then turns it could be x25 ,or the front input X21 is coming on to soon.
I would try X25 prox ,and or cable first.
AS a side note ,when ever installing the swival get it as tight as possible ,then get a cheater bar out ,and get it tighter.
Where you at in IOWA, PM me if you do not want to say on the open board. Good luck.
ProCarWashes
Member
Since the pipe came loose and got everything wet, I would check J4 box, for moisture. (trolly box) Wipe it out and take a hair dryer and dry it out real well. All those little holes hold water and will deal you fits. 
thanks pro, that was the first thing i had found. The j4 was full of moisture and i had to take a hair dryer to it and i removed the wires and put fresh dielectric grease on them. I was sure this would get rid of the ghost inputs.
thanks to the forum members who have shared their knowledge, i realize that the ghost inputs are common with the ABB freq drive, and usually won't interfere with the operation of the lazer.
Lag, great to see a HAWK fan, I live in Waverly, own a couple of washes and I try to help a few people out by doing service work. I have only limited experience on the 4000. thanks for the help.
thanks to the forum members who have shared their knowledge, i realize that the ghost inputs are common with the ABB freq drive, and usually won't interfere with the operation of the lazer.
Lag, great to see a HAWK fan, I live in Waverly, own a couple of washes and I try to help a few people out by doing service work. I have only limited experience on the 4000. thanks for the help.
If your issue is only on the first car of the day or after the machine has been sitting for awhile, check your inputs for one that is lit that shouldn't be first thing in the morning.
I had a similar problem and started this thread http://forum.autocareforum.com/showthread.php?t=3172
What I discovered was that one of the prox switches would become energized after sitting overnight or for several hours on a rainy day. It would then cause an arch rotate failure when it would attempt to wash the first car of the day. After resetting it, it would wash cars all day with no problems as long as there was never a break of a couple hours. I believe someone referred to this as "voltage leak"
David
I had a similar problem and started this thread http://forum.autocareforum.com/showthread.php?t=3172
What I discovered was that one of the prox switches would become energized after sitting overnight or for several hours on a rainy day. It would then cause an arch rotate failure when it would attempt to wash the first car of the day. After resetting it, it would wash cars all day with no problems as long as there was never a break of a couple hours. I believe someone referred to this as "voltage leak"
David
lag
Member
Nothing like Kinnick on a fall afternoon. Good luck..LAG
Waxman
Super Moderator
How did you resolve this problem???
nothing like KINNICK on a fall afternoon bashin the clones!
Waxman, I tested the lazer again, it ran fine, nothing stood out as unusual. I noticed the front limit switch was an aftermarket brand of switch, so given the history of the arch turning into pass. side rear, replacing the front limit switch seemed like the logical thing to do, so I changed the switch. Two more days of "stupid cold, frigid weather" has kept the machine from getting any business to find out if it has cured the problem. I'll let you know in a week or so.
Waxman, I tested the lazer again, it ran fine, nothing stood out as unusual. I noticed the front limit switch was an aftermarket brand of switch, so given the history of the arch turning into pass. side rear, replacing the front limit switch seemed like the logical thing to do, so I changed the switch. Two more days of "stupid cold, frigid weather" has kept the machine from getting any business to find out if it has cured the problem. I'll let you know in a week or so.
John Racine
Chemical & Equipment Dist
I assume the arch comes across the rear and stops correctly, rotates like it is going fwd up the pass side, Does the bridge move fwd at all? If not it has to be input X25 coming on, that is the only thing that will stop it.
The machine will not look for the t-bar eye input till after we see the mid limit (X26) go active then inactive.
So replacing the X25 is the first thing i would do also.
It must have been the front/home limit switch (x25), even though it functioned normally 99% of the time. I changed it a week ago and no more problems.
They had used an aftermarket prox switch, (stainless housing with a light blue face). I'm sure it was less expensive, but like many prox switches, it was not built to stand the conditions of a car wash.
thanks for all the help; without the forum, I'd still be chasing ghosts!
They had used an aftermarket prox switch, (stainless housing with a light blue face). I'm sure it was less expensive, but like many prox switches, it was not built to stand the conditions of a car wash.
thanks for all the help; without the forum, I'd still be chasing ghosts!
