Freezing (stops responding) overnight VS-300

[binki]

This has just started. Happened twice now. The blue light is on solid. The machine won't respond to any inputs except unplugging it and re-plugging it in. Then it works but the next day back to a solid blue light.

Any thoughts on what I should be looking at?

 

[Roland Certified Tech]

Disconnect the ethernet cable and see if the functions work.

 

[Solventinkjet]

Are you printing overnight? If so, it's probably the computer going to sleep and the printer stops receiving data.

 

[binki]

Thanks for the suggestions. So far it is in the same spot since 2014 so overheating because of placement shouldn't be the cause. I doubt I am getting a firmware update for a 2009 machine but I will check on it. I wasn't printing overnight and my computers never sleep.

I have tried the following: Turning it off and one with the back switch. Removing and attaching the ethernet and power plugs. So far, only the power plug removal works.

But there is another strange thing. Normally, when turned on it will do a clean and then sheet detection. Now it does the cleaning and then asks for a sheet setup.

Still searching.

 

[netsol]

Had something similar happen with my VS-300 a while back—solid blue light and totally unresponsive until I unplugged it. In my case, it turned out to be an overheating issue because it was tucked into a tight space with bad airflow. I moved it to a more open spot, and it’s been fine since. You might also want to check for a firmware update or reset; sometimes these things just bug out for no clear reason. If that doesn’t work, maybe it’s the power supply acting up.

i was going to say, my guess would be that the fans would be full of fuzz & everything overheating. since it is in your shop, leave a cover off for a few days & a fan (20") running on low. there are a bunch of things we could try if this works.

we can talk you through looking for "cold solder joints" and that sort of thing& you can buy an ESR meter on ebay & check electrolytic capacitors.

 

[binki]

i was going to say, my guess would be that the fans would be full of fuzz & everything overheating. since it is in your shop, leave a cover off for a few days & a fan (20") running on low. there are a bunch of things we could try if this works.

we can talk you through looking for "cold solder joints" and that sort of thing& you can buy an ESR meter on ebay & check electrolytic capacitors.

Thanks
I will look at the fans

 

[netsol]

you see these on the gerber edge boards & that sort of thing all the time.

have a look at the fans first.

 

[binki]

The problem went away on its own. hmmm.

 

[JBurton]

The problem went away on its own. hmmm.

Could have just needed to reflow the boards, and the printer did it itself with it's own heat? The old xbox 360 had a well documented issue where the solder points would crack due to thermal stress over time. A quick 'fix' was to wrap the console in a towel and power it on, leaving it for an hour or so, allowing the console to halfway reflow the solder to fill these cracks. It would often work well enough to get one or two more evenings out of the former brick.
But more likely it was gremlins. In this case, take enough time off that they get bored and leave the machine, or drop/hit/kick it a few times until it works.

 

[netsol]

could just be power failure or brownout. below a certain level, things stop responding

 

[JBurton]

could just be power failure or brownout. below a certain level, things stop responding

Definitely experienced a sudden drop in service to our shop for a time that kept the 25hp vacuum pump from running. A couple of days later, everything was working as it had been. Being downstream from some very large manufacturers, they probably got their service expanded and we were left holding the bag until the legit expansion happened.