Need Help With a my Gerber Edge & GSX plus plotter

[dLsigns]

Hi All,
I'm kinda new here and this is my first real post.
I'm looking for some help / advice on how to get my Gerber Edge and GSX plus plotter up and running. I just picked up a Geber Edge and a GSXplus plotter. It was a good price on kijiji and i thought, why not, i always wanted to use one in my little sign shop. I went to pick it up and saw it working, and printing, everything was fine with it. But the guy never used the plotter. But it was in good shape. (pic attached) i can send my pix if needed....
Here is what was included in the 'package'....
Gerber Edge 1 (with cables)
GSX Plus Plotter (with cables)
Program flexisign 8.1
Owners guide and a little tool kit.
I got the program installed fine, went to turn on the Edge on and it just beeped. It powered up, and that's it. It didn't initialize or show 'offline' or 'online' on the little display screen, it was blank. I have experience with Edge printers, but never ran into this issue. I read the manual carefully and didn't see a solution to this issue. I haven't tried to see if the plotter works yet because I'd like to get the Edge working first.
If someone could help me out, i would appreciate it very much!
Thanks in advance.

 

[Fred Weiss]

The "little tool kit" is probably the printhead clamps for when you move the Edge. Did you install them before you moved it?

 

[dLsigns]

The "little tool kit" is probably the printhead clamps for when you move the Edge. Did you install them before you moved it?

Hi Fred, thanks for your response. I don't think the printhead clamps were installed when i picked you the edge and brought it home. But they could have been, i didn't see the previous owner package up the machine. There are two little black plastic tabs still in the tool kit. Are those the clamps?

Thanks, Dwayne

 

[Joe House]

Dwayne, take the left cover (black under where the vinyl would roll off) off of the Edge and remove and carefully replace the 2 flat cables at the right (front) of the mainboard. These go to the control panel and display panel. There's a very good chance that they got dislodged when it traveled home and reaseating them should solve this.

Post a pic of the parts you're having trouble identifying.

Good luck. The Edge is a great little printer.

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hi Fred, thanks for your response. I don't think the printhead clamps were installed when i picked you the edge and brought it home. But they could have been, i didn't see the previous owner package up the machine. There are two little black plastic tabs still in the tool kit. Are those the clamps?

Thanks, Dwayne

The clamps are metal and mount in the lid of the Edge to immobilize the printhead during transport. Here's a link to a YouTube video that shows it:

 

[dLsigns]

Hi Fred. Thanks for the tip and video. I understand what 'clamp' your talking about now. My Edge did not have those. Since this is a used Edge, the clamps must have been removed by the previous owner. I think my issues might be electronic or do you think it might be something else?. When i turn it on, the fans are running but the printhead doesn't come down and initialize and the display screen is blank. I know the machine works and prints because i saw the it working before i bought it. Since its a long weekend this weekend, I will be working on it until i can get it running.

 

[dLsigns]

Hi Joe, thanks for the tip. I will try and do that this weekend. I think my issues might be electronic too. Maybe something inside got dislodged on my drive home? And its a 'fast fix'...fingers crossed. I have used the Edge before and know how good of a printed it is. Its a long weekend so i will be working on this machine until i get it running. Anything else you think it might be?

 

[Fred Weiss]

Hi Fred. Thanks for the tip and video. I understand what 'clamp' your talking about now. My Edge did not have those. Since this is a used Edge, the clamps must have been removed by the previous owner. I think my issues might be electronic or do you think it might be something else?. When i turn it on, the fans are running but the printhead doesn't come down and initialize and the display screen is blank. I know the machine works and prints because i saw the it working before i bought it. Since its a long weekend this weekend, I will be working on it until i can get it running.

While your problem may be electronic, moving it without the clamps in place may have caused it. I would certainly try remaking every connection in the Edge as a starting point. After that, you will likely be into switching out various boards and cables in conjunction with a Gerber distributor to isolate the problem.

 

[signgirl]

I have the most finicky edge! I'll run a job and all is well. The next job I'll have problems. Recently I was having the same issue as you are. I took the sides off and pressed all connections I could see and any connection under the hood and miraculously the machine started working correctly the next morning. i think the vibration of the machine working tends to move things over time. Hope you get it running soon!

 

[dLsigns]

oh, i never thought about that....I hope i didn't damage the machine, to the point where i can't use it.....i never even thought about securing the print-head assembly when i picked it up. However, i have used Edge printers before where the cover has slammed down hard because the hydraulic things have become week and it worked fine after that... I feel i might have a unique problem here.... i guess it could be anything at this point.... If i can't figure it out, i will have to call ND Graphics and see if they can send a tech to my house to fix it.....Thanks for your insight on this.

 

[dLsigns]

You have a finicky edge too! Looks like I'm not the only one....lol....After reading your post, you have given me some hope that my edge might work. I am looking at all possible connections today and will press them down too. Its a good little printer so i hope there's nothing major wrong with it...

 

[Jburns]

Hello,

I saw your you tube videos- Does the chassis fan stay on when you power up? If so, i think something is wrong with either the P872 cable or upper control board.
I would
1. re-check all connectors on the boards.
2. Check / replace fuses in power switch
3. Check / replace Fuse F1 on upper board - this is for LED CR22
4. check and re-seat the cable that goes from the power supply ( TB2 area on power supply) to the upper control board. This should have a connection number P872. Make sure cable is not damaged.

 

[dLsigns]

So i worked on the Edge off and on all weekend and was able to take some videos of what i was dealing with...

yes, Jburns, the chassis fan stays on. In the videos i was turning the machine off and on to illustrate that i was getting power and the fans are running in the lower part of the printer. But in the cover of the printer the fans are not working. So i suspected there must be a power issue or a wiring issue. I will look into changing fuses and checking cables and keep y'all posted....thanks for the help.

 

[Joe House]

The top fans only come on when the head gets to a certain temp, which should only happen when its' printing. The fan in back runs off of a different circuit than the rest of the Edge. So the power supply could be bad and the fan would still run. There are several sets of terminals at the back of the power supply. The large cables drive the head and should be somewhere between 17 and 22 volts depending on the printhead resistance. Then I believe (but can't find any documentation) that one should be about 5 v and I think 12 v. Make sure that you have something coming out of all pairs of terminals there using a volt meter. Most likely you'll need a new power supply in my experience, if reseating the cables didn't fix the problem.

That tool kit is the plotter tool kit, btw.

 

[Jburns]

The lower chassis fan shares the same area, "block" (TB2) as does the control boards (wires to Upper board first).
On TB2 at power supply, #4 and 5 run the lower Fan at 12V . #4 and #3 - Orange and Black --go to the 2 axis control board P872 harness. so check for power at that point - where P872 - reconnects to the power supply- should be 24V.

"edited"- fan is 12V

 

[dLsigns]

I took my volt tester pen to see where there was power and where there wasn't. I don't know what I'm looking at...so i attached a jpeg. I will upload a video tomorrow....

Electronics is way out of my purview. Where is the P872? Do i have a power supply issue?

 

[Jburns]

I re-read your first post- it said you saw this printer working - I assume you saw it print... I am betting its a loose connection - the P872 is a labeled connector on the top circuit board - try that.

If you are unsure about checking voltages- then I would not attempt.you may hurt yourself or damage the machine further - perhaps Gerber can assist.

 

[dLsigns]

Yup, i saw it printing and working good, just as a Gerber Edge normally does. The previous owner turned it off and on and did a few test prints for me. I was satisfied with what i saw and purchased the machine, alone with the GSx Plotter , and brought it home. However, It did sit for a week on my desk before i could set it up.

here is a video of me using the volt tester to see where i have power. I will check the P872 connector later today.

 

[signgirl]

I know this sounds way to easy but have you reset the machine by holding down the left arrow while turning the machine on?

 

[signgirl]

I know this sounds way to easy but have you reset the machine by holding down the left arrow while turning the machine on?

Maybe on your model the reset is in a different place though