My laser is not operating...

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Gene Uselman
Posts: 2180
Joined: Thu Jul 07, 2016
Location: Suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, US
Country: USA
Nickname: Gene
Laser Machine Make or Type: QC
Laser Power: 130W
Laser Bed Size: 900x1300
Home Position: TR
Control Software: LIGHTBURN
RDWorks Version: RDw .19 & Lightburn
LightBurn Version: Latest
Ruida Controller: RDC6442
Windows Version: Win 10 Pro
Accessories: I have a combining lenses, pin tables [homebuilt], honeycomb tables , wireless remote, Modifed Ultimate Air Assist, home built non-powered rotary device, PrusaMK4 and Mini Prusa printers.

This is adapted from a common thread about electrical problems- Jeffrey has a lot of good info here. It goes without saying, be careful, most of our lasers are 115V but some [like mine] are 220v and both can be dangerous. If you are not comfortable with line voltage, find someone who is!

by Jeffrey Aley » Fri May 17, 2019 6:20 pm

It is challenging to help you because each machine is wired a little differently.
I'd get out a voltmeter and start tracing the wiring starting with the wall socket. I think you said you have voltage at the wall outlet (120VAC). Confirm it with the meter (that'll also help you know that the meter works :-) )
Next open up the panel where the power cord comes into the machine. Measure the voltage there. I expect you'll have 120VAC because we know the power does get to one of the two power supplies.
Now follow the wires. Does the power go from there to the EMO [Emergency Off] switch? Or somewhere else first? Wherever it goes, follow it and measure.
Eventually, you'll find where the voltage stops.

Here are my semi-educated guesses, based on what you've said:
1) The outlets on the back of the laser are "dead". They may each have their own fuse, or else the EMO switch is not passing current to the rest of the laser.
2) No display, etc. Measure the input voltage to the low-voltage power-supply (usually a small silver box with lots of holes). Do you have 120VAC going in? Change your meter to DC and measure the output terminals. Any voltage coming out? If you've got 120VAC in, and 0V out, then you need to find a fuse or something on the low-voltage power supply. Or replace it. That low-voltage supply powers the RuiDa controller, the display, and probably the steppers and the red-light laser-pointer.

Good luck!


Here is a generic schematic from Ruida which is very general- each manufacturer or assembler will wire the machine differently- and often- not well. Most machines are built as 220v as most of the world uses that standard, the assembler is often not very familiar with 115v systems and there are genuine differences. That is one reason that I would never use the outlets on the back of the machine. There are normally two low voltage power supplies- usually 36V DC for the steppers and always a 24V DC which will have a 5V DC tap as well.

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Switch leetro- RUIDA and wiring etc.jpg
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