Well, it’s Monday - machine has been at repair facility for a full week. Ready to get machine back and do some more cutting. Got a call this morning from the repair guy - they think the CNC board is at issue and needs to be replaced. I think they’ve already tried 2 boards last week - not sure which ones. Said Miller no longer sells the CNC board, and they’ll have to ‘make’ one. It will be about another week and a half to get that in.
Told the guy I could buy one online for $150 (oops…$350) and have it here tomorrow. Obviously don’t want to do that due to warranty covering the cost, but point was to tell Miller to hurry up. It’s looking like my turn around will be 2 1/2 weeks. Disappointed but not terribly surprised. Will update as I get more info…
Wish you well with this. Well it sounds like the “repair guy” is just a parts replacer. Also Miller is not going to make a new CNC board. They may send it out to a repair/rebuild shop to get fixed. Also even if the CNC board was bad it would still pilot arc with the hand torch.
I was thinking the same thing after I got off the phone with them. Seems strange…perhaps they are going to have something repaired and needed the time.
I ran across this post a while back that got me thinking maybe something else is going on…
Do you have the CNC kit for the 625? Mine was factory installed. When you say USB cable - you’re referring to the USB cable from computer to Langmuir Controller? What kind of pilot arc issues have you had? Just trying to get some more info in the thread for future travelers…
No I don’t have the CNC kit i spliced into mines you can see what I did here
Sometimes it would fire then stop mid cut, sometimes would fire at all, at first I though it was my crimp connections but in the end that wasnt the problem cause it still did it every so often and was frustrating me…so finally I was the printer going from the LANGMUIR controller box to my laptop with a new one and my problem was solved.
Nice - thanks. I remember reading thru that thread when I was getting going a while back…didn’t make as much sense then as it does now…I’m going to look into that and I’m going to work on the the controller board modification for the USB interference issue with the pro controller boards…I’ve not done that yet as I didn’t think that was causing me any issues, but maybe it has been playing a role in some issues I’ve had.
I’m still stumped by the same problem with the hand torch though when it’s in stand alone mode and no CNC / langmuir hookup.
When I couldn’t get it to fire through MACH3 I could always manual pull the trigger and make it fire also, I think you stated that some where as well, whats the USB interference thing I have never opened my controller box
Rolling up on the 2 week mark. Still no info from the repair facility. I did get a note from Miller defending their turn around time after I sent them some feedback about the potentially 2 1/2 week turn around on their “professional” machines. They did mention they sent the CNC board and it got there yesterday, so that’s good. But if it’s not the CNC board, then I guess the whole power supply will be next and another week.
Does make you wonder if I had bought the extended warranty on a Harbor Freight plasma if I could have just walked into the store with the dead machine and walked out with a new one. Easy peasy.
I guess some will say 2 weeks is normal and I shouldn’t be so impatient. Fair enough, but I will say my expectations for a what Miller calls a ‘commerical use’ machine are a little higher than what I’d probably get from Harbor Freight. I’m a little frustrated - partly because the machine died in the first place, and partly because I’d like to get it back soon! I’ll try not to vent too much on here aside from that…
I feel your frustration. I bought a Fronius Transsteel 2200 in November. It started smoking in early January. While Fronius has a 3 year warranty, they will not pay for shipping for repairs and have a very limited network in the U.S. So I’m now going on 2 weeks waiting for the repairs to be done at the company I purchased it from who is also a certified repair facility but that is a few states away. Hopefully in the next week or so I’ll get it back. Frustrating as hell for a $2,000 machine only 2 months new.
Yes it is…Those Fronius machines are sweet - I hope you get it back soon! I’d definitely write their customer support so you can let them know your frustration. I sent Miller some feedback - nothing snarky - just let them know expectations were different - worst case my repairs get a little more attention. Best case, they bend over backwards to keep a customer happy. I do believe they want their customers to be happy. Will see…Illinois Tool Works (ITW - owns Miller brand) just posted a stellar quarter and stock is near all time high…so, yeah…
I’ve got some other miller stuff and have been happy with. Warranty / Serviceability was part of it. They are generally good quality machines. I do think, in retrospect, that their plasma lineup is not a primary focus for them - their competitors have much more market share…if I was doing it again, I’d go HTP or Hypertherm, probably Hypertherm. Might end up there soon enough depending on how this goes.
Yeah I have had and have lots of miller welders and no real issue with those really they all work pretty good aside from my dynasty 350 burning out two circuit boards but it happens I guess but that one hurt cause the second time it wasn’t under warranty.
I was just asking cause I don’t see many people using them but I see them for sale quite often on local classifieds.
Those are probably the ones where the warranty just expired lol. You may see mine up there in 24 months They are around, but yeah - there are lots of choices out there (a good thing)…and they run well when they are working.
but not terribly surprised. Will update as I get more info…
They are around, but yeah - there are lots of choices out there (a good thing)…and they run well when they are working.