The specs say the 220v & 110v must originate from the same circuit breaker panel. However, it doesn’t say for which components. Is it all of them or just certain ones? Also does anyone know why that’s the case?
No communication would go over the power. The only thing I can think of is that they are trying to make sure if the power goes out in the middle of a job that it goes out for everything. However, since they have to be on separate breakers, the power can still go out for a single component if one breaker trips.
That is interesting. Maybe that suggestions there so if someone goes and turns off part of the power at one panel and doesn’t at the other they’re not going to have surprise voltage at the equipment. I would imagine if it’s in line of sight you’d be locking out it anyhow.
Is it a electrical code thing in the US that all power feeding one device has to come from one panel? I’m going to check the Canadian code not that it’s relevant here.
In the instructions they do have this note that I think is kind of elaborating maybe on the same thing.
Ground looping is the concern. The internals of the MR-1 are all ground connect inside the control box and frame of the machine. So you want all connection to come from the same breaker panel. If you have have a sub panel running 220 for the spindle but pull 110 from the main panel you would create a ground loop between the 3. Both panels and the machine.
I’m assuming that wouldn’t apply to the computer since it just connects via USB, correct? I’m guessing then it is just the machine and the spindle that has to be on the same panel…
Actually USB can be the biggest problem. USB has a ground wire and noise on the line can cause intermittent communication issues and you are piping that noise right into the controller. Many of us with CNC plasma tables have experienced that first hand since plasma cutters can create horrible RF noise. On the plasma tables the controller enclosure is insulated from the machine frame to help avoid this. I specifically run a USB isolator on the line because of it.
Hmm, good to know. I did see some mod videos mentioning to insulate the controller from the frame of the MR1 as well. Well, I guess it all goes on the same panel then.
