PM3520C

[Denis Delehanty]

So, I recently purchased the new Powermatic 3520C. The local clubs use my shop for their hands-on workshops. First thing this past Saturday morning a student, unfamiliar with the lathe was flipping switches and turning buttons and accidentally started the motor with the spindle stop engaged. The motor cut out as expected. Now the motor immediately cuts out as soon as the RPM dial is turned On/Up. Turning off, waiting and turning on the main power switch does nothing. Unplugging the lathe and waiting does nothing. Rotating the spindle after turning on the power but before turning up the RPMs does nothing. Has anyone had the same problem?

 

[john lucas]

Is there a reset button on the Controller. I have an older 3520A and I think mine has a reset but don't remember what it actually does. I do remember hitting it one time to solve some kind of problem but that was so long ago. If that doesn't work I would call Powermatic and see if you can talk to someone.

 

[Bill Boehme]

I'm very surprised that the C model doesn't have a lockout switch on the spindle lock. The Robust and the Oneway have this feature and I'm almost certain that this was advertised to be on the C model. I think that you ought to take a closer look at the spindle lock and you might find a lockout switch that is still engaged. Make certain the the spindle lock is fully disengaged and not just enough to allow the spindle to rotate. Then look at the lever on the lockout switch to make sure that it is operating freely and that you can hear it clicking as the switch is actuated. If there is no lockout switch, then ignore this and shame on Powermatic for not doing the obvious.

 

[Don Jarvie]

You need to reset the VFD and that will restart it.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Is there a reset button on the Controller. I have an older 3520A and I think mine has a reset but don't remember what it actually does. I do remember hitting it one time to solve some kind of problem but that was so long ago. If that doesn't work I would call Powermatic and see if you can talk to someone.

Inverters have various ways of being reset, but it's not a good idea to arbitrarily be pushing buttons unless you really understand the consequences. A reset button on the keypad probably only resets operator settings, but there is also a hard reset function to completely delete all of the programmed settings and revert back to the initial "blank memory" state when it came from the inverter manufacturer. Unless Powermatic has a hard-wired ROM installed, then resetting the inverter runs the risk of deleting all of the motor parameters and other settings that Powermatic had programmed into the inverter. Some of these motor constants aren't on the nameplate, but Powermatic might tell you what they are.

If my earlier thought about a lockout switch doesn't pan out, I think that the best course of action would be to call Powermatic tech support. Then to keep others from twiddling knobs and pushing buttons, have the following sign made and attach it to your lathe.

ACHTUNG!​

ALLES TURISTEN UND NON TEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS! DAS MASCHINECONTROL IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKEN. IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS. ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.

 

[Charlie Knighton]

Inverters have various ways of being reset, but it's not a good idea to arbitrarily be pushing buttons unless you really understand the consequences. A reset button on the keypad probably only resets operator settings, but there is also a hard reset function to completely delete all of the programmed settings and revert back to the initial "blank memory" state when it came from the inverter manufacturer. Unless Powermatic has a hard-wired ROM installed, then resetting the inverter runs the risk of deleting all of the motor parameters and other settings that Powermatic had programmed into the inverter. Some of these motor constants aren't on the nameplate, but Powermatic might tell you what they are.

If my earlier thought about a lockout switch doesn't pan out, I think that the best course of action would be to call Powermatic tech support. Then to keep others from twiddling knobs and pushing buttons, have the following sign made and attach it to your lathe.

ACHTUNG!​

ALLES TURISTEN UND NON TEKNISCHEN LOOKENPEEPERS! DAS MASCHINECONTROL IST NICHT FÜR DER GEFINGERPOKEN UND MITTENGRABEN! ODERWISE IST EASY TO SCHNAPPEN DER SPRINGENWERK, BLOWENFUSEN UND POPPENCORKEN MIT SPITZENSPARKEN. IST NICHT FÜR GEWERKEN BEI DUMMKOPFEN. DER RUBBERNECKEN SIGHTSEEREN KEEPEN DAS COTTONPICKEN HÄNDER IN DAS POCKETS MUSS.
ZO RELAXEN UND WATSCHEN DER BLINKENLICHTEN.

understood Cottonpicken

 

[Gary Beasley]

Thats funny! Charlie just read it phonetically, its english with a twist.

 

[John Torchick]

I saw a sign that was similar to that, Bill. Should have copied it. Will copy this one and give to my son who is an ME.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Bill not to disparage but I have pressed the reset on my 3520B. Could not tell that it did anything in my case.

 

[Bill Boehme]

It's been around for at least 60 years. I first saw it when I was about twelve. It's easier to understand if somebody reads it out loud so that you aren't trying to make sense of the words by looking at them.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Bill not to disparage but I have pressed the reset on my 3520B. Could not tell that it did anything in my case.

Maybe it's just a placebo button.

Actually, I believe that the keypad is deactivated via a logic switch input.

 

[John Torchick]

Gremlins? I find them in many places in my shop.

 

[Gerald Lawrence]

Maybe it's just a placebo button.

Actually, I believe that the keypad is deactivated via a logic switch input.

Bill You may be right. I called PM after I had that problem and he said that the knob on the inverter did nothing so could applt to other buttons also with out the "combination".

 

[Sandy Jarrell]

The VFDs on the 3520Bs are pass code protected as they come from the factory. Get a copy of the manual for your VFD and you can see what all the different settings are. Without the code you can't make any changes so there's no problem with looking. A brand new Delta S1 VFD comes without pass code protection, but has pass code protection as one of the programmable parameters.

I would suggest that anyone who has a 3520B check out this website http://www.docgreenwoodturner.com/articles.html He has some good articles on trouble shooting the electronics on the 3520B and replacing the VFD if it comes to that.

 

[Damon McLaughlin]

So, I recently purchased the new Powermatic 3520C. The local clubs use my shop for their hands-on workshops. First thing this past Saturday morning a student, unfamiliar with the lathe was flipping switches and turning buttons and accidentally started the motor with the spindle stop engaged. The motor cut out as expected. Now the motor immediately cuts out as soon as the RPM dial is turned On/Up. Turning off, waiting and turning on the main power switch does nothing. Unplugging the lathe and waiting does nothing. Rotating the spindle after turning on the power but before turning up the RPMs does nothing. Has anyone had the same problem?

Denis, I was wondering if you resolved your problem and what the solution was.