Beep on Universal VLS230

[Joe Peacock]

I just started getting a beeping tone when I am vectoring with my one month old ULS VLS230. It doesn't beep all of the time. On curves and rounded places there is no beep. It is only when it cuts straight lines that are more than one inch long that the beeping starts. It goes back off when it comes to something round like a heart shape or a circle.
The techs at ULS told me it was an "overheating warning beep" or maybe they said "thermal overload warning", I can't remember which, and that my battery might be running low so I went through two brand new batteries that were measuring 9.2 volts and that didn't fix it. They told me to reinstall the driver software and the control panel software, I did, and it is still doing it. It was running fine until this morning. It happens on any file I run. I wasn't able to get back with the techs today for more suggestions from them. They are trying to be helpful but their first two suggestions didn't fix the problem.
I am concerned about a couple of things. Is something going on that would be harmful to my laser? I bought this machine as a tool for my business and I sure hope it is not something that gets temporarily fixed and then crops up after my warranty expires.
If anybody has experienced this with their ULS I would appreciate any advice on what is happening and how to fix it.
I am facing a trade show deadline and I need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Joe

[Scott Balboa]

I feel for ya man. I haven't experienced such a thing on the ULS lasers I've worked on, but I can tell you for one that the techs on the phone and the ones you have to pay to show up in person don't know as much as they think they know. Are you sure it's an actual electronic beep and not a mechanical squeak?

[Joe Peacock]

I feel for ya man. I haven't experienced such a thing on the ULS lasers I've worked on, but I can tell you for one that the techs on the phone and the ones you have to pay to show up in person don't know as much as they think they know. Are you sure it's an actual electronic beep and not a mechanical squeak?
Yea, it is a electronic beep. The techs at Universal have been very helpful and they have sent a part overnight to my dealer. The only problem is....the dealer is 130 miles from me and it is cheaper for me to drive up to Dallas than to pay them $400 to come to my business.
The people at Engravers Network in Dallas have been very helpful and patient but it is a bummer to have a problem only 5 weeks after the purchase date. I am hopeful that the thermal overload sensor that they are going to replace is the problem and it is not something else that causes me to have to drive 250 more miles!!
Thanks for your concern.
Joe

[Scott Shepherd]

they have sent a part overnight to my dealer. The only problem is....the dealer is 130 miles from me and it is cheaper for me to drive up to Dallas than to pay them $400 to come to my business.

Why wouldn't you just have the part shipped to you and you put the part in? No 260 mile roundtrip and no $400 to get the dealer to come to you.

[Chip Peterson]

Please excuse my ignorance, but why does the ULS need batteries? what do they power?

[Scott Shepherd]

A 9V battery powers the temperature sensor that detects a fire and sounds an alarm and shuts the machine down in case the temperature in the cabinet rises above a certain level.

It also powers the MP3 player :)

[Joe Peacock]

Why wouldn't you just have the part shipped to you and you put the part in? No 260 mile roundtrip and no $400 to get the dealer to come to you.
They wouldn't ship it to me because of the "complexity" of the install. Also I was concerned that if I installed it then something went wrong then I would be to "blame" from then on so I decided to go to Dallas and get it done so that they were "liable" if something else went wrong or if this fix wasn't the cure for the problem.
Joe

[Dan Hintz]

It also powers the MP3 player :)
Ha ha... I knew my machine was better due to it being more recent. I got the DVD option, not available on your lowly "last year's" model :D

[Keith Outten]

If the engraver is under warranty why do you have to pay for anything?
.

[Joe Peacock]

It was the thermal overload sensor! They replaced it in Dallas and it is working fine now.
Thanks for all of your suggestions.
Jo'e

[Bill Cunningham]

Ha ha... I knew my machine was better due to it being more recent. I got the DVD option, not available on your lowly "last year's" model :D

You sure that's not the pop out cup holder your referring to?:confused:

[Karen Barber]

Hi Joe,

I have a VLS6.60 that was shipped to me in November 2009 and mine makes that same "beep" (and has done so since December!) but it doesn't do it all the time! I've been working on a model airplane which I've been cutting Balsa wood and I haven't noticed it. However, when I vector hardwoods I do notice it but I can't say that it does it every single time but it is doing it enough to know that it's beeping.

Just to clarify.... You had to bring your laser to them to get it fixed??? That's so not feasible for me!!! Our VLS has an 18" x 32" work area... it's TOO BIG to go for a "ride".

[Joe Peacock]

Hi Joe,

I have a VLS6.60 that was shipped to me in November 2009 and mine makes that same "beep" (and has done so since December!) but it doesn't do it all the time! I've been working on a model airplane which I've been cutting Balsa wood and I haven't noticed it. However, when I vector hardwoods I do notice it but I can't say that it does it every single time but it is doing it enough to know that it's beeping.

Just to clarify.... You had to bring your laser to them to get it fixed??? That's so not feasible for me!!! Our VLS has an 18" x 32" work area... it's TOO BIG to go for a "ride".
Karen,
Based on you having a problem too I would say that ULS needs to look at the supplier of the thermal overload sensors.
After watching my rep's tech put in the part you could probably put it in yourself if they would send it to you. If you will look at the inside of your laser towards the back you will notice a hole with a gray button like thing in the middle of it and two holes on either side of that. That is what they called the thermal overload sensor. If you can figure out how to get to that and you have the part it is pretty simple to replace. Getting the rear part of the cabinet off and removing the laser box was the trick. It would have taken me a long time to figure out where they had "hidden" the two allen head screws up under the bottom of that part of the cabinet (perpendicular to the floor) that held he cover on. Replacing the sensor is a matter of unscrewing it from the cabinet, undoing two prong connectors and putting it back together in reverse. This fixed my problem immediately.
I would call my ULS rep and ask him if it is possible for you to get the part and install it yourself. The guys at Tech Support at ULS headquarters are very helpful too.
Joe

[Karen Barber]

Thank you Joe!

I plan to contact my rep on Monday and I will also contact ULS.

I thought that I was just hearing things when it happened the first few times but I would have never guessed that that was the problem. When I saw the title for this thread I thought, "mine beeps!".

I've also had 64-bit driver issues and the first time I downloaded the newer driver I thought that it had fixed the beeping but it didn't! ;)

Thanks so much!

[Joe Peacock]

Thank you Joe!

I plan to contact my rep on Monday and I will also contact ULS.

I thought that I was just hearing things when it happened the first few times but I would have never guessed that that was the problem. When I saw the title for this thread I thought, "mine beeps!".

I've also had 64-bit driver issues and the first time I downloaded the newer driver I thought that it had fixed the beeping but it didn't! ;)

Thanks so much!
Karen,
Let me know how it comes out with ULS. I am kind of keeping an eye on their service before I buy my 2nd laser for my company.
Joe

[Scott Balboa]

Glad it all worked out, Joe! We have a ULS here so it is always good to know what these things are in advance!

Hope you can get yours up to speed, Karen!

[Karen Barber]

Hi all!

Sorry for the delay in replying but I am happy to say that I no longer have a "beep" while vectoring.

I did install the 64-bit driver from ULS in January so it's possible that it has been resolved. (I say that I used four beta 64-bit drivers from the beginning of November and I know that the beep was definitely heard after the 2nd driver was installed and it continued with the third driver. Now I'm on the 4th driver, not a beta version, and I cannot reproduce the beep). Other than the new driver nothing has changed with my setup.

So, I guess my "beep" was a driver issue after all! But I will be sure to keep an ear out just in case it should return and I will let you know.