Puck advance system

[renoman]

OK. I have done some messing around with the distance the motor arm is from the switch housing and this is what I have found.

This is too far away and the motor will stop sometimes but most often it will just keep on going past the switch and send an "E" message to the display board. This must be what is happening to guys who complain that they get a bowl full of unburned pucks.


This is too close and causes the problems I was having in my video of the motor trying to get off the switch.


This is just about right. I got the thing to work about 20 times in a row but still every once in awhile it would get stuck at the switch for about 1 or 2 WOOD presses.


Now I have a second question. How much play in the motor should there be. The following two pics show how much play there is in the motor arm.



And one final thing. I think by the look of the rub marks on the black paint my puck advancer is rubbing the housing. That must have been what was making the noise in the video. I am not sure if the upper ones have an adjustment but there is some side to side adjustment.


So I am thinking it "is" a matter of how close the motor arm is set to the micro switch but man we are talking tenths of a millimeter to get it right and even then it doesn't work every time. I wonder if I just have an over sensitive switch.

[RedJada]

 I have been following this thread. After seeing what you posted today about the switch. If you have a meter to test Continuity, preferably one that will beep. You can put it on the switch and test in manually and see how that works. Then let it run it's cycle, while watching the arm hit the switch you can hear the beep from the meter. Might give you an idea if the switch is at fault. I don't have a digital smoker but deal with this kind of thing at work.
You have a timer, once that timer counts down (or up) to it's preset number. It opens a circuit sending power to to motor. The motor rotates the arm, when the arm hits the micro switch, it resets the timer and closes the circuit to the motor. The timer starts counting down (up) again, the proses continues.

[RedJada]

 Just thought of something else. If you can back the arm off enough so it doesn't hit the switch. Or better, un-mount the the switch so the arm don't hit it. The motor should run continuously. Use your finger and press the switch firmly. Motor should stop. Play with this to see how much pressure it takes to activate the switch.

[renoman]

Just thought of something else. If you can back the arm off enough so it doesn't hit the switch. Or better, un-mount the the switch so the arm don't hit it. The motor should run continuously. Use your finger and press the switch firmly. Motor should stop. Play with this to see how much pressure it takes to activate the switch.

You are right it will run continuously if it is too far away from the switch. It takes VERY little pressure to activate the switch. It is more of a matter of how far down you press the switch to activate it.

[devo]

In my reply, I think reply #15 I had said it sounded like a faulty micro switch. You have done many adjustments to your unit and have had little success. You have giving it a good go but just maybe its time to break down and get a new switch. The adjustments are not that fine that you should have to be playing with it so much. Get a new switch and at least you can rule that out. You have to remember this stuff is mass produced and your sure to get some faulty ones.

The Sony's PS4 game console has a  failure rate of 1%. so for every 1 million sold 10,000 are going to be defective units. Xbox is close to 3% failure rate .

Why should the bradley be any different?

[KyNola]

Called Brian directly at Bradley yet?

[renoman]

In my reply, I think reply #15 I had said it sounded like a faulty micro switch. You have done many adjustments to your unit and have had little success. You have giving it a good go but just maybe its time to break down and get a new switch. The adjustments are not that fine that you should have to be playing with it so much. Get a new switch and at least you can rule that out. You have to remember this stuff is mass produced and your sure to get some faulty ones.

The Sony's PS4 game console has a  failure rate of 1%. so for every 1 million sold 10,000 are going to be defective units. Xbox is close to 3% failure rate .

Why should the bradley be any different?

I have been in an ongoing email conversation with Brain at Bradley, he has been watching this thread and his advice at this point is the same as yours to try a new microswitch. I will call customer service on Monday and have them send one out. Not sure how this relates to Sony PS4. I am just trying to document a problem that many on these forums are having so they don't have to pull their hair out fixing their new Bradleys. The consensus at this point was to adjust the motor distance from the switch. I hope the new switch will do the trick but I have a suspicion there is something about the slop in the motor's arm that may be part of the problem. If you watch the video close you can see what I mean.

[devo]

Not sure how this relates to Sony PS4

I was just trying to point out that all companys have expectable failure rates and bradley would be no different.
I think you went over and beyond what most people would have done to try and fix their unit. Not many would have done what you have done to try and fix it. I am just saying the horse is dead and stop kicking it. Time to buy some new parts  ;D 

[Maximus1959]

So far I am not too impressed with the quality of the Bradley equipment. When it works it is awesome! The key is when it works. I purchased a new 6 rack in Oct 2013. Broke after using it 3 times. Exchanged it for another one in early Dec 2013. I have used it 6 times, and already having issues with the pucks feeding. Not impressed for the money.

[RedJada]

In my reply, I think reply #15 I had said it sounded like a faulty micro switch. You have done many adjustments to your unit and have had little success. You have giving it a good go but just maybe its time to break down and get a new switch. The adjustments are not that fine that you should have to be playing with it so much. Get a new switch and at least you can rule that out. You have to remember this stuff is mass produced and your sure to get some faulty ones.

The Sony's PS4 game console has a  failure rate of 1%. so for every 1 million sold 10,000 are going to be defective units. Xbox is close to 3% failure rate .

Why should the bradley be any different?

Defiantly have to agree with devo. You posted a lot of good info about your problem. I'm guessing you have bad contacts in your micro switch. Replace the switch as mentioned. I think it will fix your problem.

[renoman]

In my reply, I think reply #15 I had said it sounded like a faulty micro switch. You have done many adjustments to your unit and have had little success. You have giving it a good go but just maybe its time to break down and get a new switch. The adjustments are not that fine that you should have to be playing with it so much. Get a new switch and at least you can rule that out. You have to remember this stuff is mass produced and your sure to get some faulty ones.

The Sony's PS4 game console has a  failure rate of 1%. so for every 1 million sold 10,000 are going to be defective units. Xbox is close to 3% failure rate .

Why should the bradley be any different?

Defiantly have to agree with devo. You posted a lot of good info about your problem. I'm guessing you have bad contacts in your micro switch. Replace the switch as mentioned. I think it will fix your problem.

That is my plan at this point. I hope it does work. I have to say that Brian at Bradley has been of great help on this issue. He had "sent a question onto the factory to see if we can increase the delay from the micro switch signal". I am sure he has better things to do in his day than answer my "newbe" questions. There just have been so many questions on this issue that I thought I would post a few pics and maybe that would help some people in the future. Some of you on here have taken interest in this and have been of great help and some have not. So be it. I will report back when I get my new switch.

[Habanero Smoker]

I for one appreciate your work on this issue, and your follow up on this matter; especially the video. It will help others in the future, but just to note; nine times out of ten this is easily solved by adjusting the motor position. 

I hope the micro switch solves the problem. If you figure it out, let us know why the arm is hitting the housing.

[STLstyle]

Renoman,
I appreciate your efforts.  Your pics and video has given me an understanding of how the advance system works.  I believe my issue is the same although less consistent than yours.  I'm greatly interested what bradley recommends to delay the switch. Please keep us posted!

[Salmonsmoker]

reno, it sounds like there is a rough spot or a sharp square corner on the puck pusher that's making it scratch the paint off. I'd inspect it and dress any rough areas on the contact surfaces and smooth out the scratched area. Then I'd use a dry lubricant like spray silicone or graphite on the runway and pusher.

[renoman]

reno, it sounds like there is a rough spot or a sharp square corner on the puck pusher that's making it scratch the paint off. I'd inspect it and dress any rough areas on the contact surfaces and smooth out the scratched area. Then I'd use a dry lubricant like spray silicone or graphite on the runway and pusher.

Salmonsmoker, I took the whole mechanism apart to see what was rubbing. There really isn't any sort of guides for the puck pusher. It just kinda rides in there and is held in place by a little brass arm in the long slotted hole. Everything is loose and nothing is binding but the metal just runs on the metal so there is going to be some sort of rubbing somewhere. I sprayed some silicone in there but it still makes a grinding noise every once in awhile.