Longer Ray 5 Laser Upgrade to 20 Watt

[@robinNC]

Thank you for talking about upgrading the firmware. I now know part of what is wrong with my laser. I really enjoy your channel

[@paulraycastillo2238]

Did you get your machine up and running?

[@robinNC]

@@paulraycastillo2238 Not really. It runs just not like it should.

[@Steve-Kratz]

Thanks again Roger - Got my limit switch kit arriving today - You're the only one I've found posting a how-to that includes those switches.

[@deszczykrobert4290]

Ive done upgrade for 20W - Z Axis precise and easy control :)

[@slcruz99]

great videos!! where can i get that blue wire holder for longer ray5?

[@rogersshop]

moonshinecrafts.com/product/generic-laser-x-axis-cable-support-loop/

[@iprenmannen]

Hi Roger! I just want to say thanks for the help with the firmware files and such, it's now working perfect with my own limit switches, this will help tremendously when doing multiple parts on the same place like coasters and such ^^

[@pipin812]

I have the 10w and have been sent the limit switches but cant seem to get them to work? someone said i need to update firmware but when i search for firmware it says V1.2.4 and thats the version i have on my laser

[@TheAndrian463]

Nice upgrade there. Think I'll stick with my 10W Ray for now; good balance for engraving and cutting and the kerf is small and symmetrical. The bigger the laser diodes go up in power their purpose is for cutting only and there is a trade-off for the extra power in that a larger kerf and asymmetry in the laser dot occurs. If Longer provides a limit switch kit I'd get that but suspect it is there for the larger laser module size.

[@rogersshop]

Cutting is now what this will primarily be used for. This will cut 1/2" western red cedar in one pass, which is something I use a lot. My scroll saw may get lonely!

[@TheAndrian463]

@Roger's Shop Yeah makes sense. Got the Neje E80 24W module last week which is for big cut projects on the Max 3.

[@rogersshop]

@@TheAndrian463 This will also do 3/4" pine, but it takes so long with multiple passes, that unless it is a complex cut out, I can do it faster on the bandsaw or scroll saw. Haven't tried this yet on my CO2 laser.

[@Steve.Garrison]

Good review! I saw that they started selling the 20 watt and was wondering how it performed. I'm enjoying my 10 watt Longer Ray5. With the beam not being square like the 10 watt how does it do with box joints? Does the rectangular beam make the fingers wider in a particular direction? If so is there a way to compensate for this that you know of in Lightburn?

[@rogersshop]

I haven't tried it out on box joints yet. I did do a run of coaster holders that have tabs and slots and the fit was perfect. Almost did not need glue. There is a way to compensate for kerf in Lightburn, but is too complex to put into a comment reply.

[@Joshuaellis420]

I need the cable that hooks to the board and x and y axis

[@rogersshop]

You could possibly inquire to Longer for one, or make one.

[@Joshuaellis420]

I have tried and waiting to hear it's the cable or the board it started skipping and I found a broken pin on motor replaced it did not work played with wires it worked then stopped

[@rogersshop]

@@Joshuaellis420 Sounds like a defective cable. Just dealt with that on one of my 3D printers.

[@Joshuaellis420]

@@rogersshop cool that gives me hope I'm still new but not scared to try. I may take it loose in the box

[@jimcampigotto9961]

Nice Job Roger as always, great explanations and learned quite a bit from your experiences. I recently purchased and received the 10 Watt, love it. My questions were answered by previous questions on the limit switch kits for the 10W. Please advise when you get the info. Thanks, Jim C

[@rogersshop]

Upgrade kit : s.zbanx.com/r/YV9GxzZYPTjU

[@slhasebroock]

Nice! Thinking about the new TwoTrees 20w with auto focus. Guess you can set it to auto focus on the top for engraving or focus on center for cutting. Hope you do a review on it one day! Thanks Roger!!!!

[@rogersshop]

IMHO, stay away from Two Trees. I purchased one a ways back and it was absolute junk. Of the 9 rollers, 6 had bad bearings. The laser head died after about 6 hours of use. Reply from their tech support was "We will do better next time. You can purchase replacement parts." Unless they "give" me one to test, I will never purchase another from Two Trees.

[@slhasebroock]

@@rogersshop Wow, thanks for the information. I am having a similar experience with FlyingBear on their LaserMan I bought!

[@rogersshop]

@@slhasebroock I have one of those and have used it quite a bit. What exactly is/are the issue(s)?

[@billywhizzy]

Very interesting video. I'm thinking of doing this upgrade for my 10W longer Ray 5. However I can't understand how you can feed steppers and motherboard which were rated for 12v with a 24V power supply. If anyone can explain this to me, I might hit the Buy it Button!. Thanks for your help!

[@rogersshop]

Without getting overly technical...........There is a voltage regulator on the motherboard.

[@billywhizzy]

@@rogersshop Bought it! I posted the link to the upgrade below.. It's hidden from the menus.

[@rogersshop]

@@billywhizzy I also just received the link : s.zbanx.com/r/YV9GxzZYPTjU

[@dashobie]

Love your Videos.

[@ChadsChristmasLights]

Hey Roger, I have a queston sent you an email as well but do you know what cable i would need to use if I have the y axis extension or where i can buy it find it? Just upgraded from 10w to 20w and the cable that came with the extension doesnt work and the cable for the 20w is too short to utilize the extension. Thanks for the help!

[@rogersshop]

Contact Longer. Response is delayed due to them being in China.

[@TheAndrian463]

Hi Roger, Just got the limit switch kit for my Laser. I just noticed the instructions from Longer show the new cable to have the Y motor connected to the motherboard on the Y1 slot; my old cable like yours is hooked up to the Y2 connector on the motherboard. Yours seemed to work ok when directly swapped to the Y2 slot. Any idea why there are two Y slots on the motherboard?

[@rogersshop]

Some lasers (brands) have two Y axis motors. Both work together, so output is the same.

[@TheAndrian463]

@@rogersshop Hi Roger, Many thanks for the clarification.

[@wirewizard3692]

Roger thank you for taking the time to go into detail on the upgrade to 20 watts. Will Longer be selling a kit with the wire harness and limit switches? I'm happy with my 10 watt laser head and don't see a need for the 20 watt yet.

[@rogersshop]

Yes, there will be a kit available soon. As soon as it is, I will add a link in the video description.

[@wirewizard3692]

@@rogersshop Thank you!

[@twit2epy]

Hi Roger, thanks for the videos on the Longer Ray5. I got one recently and had some good success after watching the videos on your channel. This week I installed the limit switches, however, the Y-axis (which is connected to the Probe port) isn't responding. You're mentioning a firmware upgrade. I checked my firmware and it's v1.2.4 (it was shipped with this version) Should I be finding another firmware with specific settings for the limit switched? Thanks in advance

[@rogersshop]

If there is another firmware, I am not aware of it.

[@twit2epy]

@@rogersshop I received a message from Longer support with the link to a new firmware (v1.2.4 with limit support) I burned firmware this using my Mac and all is working as expected now

[@rogersshop]

@@twit2epy Excellent! I must already have had the newer version, since it worked right off.

[@paulraycastillo2238]

I just received my machine the other day and when it hits the limit switch on the x-axis it shuts off the machine completely.

[@twit2epy]

@@paulraycastillo2238 did you install the firmware that supports the limit switches?

[@174859607]

Just got mine today all together but when I try to engrave. It stops in the middle can you help?

[@rogersshop]

If using Lightburn, what are your settings? Are you homing the laser first?

[@174859607]

@@rogersshop Yes Lightburn, and yes, I home the laser first

[@174859607]

@@rogersshop Yes I'm homing the laser first. I called support they said they have had trouble with some of the motherboards. Sounds like they are going to send me one. Had to go back to my atom stack 5 watt.

[@ChadsChristmasLights]

Hey Roger, ??Question for you i noticed in your video you put the x at 33mm and y at 72mm is this different for each Longer ray5 20w? Mine says it needs to be on x 23mm and y 85mm, I was just curious I wanted to make sure i had mine setup correctly. thanks again

[@paulraycastillo2238]

I purchased the 20-watt machine and received it yesterday. After assembling and starting it up it homes and hits the limit switch, the machine turns off. I noticed in your video you said the perimeters we're 400 by 400 with the 10-watt but now that you have the 20 w it changed to 375 by 375 maybe I should change my perimeters to these numbers and see what happens

[@bluensilver4life]

Hi Roger..Since you have the 20W laser. What settings do you use to CUT through 1/4 MDF? I have tried everything and still have yet to cut through this. I know this laser is more than capable to do this thickness, but no luck. I did a grid from 10-100 power and 100-1000 speed and it did nothing but engrave when I had every line set to LINE instead of FILL @ 1 pass.

[@rogersshop]

150mm/min @ 100% power. Although, I rarely cut MDF. MDF can vary widely on density and composition.

[@bluensilver4life]

@Roger's Shop thanks for the reply. The color codes for this machine is standard? Red being cut? Blue engrave? Or do the colors matter?

[@Foman188]

I just upgraded…. And If the laser module is plugged in the back…. The entire machine won’t turn on. If I unplug the laser module.. the machine boots up and moves on X and y… but laser has no power…. Bought the 20w upgrade kit from longer. Trying to figure out wants wrong…. Thanks!

[@MeatBall1251]

Hi Roger, I've been trying to use my Longer Ray5 10w as an offline laser (Sd Card) though when I have the 400x400 grid setup in LightBurn and then set for example a 4inx4in square and save the gcode to the SD card and move it over to the laser it frames some really large square that is nothing even close to the 4inx4in square I made... I've tried looking for a solution though it appears multiple people are having this issue with no real solid answer. Would you happen to know what is going on?

[@rogersshop]

what are you using for a start point in Lightburn? Current Position, User defined position, or Absolute Coordinates? Are you using a toolpath (T1, T2) in lightburn?

[@MeatBall1251]

@@rogersshop I have tried both User Origin and Absolute Coordinates. I've done a T1 4x4 square to have an idea of framing and then 01(blue) as my image... I have even tried to turn my original T1 into the 00 cut with 1% power and then the 01. With the same results every time.

[@charlesgarner9539]

I'm thinking of buying a laser engraver. I have watched many,many videos to help me decide which machine to purchase. In all of the videos I have seen, no one ever talks about support from the manufacture. Maybe because the reviewer is given the machine and knows nothing about the company that gave it to them. I have a small machine shop and a major concern for me when it comes to equipment purchase is will the manufacture provide me with tech support and parts when the warranty runs out. What is and what is not covered under warranty. I have checked a lot of manufacture websites some don't even list a warranty. Some list certain parts under warranty for a year and other parts on the same machine as a 6 month warranty.A machine that can not run because it needs a parts, cannot make me money. I think this information is important to the consumer looking to purchase any kind of equipment but it never provided. ?????

[@rogersshop]

Longer's tech support has been fine for both the lasers and 3D printers. There is a 24 hour delay in response since the support is in China, but they will take care of any inquiries (not on weekends)

[@Joshuaellis420]

I got the email about that new one I ask if it could be upgraded no answer now I know

[@rogersshop]

I am told that this kit will be available to the public soon.

[@Joshuaellis420]

@@rogersshop I don't think I need it yet I don't cut much I just got the 10-watt upgrade

[@rogersshop]

@@Joshuaellis420 Upgrade kit : s.zbanx.com/r/YV9GxzZYPTjU should you decide in the future to upgrade.

[@CalabashJim]

I received my limit switches and new cable for my 10W Ray5. The instructions on how to install the switches are quite clear, but updating the firmware - crap. I have a MacBook with Mac operating system, not a Windows PC. I've been in contact with Longer support which is prompt, but very unclear on the process on where to install [PC or SD card that came with laser], how to install. It says to unzip a file but when I do all I see an EXE file. That's a Windows-based file. I see the .bin firmware file and the .txt file, but the instructions on how to update the firmware are not very clear or precise. Can anyone help me do this and exactly how it's done on a Mac?

[@rogersshop]

Sorry, not a MAc user