Troubleshooting Glowforge Lid Open Error for Front Magnetic Sensors with Bypass

In this video I show a quick method to test if the front door sensors are the cause of the "Lid Open" error on your Glowforge. I did forget to mention in the video that you should short both sides out to test this, and if it clears the error you can try one at a time to see which sensor is bad. I also made this video specifically for people that do not have electronic supplies but should have staples, or an electric cord and razor blade. The goal here is to do an noninvasive short on both magnetic sensors to test if these are the source of your Lid Open error. Do make sure that when the wire or staple is inserted that it is in fact touching the metal inside of the connector.
Disclaimer and safety:
CO2 laser cutters use intense beams of light to create heat and fire as a normal part of their operation, the laser light will not be visible to you. However if the proper safety measures are ignored, you could burn or blind yourself or someone else. CO2 lasers use high voltages, and if high voltage is touched it can kill you.

[@JohnCRV]

Sensors can drive you nuts but you you got it. Great troubleshooting Kirk.

[@ColoradoMartini]

That machine is so cool.

[@ActNaturally]

Those are tricky, nicely shown!

[@MrLoweVertical]

Cool Channel 😀New friend from Denmark 👍🔔

[@BjornFjellstad]

Excellent troubleshooting. Sometimes troubleshooting can be real difficult, but you did well and got it at the end. I enjoyed watching and also learned something. Thank you for sharing🙂👍

[@billyb5057]

good information and safety warning *big like👍Au👀always a full watch*

[@HealthyVeganLiving]

Supporting you friend Gary

[@HealthyVeganLiving]

Good tutorial Kirk 👍2 Gary

[@JOEZEP54]

Good information showing how & to use what is on hand. 👍# 6 Stay well, Joe Z

[@SwedeRushThePuck]

Thanks so much for the excellent videos. I have a connector that broke off the LED strip and now says “Lid Open”. Any suggestions on shorting it out if it’s broken away from the strip? I tried the staple and it didn’t work. So hopeful you have an idea. Thank you so much

[@madscientisthut]

it depends on which connector broke, is it the two pin connector that the magnetic sensor goes to (close to the front of the lid)?

[@SwedeRushThePuck]

Oh gosh thank you for replying!! And so fast!! You are amazing! Yes it is and now the one on other side just broke too while I was trying to staple trick….

[@SwedeRushThePuck]

@@madscientisthut - yes the 2 pronged connector

[@SwedeRushThePuck]

And if I hold them both up the lights come on brighter like it’s going to emgage

[@madscientisthut]

Do you know how to solder, or somebody that can. The points where the connectors are/were mounted can be scraped back a few mm then a jumper can be soldered there. It is somewhat a pain if the board is mounted in the lid. Also after doing this you will lose the interlock if both sides are jumpered, so it may be good to see if you can go the key switch route I did in the other video.

[@bethqualls1264]

We just leave the staple in there?

[@madscientisthut]

So if you identified that you can run with the staple in there and not without it, you have an issue with the magnetic switches in the front of the top cover. You can further isolate the two switches by trying one side at a time. Once you have figured out which one is bad you can leave the staple on that side and use the machine as normal.

[@enigmailedpuzzles]

I have a question - the handle of my GF lid came off, pulling the wires off with it (and the connectors at the end of each LED light strip. Do you think I can lose the lid open message if I connect up the two wires within the lid itself?

[@madscientisthut]

Not sure but possibly.

[@enigmailedpuzzles]

Just to confirm, it did work! Shorting those connectors circumnavigates the magnet/lid issue completely. I soldered some wire to either side. Many thanks for your video providing the thought process and inspiration, @@madscientisthut

[@kellyclark8231]

So I replaced the black cable and then did the staple and did the bypass and it still says lid open. Any suggestions on what it could be? Should the Glowforge still calibrate with that error?

[@madscientisthut]

It could be a few things. The led boards in the lid could have a cracked trace, open solder joint, damaged connector. Also could be the bottom board that cable connects to.

[@madscientisthut]

I am not sure about calibration with the lid open error

[@kellyclark8231]

So what happened was I was engraving a bamboo board it finished and I took it out and put in another board and that’s when I got the error. Also when I turn it on the button flashes purple for a few seconds and then goes normal color. I can’t remember if it did that before.

[@madscientisthut]

Do you remember anything getting hit in the lid area by the bamboo board when it was removed?

[@kellyclark8231]

@@madscientisthut no it was just a 5x7 dollar tree board. That’s why I am so confused.