Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: older encoders safe to use?

vrsculptor wrote:

> Steve,
> Older BEI's used an incandescent grain of wheat bulb. With age bulbs
> dim and die unlike LED's. One of the encoders on my old mill (1985)
> was DOA. To avoid problems I switched to USDigital.com encoders for
> about $40/axis and you get to choose your resolution. Also... if you
> are using G320's they can power US Digital encoders. I think BEI's
> draw too much current and require a separate 5 volt source.

These would have to be made before about 1982 to have a bulb in
them. The encoder makers were some of the first peopel to adopt
LEDs, and most encoders made after 1975 already had IR LEDs.
I'm surprised that a BEI in a 1985 machine would still have a
bulb in them! Usually, these can be replaced with an IR LED
with little effort. Some makers back then even had field
upgrade kits.

Jon