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**signman** · 09-18-2009, 11:29 AM

I'm not a tech...but I do know about the warranty-and if you bought a used machine that HAD EXISTING WARRANTY, you would have been able to purchase a 'new' extended warranty to cover it.
Then you keep extending that warranty and it covers a heck of a lot more than what the warranty costs you!
Who's your tech up there? I'm wondering if Brian Kirk handles your area, he's from Manchester NH and has been absolutely great with us.

**themainethread** · 09-18-2009, 11:36 AM

yeah Brian is the one who installed the z motor. Very nice guy.

Yes I wanted the extended warranty and had gotten the papers for it but they had to send a tech out and the machine went down before that got arranged, so they won't issue an extended warranty on a broken machine.

The extended warranty was $3600 for 3 years, I am trying to fight with them to let me get it, but getting nowhere.

[ January 10, 2010, 07:56 PM: Message edited by: themainethread ]

**signman** · 09-18-2009, 11:46 AM

The last price for the warranty on our Big Red before we traded up to the XT was $90 per month-had been $100 or $110 and they changed them last fall or so.
Keep screaming-might get you somewhere.
Almost think with what you're talking for fix-it price you could pick up one of the Big Red tradeins cheaper and use that, save the dead one for parts!
They only gave us $4500 I think 'tradein value' for them.
I think Brian has his own Amaya and has solved all kinds of problems with ours so I would trust him. Hate to think of him 'guessing' to solve a problem.
Do a 'search' here in the archives for Z axis and see what comes up for other solutions-never hurts to try something that might be simple enough to overlook!
Good luck...
Belfast is nice area-been through there and stayed north and south of it. Just spent 4 days on Hermit Island, came home monday. Stayed in Camden, Rockport, all that area many times and gone through to Bar Harbor.
Nice country up there!
And a hint for Brian...plate full of fresh danishs or pastries in the morning goes a long ways with him! LOL...

**themainethread** · 09-18-2009, 12:10 PM

Danishes? I would have bought him $150 worth of lobster if he had figured out it wasn't the z motor before he tried it. LOL.

Yeah maine is great, but a little remote which is why we have to pay $445 for Brian to hike up here (Melco's charge, not his).

I don't think I would ever buy a used Melco, not after this fiasco, I got our new xt for $8k with the warranty. I would say with the way tech is, owning a melco without warranty is a little risky. Maybe this is just a bad experience. But they couldn't diagnose the problem correctly or even come up with a way to test the solution with minimal expense. I told the techs in Colorado that they should have a used working z motor and board that they can send to try it out, if that is the problem you buy a new part, if not they keep looking. They didn't think my idea would work.

If anyone has z motor issues and wants to try my old one I will send it to you and you can send it back after you see if that fixes your problem.

I think my xt might become new mooring anchor for my boat, should I take the thread off first or let the lobster embroider for a while?LOL

**Steve** · 09-18-2009, 07:53 PM

Doesn't Russell Silva live near Boston?

**Hugo Torbidoni** · 09-18-2009, 08:36 PM

Melco has always recommended that both the Z motor and main board be replaced when this problem occurs.

Did Melco mention this to you?

I wonder who would have said that we as techs are "trained" to replace the cheapest part first.
Thats just not true.

If you search the archives you will likely find numerous posts relating to the same problems that you are having.Yes it may be costly but there are instances that one components failure can cause damaged to another that may not appear until a later time.

As far as Brian is concerned, he is one of the finest Techs out there.I think to post a comment like this before knowing what is wrong is premature.

Hugo Torbidoni
Melco Tech

**levelbest** · 09-18-2009, 08:52 PM

"Melco has always recommended that both the Z motor and main board be replaced when this problem occurs. "

Hugo is correct - when I replaced the z motor doing tech work on my own machine, that was reiterated to me as well.

Techs are trained to solve the problems at hand - not replace the cheapest part - period.

**Steve** · 09-18-2009, 09:14 PM

Hugo,
Who is a good tech for South Florida? I'm moving next week.

**Hugo Torbidoni** · 09-18-2009, 09:49 PM

ME!

**Hugo Torbidoni** · 09-18-2009, 09:53 PM

Steve,

All kidding aside. I don't have the info in front of me but I think it is Juliet Patterson.I get back to you for sure. There is also Ed Orantes and , I can be convinced to come down if you twist my arm.

I guess your moving because Favre signed on with the Vikes?

Hugo

**levelbest** · 09-18-2009, 09:56 PM

I'm in orlando 2-3 times a year - I'll come visit you steve

**TinaK** · 09-18-2009, 10:36 PM

I would move too if I was a Vikes fan but glad I don't like them...Go Seahawks!

**Ted II** · 09-18-2009, 10:53 PM

Hugo;
Do you know about the sheet that Tong made for testing the main pcb to see if it needs to be replaced or the motor? Also I know that the cost of a tech coming to work on a machine is high but it is still cheaper than a new machine. I find that the main cost (travel) depends on how close you are to the customer. Some are lucky and close while some are farther away. We are worth the money though aren't we Hugo?
Ted II

**StringNet** · 09-18-2009, 11:16 PM

Please excuse my long winded response.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Brian Kirk; I am the technician that has been thrown under the bus in this tirade. I am a technician with 14 years of full time technical experience. I am not a part time tech. All I do is fix machines and provide technical advice and training to people in the embroidery business. I have never posted in this forum but after hearing about this slanderous post, I feel that I must reply, in fact I just now created an account so I could do so.

Let’s start by getting a few facts straight. I was not involved in diagnosing this problem before my visit. My understanding is that Dave contacted Melco and discussed the problems with a phone tech. That discussion resulted in a diagnosis of two possible failed components. The Z motor and/or the CPU. Either part could generate the problem that this machine was experiencing. I believe the cost to replace both parts were discussed. I don’t know the details of this conversation but Melco typically recommends replacement of both the motor and the CPU at the same time. If it was under warranty that is most likely what would have been done. For whatever reason, it was decided that the Z motor would be replaced first and by itself. At this point Dave purchased a new Z motor.

I was then contacted by Melco with a request to replace the Z motor in Dave’s machine. When I arrived at Dave’s shop my first steps were to troubleshoot and verify the diagnosis. After troubleshooting I came to a similar conclusion. Z motor or CPU. There are very few ways to bench test a servo motor with a built in encoder. About the only thing you can test for is a short circuit. There were no shorts in this motor but that was expected as the symptom was a tracking error which is generally related to the encoder. There is no way to bench test an encoder in the field. Encoder failures are not common on these motors but are not unheard of. I advised Dave that I could find no problem with the motor but was unable to rule it out conclusively. If I had both parts on hand I would have tried the CPU first. But the motor was the only part on hand as Dave did not order a CPU. So we tried the motor with no success. Leaving the CPU as the most likely culprit.

Lets clear up a few more things. “guessing” It’s not guessing its troubleshooting and a process of elimination. Electronic problems are very difficult things to track down. There are many components that all have to work and communicate perfectly in order for the machine to function. There are usually no physical breaks and nothing you can see. It takes very sophisticated equipment to positively identify exactly where the problem is. It’s equipment that can’t be taken on a field service visit. As a field tech we do our best using our knowledge, skills and tools at hand to best determine what is wrong. It’s not always easy. No matter how good you are, you don’t always get it on the first try. If I have a broken part in my hand I can guarantee that replacing it will fix the problem. As far as electronics go, and with the limited resources available on a field service visit, I can’t and won’t give a guaranteed diagnosis. It would be irresponsible to do so. No matter how remote the possibility, no matter how unlikely, it could still be something else.

“They said they train the techs to replace the cheapest things first and work up in price.”
I don’t know where that came from. It’s not the way I was trained and I have never heard that phrase before. I try to narrow it down to the most likely cause and work from there. In this situation I felt it was 60/40 CPU/motor but all we had was the motor so trying the motor was a good call.

Dave, I did everything I could to help you. I cut my vacation short and lost a warm sunny Friday to come see you as you told me that you couldn’t wait till after the weekend. I gave you cost saving advice and showed you how to replace the board yourself to further save you money. I understand that you may be disgruntled with Melco but I don’t think that my level of service has wronged you in any way. Yet this post has tarnished my excellent reputation.

All that being said. I am still willing to help you if I can, because that’s what I do… I fix machines.

Brian

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Machine down, Tech Support guessing!

Machine down, Tech Support guessing!

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