Frozen Woodmizer

[Norwiscutter]

My LT30 Super has taken to not wanting to run when the temp gets below 20 degrees or so.  Not that I can blame it much because I don't really want to be out in the cold either, but sometimes things have to get done.  Thing is that the problem seams to be the control board.  The mill will start alright but the digital display for the setworks doesn't come on at all and the electronic functions on the control board won't work IE forward/ reverse, Up/Down, Debarker, etc.  I have been having to heat up the control panel for a good ten minutes with a heat gun to get it to start with the digital display showing anything which to this point has always resulted in it working fine from then on.  This however is a regular occurance and was wondering if anyone had scene this happen to them before.  I realize that the mill is probably smarter than me and is telling me to stay inside, but I still would like to figure out what is happening.  Around here, anything above 0 degrees is prime sawing weather and I would hate to miss out on much more of some of the best january sawing weather a guy has ever scene.

[Bibbyman]

I tend to not saw much when it gets down to or below freezing but our Accuset has always worked in cold weather.  It does get slower to display and the buttons get stiffer to push.  I've thought about having some kind of heating coil inside or outside the box to keep it warm.

It'd be nice to have a shielding or corralling like used on a motor cycle or an outdoor phone booth and some kind of heat keeping that area warm.  It'd sure make it a lot more comfortable to run the controls.     

[Furby]

I thought someone posted before about placing a block heater or maybe it was a light bulb inside there to help keep it warm.

[Minnesota_boy]

I had trouble with my control board (non-accuset) and Woodmizer tech said that there could be some loose connections and to re-crimp the wire ends that connect to the board.  Next time it gives me trouble, I will if I can still remember.  :D

[Kevin]

A 12volt DC light insde the box might make the difference.

[WH_Conley]

I use a fog loght inside my control panel. Don't want to run on a cold, damp morning, flip the switch, go ahead and piddle around moving sawdust and stuff for about ten minutes and everything works fine. I have it wired up til where the toggle switch and the key must both be on before it will work. Save chance of forgetting and leaving it on.

[Jeff]

I've seen my LT30 to cold to run as well... ;)

[farmerdoug]

Jeff,

Now that must have drawn a few stares as you went down the road. :D :D ;D

Farmerdoug

[Jeff]

Thats what it looked like as it was delivered to me by Douginutah. He came through the continental divide is a snow storm in may. Its how my Mill got its name. We refer to it as the "Slush-Mizer. 

From this thread:
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?topic=12137.0

[Percy]

Heya Norwis Cutter.
My LT70(same electronics as yours) gives me grief in the cold weather as well. I found/figured out that there is a solonoid (in the orange box with all the resetable breakers stickin out) that likes to stick when cold. When this happens, my display says "Check Motor Circuits" when I try to use any up/down fuction and the head wont go forward either. A WM tech told me that they dropped the voltage/amps/whatever to this solonoid to make it last longer. When it gets cold, the lube in the solonoid gets sticky and she dont go..ya....What I do is the flex hose thing from the mill engines tail pipe to the "orange box" and she's workin already. It will keep working untill you shut down for lunch, then...out with the heat. The display is just slow, if you dont pay attention to it, its not that bothersom and seems to get better with use.... ;D ;D

[sparks]

Norwiscutter, what year mill do you have? Is it a standard or a super? Standard mills do not have a solenoid that powers up the mill like the supers do. If it is a standard mill I would check the voltage reading at the "Bat" terminal of the key switch. Then at the "Acc" and "Ign" to make sure they are at 11.5VDC or higher.

[Norwiscutter]

It is a 97 super HD.   I think that the light bulb Idea is going to be the way to go because my mill is electric and I can't route an exhaust pipe like was mentioned.  I have taken the pannel apart trying to address this a time or two but am not sure what I am looking for.  When it gets below 20-25 degrees it has not for the last month at all wanted to display anything on the pannel until I heat it up in some manner, which in turn causes it to run fine from there on out. If there is some kind of condensation in the pannel, perhaps it would be best to heat it up for an extended period to see if whatever moisture is there could be evaporated rather than just melted.  Thank you guys for your help thus far.