Has anyone else had their 1100MX enclosure light cover randomly shatter and fall apart???
Machine was purchased in late 2022, iirc.
Does anyone have recommendations for a good-quality replacement light that fits the same mounting holes?
Thanks!
If you have PP USB cameras or ever want to capture video in your enclosure, this might be of interest for a non-Tormach replacementā¦
when I first bought the machine, I realized that the 230V LED lights are not compatible with the cameras I had planned to use to monitor the machine. I researched and researched and researched, and could not find a light that would be compatible with a camera, due to the voltages running to the light and the way that the LED controller converts those voltages.
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all I need is an affordable, good quality replacement light, so I can see inside my machine and continue working. got bills to pay, lol.
So, it looks like I need a light that is roughly 11āx12ā or so. But the bigger issue is the voltage. They have the lights on a 240v power cord thatās carrying both phases. So there is L1, L2 and GND. There is no neutral. ā¦ Just about every light I have found so far is 120v single phaseā¦ Funā¦
Also, does anyone know what style of connector they are using back here?
IEC C13 plug
Thanks!!!
The light i am considering:
Waiting on them to answer their email about what the actual dimensions of the light are.
I donāt know what issue you had with your monitoring cameras and the OEM 230V lights but the ones that I am using run off DC instead of AC and do NOT have the rolling shutter effect at normal frame rates (if thatās what you were seeing).
I had a light go bad on my 1100M (upgraded to MX, but I think not relevant) and swapped in a LED waterproof floodlight from Amazon that was listed at 85-265 VAC or some such and was the same size. Zero issues with that, although that particular model seems not to be available anymore.
Cheap LED lights āblinkā at line frequency or a multiple thereof because they more or less just push AC into a string of them (sometimes also āpulsingā them to get more light output). If you want no-flicker, you can get a DC light and separate low-ripple DC power supply to drive it, but the camera problem is well known from back when flourescent tubes were a thing, so they should all be able to deal with it.
Roy, do you have that old Amazon link to the discontinued light? I can cross-reference that and find a new one thatās for sale. Thank you so much!!!
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Whatās funny is I never had considered fixing the light. LOL. One of my friends was giving me trouble this morning about why Iād buy a new light instead of just gluing a new piece of Lexan to it. I will probably go ahead and glue Lexan to the busted light temporarily while Iām trying to find a new one. Haha.
I donāt think thereās any reason they are sealed besides keeping water and dust out, so there shouldnāt be a problem just setting it on some Lexan, except heat. They do get hot.
This is the link from āyour ordersā, but it looks like the 50W I used (picked to be the same wattage as the other side) is no longer available from them. I would search on āoutdoor LED floodlightā until I found something the right side for the opening in the enclosure. Most mounts are easily removed but you might have to wire in a new plug.
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Iād glue in appropriate plastic product myself if I had some on hand to get going again.
Are we taking stupid questions (IMHO, there are none)?
Is that (impact resistant) glass or is it a plastic product that āshatteredā and in consideration of what you are going to replace it withā¦if itās some plastic derivative, do you think the coolant āateā it?
Iād still like to know what issues you had with your cameras you were using to monitor to know if they matched those detailed in my investigation/threadā¦
IDK about OPs but the cover glass on mine is indeed glass.
I didnāt investigate too closely, if its actual real glass, then that really sucks, cause now its all over my chip tray. Fun. ā¦
Still trying to find a direct-replacement light. The link I posted earlier was about half the physical size of the original.
Going to glue on a Lexan cover plate for now.
Will feedback if I ever find a decent replacement.
Edit: I just climbed on top of the machine to get some measurements for the Lexan plate, the outside dimensions of the original light housing are 275mm x 285mm.
Should be pretty easy to make up a reducer-plate for a smaller-size light if necessary, and that might make for a smaller target 
. IIRC finding one the right size took a bit of work as dimensions are often sketchy on Amazon but there is quite a bit of adjustment in the mounting clips on my enclosure.
I installed a smaller light with a plastic lens in my 15L. I went with12V for that because itās in the coolant splash zone and a short circuit would be less hazardous. A friend with a similar setup in a lathe that gets used nearly daily says they last about a year, but this one gets used a lot less and is still good.
Hot cold hot cold cycle on scratched tempered glass is a ticking timebomb. I would put a lexan acrylic over the hole and put the light on top of that. Add some standoffs so the air can get in between the plex and the light housing and good to go. Except spiders are probably going to get in there and cook.
Acrylics safe to 160f. Lexan is good to 220F.
Thereās also armored glass film that you could put on there to keep the glass from gettin g hit. The thin film should be more than enough as the thicker it gets the more expensive. Check the temp on the working one after itās hot to see what you need.
iPad screen covers are also great. I use them on the inside of the mill windows because they have oil phobic coating and stay clean and clear and also shatterproof. And thy are cheap. The view glass things the cnc supply companies sell are hundreds of dollars more.
From the look of OPs fragments, it was not tempered glass. On the 1100 enclosure, the lights are pretty far from the tool, so chances of a hit from something not otherwise catastrophic seem low. That may be more of an issue on the smaller machines.
Btw, some coolants will cause Lexan (polycarbonate) to crack rapidly. IDK about the Tormach, but a lot of machines use different materials.
Welp, my local āhome improvementā stores are worthless, so I ordered a 12x12 off Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VXKYBNP
Still havenāt found a replacement light.
Harold, that is genius using screen protectors.
Roy, I am using the recommended coolant: QualiChem XTREME CUT 251C
Sorry for the short replies, so so busy, lol, fun funā¦
I was curious so I checked the exploded view and the stock replacement is in there.
FWIW these lights get pretty warm so try to account for that with what ever glue and plastic you are using.
Thank you Davie. Much appreciated.
https://tormach.com/m-mx-series-enclosure-led-floodlight-50w-37341.html
I canāt justify $100+ for an LED light, but maybe the link will help others in the future.
Piles of them over here in the UK.
Finally something I can get cheaper here.
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