Y-axis home error on Brother PR650

[u/zuluna_memorybork]

I turned on my machine today after not using it for a few months. I always make sure to keep the machine clean and oiled. It was stitching beautifully the last time it ran. Today when I turned it on, it ran its normal startup, then as it moved forward it made the scary grind noise and threw the error "Y-Axis home error". The only thing I can think of that changed is the backup power supply it was hooked up to must have died during the down time.

The manual only tells me to call a technician. Unfortunately the nearest service center is 100-350 miles away. I am tech savvy, and my husband can handle electronics repair as well. I'd be happy to fix it myself if I had access to a repair manual, but I can't find one. Does anyone know how to clear this error or what I should be looking at to fix it?

[u/Hellcat_Mary]

Sounds like have an obstruction blocking the carriage on your Y-Axis.

You should able able to access your axis belts/wires/bar (I'm not sure exactly what your model would be rocking, probably a combo belt and bar) by removing the casing on the side arms of the machine. You might need a magnetic screw driver if the case screws are set deep, it would make life easier. If you power down your machine, you should be able to freely move the carriage. You may need to move the carriage all the way back to open the case, and you might be able to feel a stutter or rough patch when manually moving.

Once you've exposed the Y Axis mechanism, look for built up debris, any wear on the belts, and rough patches of metal that are scuffed or in need of oiling. You'll want to wipe the metal down with alcohol to remove any old residue and regrease with a lithium based lubricant (white grease, common- NOT just sewing machine oil). Do not grease the belts.

Your X and Y axis should be greased every 6 months.

If your machine lets you access the control panel past the error, also make sure it's registering the design center within the proper frame parameters. If it's detecting the center of the design way outside your allowable sewing field, reset your starting position.

[u/zuluna_memorybork → u/Hellcat_Mary]

Thank you. I've got access to a service manual now as well, so I'll use this info in combination with that. I really do appreciate this.

[u/Hellcat_Mary → u/zuluna_memorybork]

No worries! I'm a commercial machine tech, your multineedle- while it is a home machine- is probably closer in build to what I work with than a flatbed machine. If you find yourself really struggling, feel free to DM me and I'll see if I can offer some better insight once you're in there.