Need Help!- Looking for DIY Controller/PS schematics

[ifeliciano]

Im in the process of building my CNC controller and was trying to find a schematic that would show how to build one with momentary switches and contactors. Any schematics out there ?

Just like bp092 did here:

[CNCMAN172]

Ifelciano,

That is a beautiful machine, very nice work. You are asking for a schematic for a controller with momentary switches and contactors? I would appear you built this controller using standard Gecko drives so they are pretty straight forward to wire and you can look up on the MACH3 CNC website and find lots of diagrams.

I assume you want to use the momentary switches or microswitches for limit or home switches right? A word of caution concerning contactors; they create a great deal of noise in a system when they operate and can drive you crazy if they are not done with the greatest of care. You might consider using solid state relays which are very good and have no moving parts so they do not cause electrical noise. I use them to turn on the vacuum, spindle motor, oil sump, etc. You can find them pretty cheap up on ebay. They work off of 3vdc, or a TTL signal comes in from your controller or parallel port and the other end handles high voltage very easy to wire up and work awesome. HOpe this helps.

CNCMAN

[ifeliciano]

Hi CNCMAN,

Brian (bp092) built that controller. I was looking for schem. to build something similar. I appreciate the tips on the MACH3 forum and the SSR's. We have tons of high voltage solid state relays at work and have worked with them to control heating elements. I'll check to see what I can find.

As for the momentary NC or NO switches they are for powering up the controller. I'm not sure how it is wired but, the main disconnect switch rotates to energize part of the controller then the momentary switch latches a relay to turn on the contactor and energize the rest of the controller.

[CNCMAN172]

Ifeliciano,

The wiring of the control box to perform the function you described is actually very easy. Let me attempt to discribe as I looked in my Office application and it is not easy to draw schematic circuits.

Let me see if I can find something to draw a schematic with and I can post how this works. The Red rotary switch basically is nothing more than an on/off switch. The switch provides a path for the incoming AC power to get to the contactor. They also use a momentary push button switch to provide momentary power to the contactor to allow it to operate. Now you take one of the contactors normally open contacts and you route the AC source that was provided by the momentary switch to the same point. Why? Well when you hold down the momentary switch you hear a click this is the contactor closing. Once it closes the NO switch contact is now closed. If you wire it so this contact provide AC power the contactor will remain energized even if you let your finger off the momentary button. Remember the contactors own NO contact is now closed and providing the AC.

So how do you turn off the contactor? Easy you just turn the Red rotary knob and that kills the power going to the contactor. If you then turn the Red rotary switch back on the contactor does not activate. It needs you to push the momentary button again. The rest of the system wiring is very basic and posted everywhere if you are using a standard parallel port and Gecko drivers.

CNCMAN

[ifeliciano]

Thanks for the description. I think I found what i'm looking for, although I have to make some modifications due to my contactors having a 24VAC coil.

Thanks again,

Ivan

[amplexus]

If you actually want a schematic for a gecko like drive check out the cpld thread. It is a work in progress by Mariss but very cool. Also considerably more complicated than just hooking up some switches but a wonderful puzzle.
Amplexus Ender