G202 & Mach 3 problem

[Hillcraft]

I recently RE-retrofitted my Turret Mill. The machine used to have a CNC Masters retrofit which gave endless problems.

I installed 3 G202s on a www.cncdirect.co.za mach break out board. I run Mach 3.

The problem is that the machine will run happily for anything between 3 - 5 min and then the Y axis drive shuts down. The X axis drive shuts down a little later.

All the wiring has been checked and rechecked. The current limit is set to 120K and the fuse is set to 5A.

The servo wirning is as it was in the CNC Masters board. The CNC Masters board ran G201s.

I also checked the G202 temperature. The problem does not seem to be temperature related.

Could the problem be caused by having a parallel port cable that is too long?

I suppose the only way to see if it is the PC, break out board or Gecko would be to scope the drive data pins at the various point!

[Hillcraft]

I scoped the Dir and step pins before and after the G202 shut down. The data is fine.

What size cap should I use at 48V 4A?

Should I open the G202 and fiddle with the little pot?

[ger21]

I'd call Gecko.

[RLC]

The servo wirning is as it was in the CNC Masters board. The CNC Masters board ran G201s.

Isnt the G202 a Stepper drive ?

[Hillcraft]

Yes the original setup ran G201's. But the G202 and G201 has the same wiring spec and seems to have much the same overall specifications.

[RLC]

Hillcraft,
I quess my post should have been a question as too rather or not you are running "Servo motors" or Stepper motors". The G2---? series drivers are for "Stepper motors" and the G3---? series drivers are for "Servo motors". If in fact you have "servo motors" then I would say you have the wrong drives gathered from what I was seen on Gecko's web site.

[Hillcraft]

I am running steppers. I replaced the new 202s with the old 201s and it seems ok.

The problem might be temperature. The 201s are quite happy at 56 degrees C.

[Dan Mauch]

56C isn't bad but do you have a heasink and a cooling fan installed?

[routerman]

Sounds like a very 'trippy' drive. The current protection is too trigger happy!

He said that the 1st 5000 would be called prototypes.
How about the 1st 10 Maris or sell your prototypes for 1/2 price ?

[Al_The_Man]

Originally Posted by routerman Sounds like a very 'trippy' drive. The current protection is too trigger happy! He said that the 1st 5000 would be called prototypes. How about the 1st 10 Maris or sell your prototypes for 1/2 price ?

Please Limit posts to constructive criticism, not personal attacks.
Al.