Controller issues, in the home stretch

[bp092]

Well in my build log on the diy joe 06 forums I documented briefly my controller build. After issues with 1 of the four geckos it came back fixed and works perfectly again; to bring up an issue that I have been having the entire time. My machine is a 4x4 hybrid, 4 305oz/in stepper motors, 4 gecko 203vs, 1 pmdx 122 bob, antek 56v psu and a few other electronic components and switches. 2 motors run single, individually in mach3. The last two run together, my Y axis (moving gantry) in sync. Right now i have the timing belt off to determine movement in the motors. Both motors power up and have worked but it has been inconsistent from the beginning. Sometimes they send step/dir signals, often times not. Also, everything appears to function well inside the controller, green across the board, lights function on the bob as if it was working, and this is all internal, I've switched up cables to motors (I have quick connect xlrs) and I've proven it is either the bob or the geckos.

Where I'm stuck is from there on. No problem, so Joe (joecnc) suggested jumpering the two motors /geckos on one set on the bob to see if it works; if it does than I can assume that the bob is bad and the Y2 pair (3 terminals) is bad. It worked for a few minutes, I left and shut it off to buy some more stuff at radio shack, now it won't go and work again. Still getting full power to the geckos, appropriate power to each pin, everything matches up or is at least close to one another in terms of voltage as per my multimeter. It just doesn't make sense to me. I have checked the wiring almost 10 times now, and replaced the wiring completely from geckos to motors and geckos to bob.

Anyone have any ideas on how I can either single out the gecko or the bob? Gecko is showing green, functioning like the other three, no issues. Bob is the same. I'm open to all ideas, I just want to get cutting Will contact PMDX on Monday, just thought some of you might have ideas.

Thanks for your help.

[Mariss Freimanis]

You didn't mention which CNC program you're using. If it's Mach3, make sure the step pulses are set to 'active high' under 'ports and pins'. Set 'step pulse width' to 2 in 'motor tuning'. The drives are real dumb. They do exactly what they are told to do.

Mariss

[bp092]

Thanks Mariss. I'm still skeptical of the BOB and I didn't at first think it was the gecko but didn't want to put that out of the picture. I'm in no way not confident in the gecko drive, just was curious if there was any other way I could diagnoss it to take out the possibility that it is causing it. That will give me a better footing when explaining it to PMDX. I'm running mach3, latest version and they are set active high and as you said, 2 etc. Everything is exactly the same, all 4 motors, all 4 drives. The wiring, the settings. The only minor difference is the steps/in since I use a different threaded ballscrew for one axis than the others. If I had multiple problems with multiple axis's I would suspect it is my doing but everything is identical as far as wiring goes. I feel I've tried everything but try a new BOB which I'm on the verge of doing.

Thanks for the fast response Mariss, if you have any ideas im all ears!

[CarlosC]

Originally Posted by Mariss Freimanis You didn't mention which CNC program you're using. If it's Mach3, make sure the step pulses are set to 'active high' under 'ports and pins'. Set 'step pulse width' to 2 in 'motor tuning'. The drives are real dumb. They do exactly what they are told to do. Mariss

What value should be used for 'dir pulse' under Mach3?

[Mariss Freimanis]

Leave that alone or restore it to the default value if you have changed it.

Mariss