Gecko in Bridgeport BOSS

[zcases]

Anyone tried retrofitting a BOSS machine with Gekcko's? I am considering Yeager Automations kit for my BOSS5.

Thanks
Scott

[routerman]

The 10 amp 'Cobra drives' from Larken Automation is better at driving those big motors. The Gecko's tend to blow when pushed too hard. Larken also warantees's their Drive.

[braidmeister]

With work being so busy, my BOSS5 has been sitting. Still on the fence about keeping the stock steppers and running the NEW Geckos with circuit protection...or using the PMDC/Servo motors and the Rutex 2000 drives...Seems that with the added protection (and 6.8A/ph draw) the Gecko may be a viable choice.

The Larken Cobra 10s must be new....not that long ago they offered a 8 and 16A version...

-Brady

[cholder]

I tried Yeager Automations software on a machine 2 years ago. The software worked great except it did not have cutter diameter compensation. The old system I was using did, so I opted for the Mach 1 software. It takes more of a computer but it had the features I wanted. The machine was a Boss 8 Series II with fried servo's. I had some Series I steppers from a Boss 3 that I had scrapped. I rewired the existing DC supply to reduce the voltage and used Gecko drives. The machine has been running the Gecko's for 2 years without any problems. But this is a hobby machine, I does not see use everyday.

Cliff

[ViperTX]

Check out the last 6 issues of Home Shop Machinist...Roland Friestad from Cardinal Engineering(sp?) just did that.

[zcases]

Any way for me to contact Roland Friestad, Cardinal Eng, or even get a copy of the articles? I am not a subscriber yet, and it looks like the website only references the hardcopy.

I am really interested in the specifics of a retrofit using Geckos and Mach.

[ViperTX]

You can get reprints of a series of articles from Village Press the publisher of Home Shop Machinist. Call them tell them which series.

[braidmeister]

Marriss...What are your thoughts and recommendations for using the new 202/212 drives on a 6.8A/ph Series1/BOSS5 Bridgeport stepper??? To be fair, I have heard a lot of stories and read a lot of posts in various groups where the drives couldn't handle the BP's 42's or that it ran very slowly (lower voltage to keep drive happy)...Can you comment on this? Verify that the 202/212s will work? I'd rather give you the $$$ than Larken.

Personally I am going to run a 75v PS....Is this too much voltage considering how the motors may act as generators upon decelleration???

Your comments are greatly appreciated. This is a black hole for a lot of BOSS guys that just can't get a straight answer regarding the reliability of Geckos pushing a BP stepper.

Thanks!!!!!
-Brady

[braidmeister]

Yay or Nay ~ Advice on BP/Gecko combo? Anyone? Bueller?

[Korellibopper]

I did it it works but I am loosing steps and I cant figure out why im in the process of adding smooth stepper

[zcases]

Holy cow that was '05 when I posted my last message in this thread. I went and did the Gecko retrofit and have been running it for years. Its been really a nice reliable machine for me. I still have the original BOSS 5 steppers driven by the Geckos. The only time I had any issues losing steps was when I occasionally crashed it due to my own mistakes.

Scott

[Korellibopper]

hmme really 2005 thats funny. Umm maybe you can help me figure what I did wrong could you tell me what your using for a power supply and anyway you could send me the xml file for your mill. Id really like to get the bugs worked out of my machine.

If your interested in helping me lert me know