Mach3,Geckos,DC Servo & Stepper Problem

[wjfiles]

Hi All,
Can anyone help.
I don't know if this is the right forum. I am rewiring a gantry router and have a multitude of problems.
Originally the router was wired using 2 Gecko 320 on 2 DC servos and one gecko 201 for a stepper on the Z. Mach 2 was upgraded to Mach 3 and some errattic things happened ocasionally with limits and homing. Advice was to use a breakout, so I purchased a CNC4PC C11G multi function board.
Taking a step at a time. I installed the recommended XML for the board.
I then passed the Parallel port outputs thru the board and to the Geckos step and direction connections,powered the board with the recommended 5 volts. jumpered the 5v to the EN. Turned off the Charge pump on the board and in Mach3. I adjusted Mach3 settings for the correct motor outputs.
Nothing else was changed.
Results. Not all the port LEDs light up on the BB.
The stepper moves but only in one direction regardless of which key (up or down) is pressed.
The servos do Nothing. The dro's in mach work OK.
I am by no means an expert, this is my first encounter with a BoB.
I have built from scratch my own router using steppers and Hobby CNC and mach and have had no problems for 18 months. I thought I knew what I was doing??

Know what I am doing, What I don't Know is what I am not doing ????

Thanks in advance
WJF

[wjfiles]

Originally Posted by wjfiles Hi All, Can anyone help. I don't know if this is the right forum. I am rewiring a gantry router and have a multitude of problems. Originally the router was wired using 2 Gecko 320 on 2 DC servos and one gecko 201 for a stepper on the Z. Mach 2 was upgraded to Mach 3 and some errattic things happened ocasionally with limits and homing. Advice was to use a breakout, so I purchased a CNC4PC C11G multi function board. Taking a step at a time. I installed the recommended XML for the board. I then passed the Parallel port outputs thru the board and to the Geckos step and direction connections,powered the board with the recommended 5 volts. jumpered the 5v to the EN. Turned off the Charge pump on the board and in Mach3. I adjusted Mach3 settings for the correct motor outputs. Nothing else was changed. Results. Not all the port LEDs light up on the BB. The stepper moves but only in one direction regardless of which key (up or down) is pressed. The servos do Nothing. The dro's in mach work OK. I am by no means an expert, this is my first encounter with a BoB. I have built from scratch my own router using steppers and Hobby CNC and mach and have had no problems for 18 months. I thought I knew what I was doing?? Know what I am doing, What I don't Know is what I am not doing ???? Thanks in advance WJF

There are 4 elements involved, Mach3,Geckos, CNC4PC c11G BoB & Me
Where do I start looking. Anyone have problems with the c11g BoB configuration.
wjf

[epineh]

Hi WJ, I haven't used any of the hardware or software you are using, but one thing to check, if you have upgraded Mach, check that the outputs are set to active low, this is straight from the Geckodrive FAQ :

Q.) What should my settings be in Mach3?

With all drives except for the G203V, set the “Ports and Pins” setting to “Active Low”. If it is a
G203V, set it to “Active High”. On all drives, set the step pulse width to 2μS.

Also I would imagine there is some way of setting active low on your breakout board, sorry I cannot pinpoint it for you but that is where I would be looking.

Cheers.

Russell.

[wjfiles]

Hi Again,
Thanks Epineh for your input.
It was a help. It did not solve the problem.
What happens now is that all the output LEDs light up on the Bob but allgo out when Mach is started.
The Z Stepper only runs in one direction and the 2 Servos are still dead.
I have checked the P/port and it is fine
I have checked the Geck0s and the have no blown chips.
I am reasonably sure that the problem maybe the BoB .
Why would a stepper only run in one direction.

wjf

[stevespo]

wjf, I don't have any experience with the G201 or G320, but I do use the G203V. I have looked through the manuals, so I'm not completely unfamiliar with the devices, just no direct experience.

If the stepper is only running in one direction, I would assume that the DIR signal is being held high or low, regardless of what you're doing with the controller. I'd go through the manuals one more time, double check your Mach settings. Make sure you've got +5VDC connected to pin 10 (common) on the G201.

It might be useful to take voltage readings on the parallel port pins and see if you're getting signals when/where you expect. My (old) Mach3 computer developed problems with the parallel port where voltages were often inconsistent, and this manifested itself in flaky behavior. A different computer solved the problem.

Let us know if you make any progress, or what you've discovered.

Steve

[wjfiles]

Originally Posted by stevespo wjf, I don't have any experience with the G201 or G320, but I do use the G203V. I have looked through the manuals, so I'm not completely unfamiliar with the devices, just no direct experience. If the stepper is only running in one direction, I would assume that the DIR signal is being held high or low, regardless of what you're doing with the controller. I'd go through the manuals one more time, double check your Mach settings. Make sure you've got +5VDC connected to pin 10 (common) on the G201. It might be useful to take voltage readings on the parallel port pins and see if you're getting signals when/where you expect. My (old) Mach3 computer developed problems with the parallel port where voltages were often inconsistent, and this manifested itself in flaky behavior. A different computer solved the problem. Let us know if you make any progress, or what you've discovered. Steve

Hi Steve, I have 5v+ to pin 10 and the 5v- is to one of the common grounds, where would you suggest for the 5v-.
The whole system worked before the introduction of the BOB.
Voltages measure OK and when the computer is connected to the BoB without Mach running all the inputs LEDs on the BoB indicate all channels are working.
RGDS
WJF

[stevespo]

Hmmn. I'm not sure what the -5VDC is being used for. Was it connected to something in the old setup? I don't see any references to this in any of the manuals. The G201 has DC power ground (black) to terminal pin 1, DC power +18 to +80VDC (red) to terminal pin 2, and +5VDC to pin 10. That's all I see for the G201.

Also from the G11 manual, this may be relevant. Again, I'm no expert here but just trying to suggest some things to double check.

"The common terminal to pins 2-9
can be ground or +5vdc. Forget
about grounding problems. Easily
connect your pin by using your close
by ground connection. No need to be
an electronics expert to ground all
your stuff. The board has a jumper
that allows you to select if the
common terminal to pins 2-9 will
carry a ground or +5vdc. So if you
are connecting encoders or proximity
switches, you can select it to ground.
If you are connecting Geckodrives or
limit switches, you can set It to be
+5VDC."

Steve

[wjfiles]

Hi All,
Thanks for the replies.
The problem is fixed, On reading the responses I decided to pull all the wiring out and sequentially rewire the circuits ( FOLLOWING THE INSTRUCTIONS), Bingo I must have put them in the right places. I still do not know what was wrong.
Something I did or something I did not do. Who cares now.
Thanks All
WJF

[epineh]

Good to hear you got it running !

Russell.