Motors not spinning

[kae]

Well I finally got my DC power supply built, successfully installed Mach3 (demo version), system test was excellent so I wired everything up and the motors don't spin. I notice this as a common startup problem and I am probably a dead give away as a novice first time builder. I have been searching the forums looking for ideas when I thought that I would post to see if someone else has had these problems. I feel that it has to be something simple that I am missing but haven't discovered it yet. I will list some things about my system and wait to hear from you good folk on this list.

I am using a C10 BOB from CNC4PC. I have it enabled. I feel pretty sure that I have the correct port setting for the parallel port on the motherboard but I did try port 2 just to see (double checked in Device Manager). I am using the 203v Geckos. I have carefully checked to make sure that I have the step and direction pins wired correctly and enabled in ports and pins. The 203v requires active high so I have the active low box unchecked in ports and pins. I can successfully reset the E-stop. In motor tuning I have the pulse width set for 2us as per Geckodrive. I have a green LED on the drives. I have played with many different accel and vel to no avail. When I attempt a rapid position (G0 X1 Y1) to try to spin the motors I get DRO movement within Mach3 but no motor spin.

I welcome any and all thoughts and suggestions. I was actually under the false impression that this might all work on the first try

[ger21]

Wrong port address or cable that doesn't have all the pins straight through.

[kae]

Thanks for the reply.

I will check the cable with a meter. On my machine, Com1 is 0x3F8. I assumed that F was Hex for 7 making Port 1 0x378 which matches Mach3 default setting. I will get back to you on the cable.

[kae]

I just checked the cable. All the pins go through. I could check the BOB to make sure that all the pins from the DB25 are solid through to the wire connectors. Any other ideas?

[ger21]

Do you mean LPT1? Com1 is a serial port.

Try 03F8, not 0378. The first video here explains how to find the correct address.
http://www.machsupport.com/videos/

[rrrevels]

Check to make sure you have the charge pump enabled and the correct output pin set in Mach. I have encountered this problem a couple of times using breakout boards that are designed for the charge pump.

Russ

[kae]

I may have a problem. I didn't notice this before but I don't have an LPT port. Device Manager only shows a Com1 and Com2 port. Com1 occupies the 0x3F8 location. How would you add an LPT port? I would assume that it was there in the initial computer build. I checked my other computer and it shows an LPT port with a Com1 port. Any ideas?

[kae]

Check to make sure you have the charge pump enabled and the correct output pin set in Mach. I have encountered this problem a couple of times using breakout boards that are designed for the charge pump.

Russ

Russ,

Which pin is typically set for a charge pump?

[ger21]

I may have a problem. I didn't notice this before but I don't have an LPT port.

Then what is the cable plugged in to?

[rrrevels]

I believe the charge pump is on pin 17. I am not able to get to the shop to verify on the machine but I am pretty sure that is correct.

I chased around for a couple of hours one day trying to find why I couldn't get the motors to run. I was using an o'scope and knew that the computer was outputting the correct signals for step and direction but nothing was getting through the breakout board. I then remembered the charge pump and once configured everything woked great.

Just something else to keep in mind.

Russ

[kae]

I should be more clear. I have a DB25 female plug on the back of the motherboard. This is where one end of the parallel cable is plugged, the other end of the cable being into the BOB. However, from Device Manager, under ports, I don't show an LPT port installed, only a Com1 and Com2. I had assumed that this is correct. Is it because I have never had printer installed that the computer doesn't see it as an LPT port?

[rrrevels]

If the db25 connector is there maybe the parallel port is disabled in Bios. It wouldn't be the first time I have encountered that.

Russ