Campbell Breakout Board

[Runner4404spd]

http://www.aree.com/gecko/err.html

i've got this one and i'm running it with the cnc4pc board.

[wildcat]

Runner - That board looks like just the thing! I am curious about the recommended use of relays that the board's documentation suggests. I thought I had read that abruptly killing the voltage to the geckos can be damaging and hence the power supplies have a cap/bleed off resistor for cushion when power is lost.

[wildcat]

I started hooking the IH limit switches up tonight to a Sound Logic breakout board and can only manage to get either the home or the limit on each axis to trigger. There are four wires coming from each limit switch: common, power, sensor 1, ans sensor 2. Inside the limit switch two Fairchild H22LTB optical modules are used. I first attached the power, common, and sensor 1 to the home pins. After configuring Mach3 a little I was able to trigger home. I then attached sensor 2 lead to a set of limit signal pin leaving the power and common connections free on the limit pins. After doing that neither limit could be triggered in Mach3. Detaching the home sensor lead now allowed the limit to work. I also tried attaching both sensors to the home through diodes without success. In short I only seem to be able to attach only a single limit switch on each axis. Anyone have an idea of what might be happening here?

Thanks

[wildcat]

Well, after more tinkering I managed to get it to work and have sent what I did to Cullins for him to verify. Basically I added a diode to each side of the limit switch, tied the other end of the diodes together to the Sig line on the limit input to the board, and added a resister between Sig and Gnd to force a natively low level. It seems the Sound Logic board expects the limit switches to sink the Sig current to low when not triggered and source it high when triggered. When both sides of the limit switch are connected to the single input on the board they sink each other low and a high value is never seen. By adding the diodes they don't sink each other but the normal (unconnected) level and the level when the limit switch is tripped are not very different (but each side of the switch is distinguishable). Adding the resister sets the default level low and each side of the limit switch is easily distinguished. It now works and so far no smoke has been seen

[Cruiser]

Wildcat, This is some very good info that i will appreciate quite soon, It sounds exactly like what Aaron had me do with them anyway, but in tieing it in to "P" port signal. Allthough the opt limits don't need the breakout and neither do the Gecko's, I am opting for the cambell combo board as well just to clean things up a bit and link with my L200 vfd and coolant pump. I tried to do it with the cnc4pc spindle and relay, but have nothing good to say (period). My thought here is I'd like to see a schematic of this hookup of yours because i know for a fact i'll need the same for my machine ! I think I can see what your saying but when it comes to electronics, A picture is worth a lot ! and Information is Gold ! I may be great at mechanical and alright at machining (my vocation) But not very advanced (elementry) with electronics. I just want to get this machine solid so i can sit down and spend some time with turbocad/cam 12 and learn how to get along with it !

[bill south]

Hey Guys;
Just a quick peek at the above for this fast moving friday, but did I miss something?? What happened to the old fashion charge pump as a system monitor? They are inexpensive and will not allow the system to fire (relay lockout) unless mach is outputing a solid freq on pin 17. I use them on all my systems and when I have a computer problem, the system HV drops out a as a safety and the motors stop. If this has been addressed, just disregard.
Bill

[Cruiser]

Bill, charge pump is part of the board but not the discussion !

[wildcat]

Cruiser - I never made a full schematic. Actually I am still modifying my electronics but below is how I interfaced the IH limit switches to the Campbell board. This "circuit" must be replicated for each limit so you will need six diodes and 3 resisters. You can interface this to either the home or the limit pins on the breakout board - they are tied together on the board. The exact diode is not too important - I used 1N4006 since I had six of those. Aaron sends three 1n4004 with the kit so if you can find three more... I chose a 270 ohm resister as it provided a nice differential between low and high and kept low to less than a volt. Also, I tied all the shields together and grounded them. Also, for some reason, if you wire the Geckos as Aaron has in his schematic and then tie the Geckos to the breakout board the motors turn the "wrong direction." You may need to reverse the leds and encoder phase connections. Please clarify if you need a full schematic and I will do a better job drawing one up.

[Cruiser]

Wildcat, This is exactly what i have been trying to get a hold of. I kinda sorta know what you are saying but i'd still really like some sorta sketch to clarify, I would only need a sketch on this portion of the hookup, the rest of it is covered pretty good. I suppose i could study this and figure it out, but i'm not electronic to any comfortable degree. I just received my combo board yesterday and printed out the info, stored the etc...........can you please do a quick sketch for me ? I think culluns forgot about my request for info, and you are the only source for now. drop me a pm and i'll send my addy ! ok ? And Thanks

[wildcat]

Cruiser - So sorry - I posted the diagram and forgot to include the link. Cullins is apparently out this week visiting a customer (have been trying to get information on the spindle control board). The breakout board is a great product but the customer support is a little lacking.

[Cruiser]

Wildcat, Thank you, as they say a pic is worth a thousand words, or so. one look at your sketch and I see it all, quite simple really Again thankyou, i'll probably start on it friday morning, hows yours coming along so far ?

[wildcat]

Crusier - I placed a more complete diagram in my photos. I am not really sure how to add a link to the fullsize version but if you check the photos uploaded today you will see it. Mine is going but I want to add a Err/Res controller and big red stop buttons yet. Ordered a VFD and motor today but sounds like the spindle speed control board that interfaces with the breakout board is a ways out yet.