Old 4-axis box and Mach2 spindle config

[Guy Smiley]

I seem to have hit a wall here and hope that you guys can help me out. How do configure Mach2 to turn on the Xylotex 4 axis box's extra AC outlets in the back with the M3/M5 command?

One of the outlets (bottom one) is on while the Mach2's RESET light is blinking and off once the RESET is activated. The top AC outlet is totally powerless at any condition. I'm thinking that this top one acts as the spindle AC outlet which is relay activated.

So here are my questions:
1. This being the older Xylotex 4-axis box, that has the 4 switches in the front and 2 AC outlets in the back, are the 2 AC outlets in the back controlled by relays controlled by the parallel port?
2. How do I configure Mach2 to send out M3/M5 commands through the Parallel port? Right now I don't hear any clicking when Mach2 hits a M3 command line so I'm thinking that there must be something that I missed in the CONFIG proceedure.

Thanks!

[ger21]

I'm not sure those outlets are relay controlled. The new ones aren't. Email Jeff at Xylotex and find out if they are, and if so, which pins control them, then let us know and we can help you get it set up.

[Guy Smiley]

You'e right that they're not. Anyway, I found a board that uses a ULN2003 to control 4 relays, has a 12VDC input oroutput terminal and a 9VAC input terminal. It has an on-board AC-DC converter so I just needed to supply 9vac which I found in one of the printers that I dismantled previously. I just picked up output signals from the 2nd parallel port's pins 1,14,16 &17. I used pin#1 to control the spindle, #14 for spindle external cooling fan and 16 for the vacuum cleaner and it works great. Also figured out the CONFIG. Thanks for the help.