e-stop issues

[235r]

G'day all, I added a USB smooth-stepper to the control box a while ago & Mach hasn't acknowledged the external e-stop ever since. I'm running the recommended drivers (SS-USB-2.08, SS v17fe, Gecko config, Mach3.043). Everything works , just no e-stop. Thanks for looking
edit: the switch is wired correctly, it was working until the USB-SS was added

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[RCaffin]

Sounds as though you have not hooked up the e-Stop signal WIRE to the right connection on the USS (port 1, pin 10).

Edit: yes, I know you said you had hooked it up - but Mach is not seeing it.

Cheers
Roger

[235r]

Thanks for the reply Roger, if you mean a physical connection...then, no. I'll revisit the manual. Thanks, Rob

[235r]

I'm confused, I would've thought the '26 pin to male DB 25 ribbon cable' that connects the parallel port on the Gecko, to port 1 on the USS board, had port 1, pin 10 (& the e-stop) covered? Otherwise I got no idea how to wire the e-stop to the USS via the Gecko, with port 1 occupied? Thanks, Rob

[RCaffin]

The night is very dark before the dawn. We will get there - step by step.

Do you have a voltmeter of any sort? If you don't, I think you will have to buy one. You cannot maintain a CNC without one.

I do not know how your eStop buttton is wired, but it will have two terminals. Check the voltage on each of these terminals with the eStop activated and de-activated. One pin should sit at either 0 V or +5 V all the time. The other one should switch between the two as the eStop is operated.
Check this, and let me know.

Cheers
Roger

[235r]

Thanks again for the reply, Roger. Okay, sounds like your talking about a slightly more sophisticated control box than mine. No relays, no extra (5V) power supply. Originally, the e-Stop was wired directly to the Gecko header (10 & 12, e-Stop), with power for the Gecko wired direct to 11 & 12 on the header. I decided to change that last night so now, there's a jumper from 10 to 12 for the e-Stop, & the negative power wire for the Gecko goes through the e-Stop. Otherwise SW-01 is NC 0V, NO 24.8V. It's not happening the way you describe (?). Thanks, Rob.

[RCaffin]

So is it working now?

[Sterob]

Maybe some pics would help?

[235r]

Yes & no. The machine works fine & the e-Stop will stop it but, Mach still doesn't see the e-Stop.

USS & all the connections

SW-01, the black with red stripe is from the DC side. In & out of the e-Stop (Negative lead for the Gecko power)

The box.
Let me know if more/better photo's are needed. Thanks, Rob

[RCaffin]

OK, big white eStop button on lower right of 3rd photo. Two wires going to it.
I assume the 0V/24.8V happens on the switch and on the input to the card?
Problem here: IF that 24.8 V is appearing on the input to the controller, can it take it??? Many cards will only take 0/+5 V: logic levels.

Go to the Mach Diagnostics (Alt-7) page. Cycle the eStop button. Do any of the 'Input Signals current State]' square boxes change state? (Mach calls them LEDs)
If so, then Mach is seeing the eStop. Whether it is on the right pin is another matter.
If there are no changes, Mach is not seeing the signal. You have either a misconfigured pin OR the input device has been blown up. Dunno which. (Experience tells me it will be something I have not thought of yet. That happens.)

Cheers
Roger

[235r]

1st in Mach diagnostics, I don't see any changes.
2nd as far as the card is concerned, it's either getting power from the USB port (5V) or the Gecko? Where do I measure the Volts on the card?

I just had a quick look at the Gecko manual & the e-Stop on the DC side worries me. It was 11.4ish V on SW-01 until last night so I'm putting it back to SW-01 to terminal 10-12, & the Gecko powered from the 24V supply direct. Thanks, Rob

[RCaffin]

1st in Mach diagnostics, I don't see any changes.
Then the signal is not getting to the USB connection. I would suspect there may be damage on the card. I don't think it can take 24 V without damage. You would need to do some electronics to convert the signal levels, or use only 5 V. I THINK.
This is why we use a BoB with optical isolation. It protects the USS. If set up correctly, many BoBs can accept 24 V on the input to the optos.

I would expect the USS to be getting power from the USB port. You would need to check the documentation to see where to measure it. I use an ESS.

Cheers
Roger

[235r]

I don't know if the card is damaged or not? The card gets 5V from the USB hence the blue/red/green LEDs but as for the Gecko parallel port Voltage, I'm not sure? It's been like this for months & the machine works fine, I was doing 3D yesterday. I'm hoping it's as simple as a check box not checked/unchecked? I haven't tweaked Mach much at all I just added the config file, plus plus. SW-01 had 24V on it for a day, it's now back to 11.5 on the switch. Not that I want to argue with you Roger, I'm just grasping at straws. I'll have to contact the seller to see what he suggests & I'll post the results here. Thanks to RCaffin for all the input. Cheers, Rob.


I just remembered, I asked the forum once about BOB's & was told that was already taken care of by the GC-02's in the DB9's, although that doesn't help the card. I'm gonna have buy a bigger box!

[RCaffin]

I'm gonna have buy a bigger box!
Happens all the time.

Cheers
Roger

[phomann]

Hi,

The mains power going to the G540 power supply is what should be switched by the EStop button. That way in an emergency all power is removed from the G540. Also if you are powering relays from the stepper supply which is common, the estop will also remove power from them as well.

Pin 10 on the G540 (enable) should either be hardwired to Pin 12 (0V) on the G540 or via a small enable switch, so that the G540 will de-energise the stepper motors to allow manual axis adjustment or when you want to take a break for lunch, etc.

Have a look at this example wiring diagram.

http://www.homanndesigns.com/pdfs/EN010_V8.pdf

Cheers,

Peter

[235r]

You're always told to follow the manual, so you do...but, that was the problem. The USS-01 manual tells you to install the USB smooth stepper plug in & create a profile based on that. That profile had pin 10 instead of pin 15 for the e-Stop & active low was incorrectly checked. The e-Stop works correctly now, all good. Thanks guys, Rob.

edit: I forgot to say, thanks to Peter Homann for all the emails & finally sorting the issue.

[phomann]

Rob,

No manufacture, can predict what you are connecting their components to. You need to read all the manuals so you gain an understanding of the needs for all the components. If you read the manual for Mach3 you will gain an understanding of the concept of configuring Mach3.

To blame the USS manual indicates a lack of basic knowledge on configuring Mach3. The Gecko G540 using pin 15 for estop, other boards use pin 10, and others used 11,12, or 13. You can use any of the 5 input pins for any of the Mach3 input functions.


Warp9td has no knowledge of what brands of devices, the user is going to connect to the smoothstepper. In creating an example profile, they needed to choose a pin for estop, they chose pin 10 and active hi. Mach3's sample profiles also have to choose a pin. In the case of the G540, the profile they provide, has the estop pin set to pin 15 and active low. Since the G540 is generating the estop and other inputs, you need to align your configuration with it.

Anytime use use a provided Mach3 profile you need to check that it aligns with your actual hardware wiring.

I recommend that you read the Mach3 manual cover to cover a couple off times to gain this understanding, along with the other features of Mach3.

And yes, it's good to see you have it working.

Cheers,

Peter

[RCaffin]

RTFM

[235r]

If RTFM means what I think it means, maybe you should PYHOoYA mate . You told me the card was faulty...not even close ( that could've cost $250) .You told me pin 10 port 1 when that was how it was already connected & where the problem was, it needed to be pin 15. I thought the whole point of the forum is for people who don't have the same level of experience to gain answers from people who do have the experience...not be put down by somebody who got it wrong at every try. Maybe you should take another look at the manuals too & stop sending people down the garden path. CNC is NOT my only hobby nor is it my main hobby. So forgive me for not reading every manual from cover to cover to gain a professional level of understanding when I'm just a hobbyist, which I've admitted many times in previous posts. Thanks for showing some understanding guys, not to mention getting it wrong!

By the way, not to be petty like some but, I said it could be as simple as a check box. At least with my lack of understanding I was on the right path. I read the manuals but unlike some I don't think I need to understand everything to do the projects I do.
Lets face it, even the Pro's get it wrong. In the past I've been led astray & spent time & money on the wrong thing. Just saying

[RCaffin]

I suspect you are conflating advice from several people. No worries.

Cheers
Roger