Question about parallel port/PARMON

[robmiller]

I'm setting up a new machine based on the "build your own" book. I have MAch3 installed and set up correctly (I think).  I have 3 axis with the dir/pul set up on pins  2,3      4,5    6,7 respectively.  I'm having trouble getting the motors to spin and have been doing alot of troubleshooting.  My specific question here is what should PARMON look like when it is set up correctly?  Currently mine shows all green (lo) except pin 12 red (high) when i first boot up MAch3.  when i start hitting the  jog keys 2,4,6 go to red and stay that way and 3,5,7 change back and forth with the jogging. all this time pin 12 stays red.  Is this what it should look like?


Also, does anyone know if using a 6v supply that puts out 8v fry a breakout board?

[Hood]

I have never messed with ParMon but I would have thought the Dir pins (2,4,6?) should go red/green depending on which way you jog and  the Step pins (3,5,7) will pulse as you are putting out a frequency related to the speed when you jog.

As for the power supply I would say its impossible to know, some electronics have a wide tolerance and others tight. You may also find your power supply will indeed be 6v when a load is placed on it.

Hood

[Tweakie.CNC]

Currently mine shows all green (lo) except pin 12 red (high) when i first boot up MAch3.  when i start hitting the  jog keys 2,4,6 go to red and stay that way and 3,5,7 change back and forth with the jogging. all this time pin 12 stays red.  Is this what it should look like?

That's what mine looks like so I would say that your pp is OK.

Also, does anyone know if using a 6v supply that puts out 8v fry a breakout board?

8 Volts is above the max figure for most 5 Volt IC's.  How did you measure the voltage ?
If you measured the supply open circuit and got 8 Volts then there is a good chance it did no harm but if you measured 8 Volts with it actually connected to the BoB then it is better than even money that you have fried it.

Tweakie.

[indianvirus]

Hi there,

Please share your thoughts on this one. My parmon shows pins 1 to 9 green (which can be changed to red by mouse click), pins 10 to 13 and 15 red (constant - can't change) and rest green. Is this correct? Interesting thing is when I try to run the motor with jogging with mach3, it does not move. But as soon as I run parmon motors start vibrating and humming (still not running). As soon as I turn pin 2 (axis pulse) red from green, motor turns quiet.

I am trying to built 3 axes control with Mach3 for my self built router (just like Robmiller) with no success so far.

[Hood]

I think ParMon may be handy for some but to me it just seems to confuse the issue for others.
Pins 10 to 13 and 15 are inputs and can not be operated via ParMon , they need to be changed by an external influence to the port such as a limit switch connected directly to the port.
Hood