Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: kolias on January 30, 2011, 10:23:54 AM
-
Here is something strange
Switched the power on and all the board lights are on (4 driver boards + the BOB 2 lights), the 4 motors started to hum and I say looks good BUT....
Soon I opened my Laptop cover, the 4 driver boards lights go OFF. I tried several times and the same thing happens.
Any ideas what I’m doing wrong?
-
I resolved the above problem, had to do with the jumpers settings on the BOB
Now all lights are on, mach3 is configured on the laptop and on the diagnostic screen “Port1 Pins Current state” 7 of the little squares are green and on the “Input Signals Current State” all squares under are black.
No other lights are lit on this screen, but although the motors are humming, motors dont move neither the DRO’s
Any idea what I’m doing wrong?
-
First, Mach3 should always be running before you turn on the power to the drives.
Which 7 squares are green?
-
On the diagnostic screen (Alt-7) there are little squares like lights just under the heading "Port1 Pins Current State" and the same under the heading "Input Signals Current State". To me since the input signals current state squares are black (off I guess) mach3 doesnt see my motor inputs ?
I do have mach3 on right now and still the same when I turn the power on/off to the motors, motors huming but they dont move
-
Perhaps the printer cable is not good? its a new one and at the store they had a gadget to test that all pins are connected and they were. Is there any way to find out myself with mach3?
I run the driver test file under mach3 and it says “system under mach3 control”, pulsing too fast. Does this test the printer port or the printer cable?
With an ACME 1/2-10, 5 start, I have set all 4 motors to 3200 (1/8 step = 8x200 = 1600x2 =3200). I had it at 6400 (1/16 step) and change it to 1/8 just to see if there is any difference but there is non
-
Did you close Mach before running the driver test?
BTW the driver test will not test the hardware, it will just look at the stability of the pulse internal to the computer.
Hood
-
Yes I closed Mach before the test
It looks like that my Laptop has no affect on the CNC, even the Estop button doesn’t work.
Is there a way to test that the printer cable communicates with my control station?
-
Laptops are not really supported unless using an external motion card/controller. Having said that the issue normally is with poor pulses etc due to the power saving features.
Start by unhooking the cable from the port and put a volt meter between a Dir pin and a Gnd pin and then jog that axis and see if the voltage changes.
Hood
-
I know about Laptops not been supported but on my previous CNC I used a Laptop and it worked fine. I have disabled the power function on the Laptop and the only program installed is mach, nothing else. I also run it from the AC plug only. My work space is limited and thats the reason I use Laptops
ok I will check the voltage as you said (I will assume that is the printer port from the BOB)
Thanks
-
Best to start your checking by unhooking the cable and putting the meter direct to the port.
Hood
-
Best to start your checking by unhooking the cable and putting the meter direct to the port.
Hood
Thats what I was planning to do
Thanks
-
Something I dont get. If I unhook the printer cable from the BOB how am I supposed to jog the motors?
-
Just pretend you are jogging them :) All you are looking for is whether Mach is changing the state of the Direction pin on the port. So as long as you press the arrow key one way then press the other arrow key then Mach will think it is jogging the motor, the DRO will move and hopefully your voltage will change as you change jogging direction..
Hood
-
ok so you want me to check the printer port on the Laptop and not the BOB
-
Yes.
Hood
-
I'm on it, hopefully I will not blow any fuse LOL
-
Hope not, there are not any fuses to blow ;D
Hood
-
Nothing moves, voltmeter shows nothing and DRO's dont change
I checked betwen pins 3, 5, 7, 9 and the ground (each one individually)
Looks like mach3 is dead, maybe the mach3 installation is something wrong?
-
Ok, look at Diagnostics page, do you see a pulse frequency there?
Also have you definitely got the correct port address set for Port 1.
If you attach your xml I will have a look and see if there are problems with your config.
Hood
-
The Pulse Frequency is 100
The Port #1 is enabled and in my Laptop the system says the LPT1 port is functioning properly
Please see my XML attached
Thanks
-
Frequency should be very close to whatever your kernel is, and in your case its 25000 so the driver is not working which likely means the laptop is no use. You could try using the special driver, you will find it in the Mach3 folder, its called specialdriver.bat, just double click it then try the drivetest again.
Hood
-
I did the specialdriver.bat, reboot the Laptop and the pulse frequency is still 100 and same for the port test with the voltmeter
Do you want to buy a nice Laptop Hood very cheap LOL
Out of curiosity any idea why the computer is not good?
Thanks anyway
-
Just remembered something else. That Laptop has XP PRO and this may be the problem
I will install a copy I have of XP Home and see the results
-
XP pro will not be the problem. Mach runs fine on XP pro.
Brett
-
Sorry Brett but seems it works for me
I removed XP PRO and installed XP Home and now on the diagnostic screen at least I have a pulse frequency of 25387
To me seems it will work and tomorrow I will do the real test
Sorry Hood, but my Laptop aint for sale YET, LOL... Appreciate your help a lot
Tomorrow I will post the news, too late now to go to the shop
-
Just remembered that tomorrow I have to go out and so I had to go tonight and give it a try again.
No luck, the DRO’s are moving now and the frequency is 18000 to 22000 (goes up and down). The motors are all humming and the one on X is a bit warm but the others are cold. Some times they make strange sounds but they are not moving with I use the arrow keys.
Perhaps is a config problem now?
-
XP Pro is not the issue as Brett said, all my machines are XP Pro, it could well have been something in your windows config that was the problem and reinstalling with home sorted it out. Pulse jumping around is no use, probably best to give up on the laptop and buy a cheap desktop.
Regards the motors etc, sounds like either you do not have ports and pins set correctly in Mach or the wiring is not correct, read the drive/Breakout boards manuals and see if enables are needed and double check everything else is wired as per documentation.
Hood
-
I will double check my wiring again and verify the settings on Mach
Thanks so much Hood
-
When I bought my printer port cable, the only one available with all pins connected was the one I got but it is 25 feet long.
Does this length may create problems?
-
It should be fine but if its a poor quality cable then it may not work very well.
Hood
-
All motor wiring is verified and nothing wrong found
On the laptop, I now have a pulse frequency of 23k-25k and I get 4.9V on the printer port in all axes
When I power on the machine, I still get no axes moving but the DRO’s are all moving
Probotix told me to verify if I get 5V from the BOB to the drivers and I do have 5V in all axes
What else remains to check?
-
Can you check with your voltmeter on the Dir outputs from the BOB to see if its changing when you change direction. You could also check to see if the Step outputs are working, depending on your active state but with a voltmeter yo will either see 5v and it drop slightly as you jog or you will see 0v and t increase in mV as you jog.
BTW 23 to 25K varying is not great and I think you will just be causing grief for yourself even if you do get it going.
Hood
-
Much appreciated Hood, I don’t want to go against your knowledge but we had a bed snowstorm here in the last 2 days and cant go out to search for a new computer, but I found some in a place about 30km away and I intend to go soon to get one (used about $60.00).
I did ask Probotix to do what you are saying but he never got back at me. On each driver board I have 5 connections (A+, A-, B+, B-, and COM) and on each connection I have the motor wires connected. So you are saying to disconnect the motor wires and test on each connection to see if I get any voltage?
The reason I haven’t done this is because I’m afraid that I will burn something
-
What drives do you ave? Are they expecting the common to be 0V or 5V?
Hood
-
Sorry Hood I dont know what volts the COM is and from the attache link I cant find anything like that
http://www.probotix.com/manuals/ProboStepVX.pdf
BTW are you asking me to do this volt test on the output of BOB or the output of each driver?
-
Oh and no, I was meaning the step and dir outputs from your BOB to your drives. What drives do you have, there should be more than 5 connections.
Hood
-
Ok see you have replied, I will look at the specs in a min.
Hood
-
Ok its going to be awkward to test as its the ribbon cable connection that you need to measure at. What is the active state you have set in Ports and Pins for Step and Dir pins.
Also I see they require a min of 5uS pulse width so might be a good idea to try Sherline mode, its on main Ports and Pins page.
Hood
-
When I did the test for Probotix I removed the ribbon cable from the driver boards and tested the voltage from the end of the ribbon cable to the ground bar (pin #7 on the ribbon cable is labeled +5V and that is what I tested and I do have 5V there). I can do the same to verify the Step / Direction pulse if you want.
BTW the state where Probotix is located I just noticed on the web that they were hit with a huge snow storm and perhaps thats why he never came back to me.
The active state I have is Dir. Low but I do change that to see if I get different results
The Sherline mode is the one located where I select Port #1 ? and it is called “Sherline 1/2 Pulse Mode?
-
You need active Low like in this pic for both step and dir on each axis. Also in next pic this is Sherline mode.
Hood
-
Ok I will do both but right now I noticed the Laptop pulse frequency drop back to 100
I will if I can fix that otherwise tomorrow I will get the used desktop
Thanks so much again
-
Yes, looks like you are going to have a constant battle with the laptop I am afraid.
Hood
-
I got the pulse frequency back at about 25k and change the configuration as you said, gave it try and nothing again.
Then I checked the volts at the end of the printer cable attached to the Laptop and between pins #3,5,7,9 and ground I get 0V. I found that strange and went and changed the printer cable to another one 10 feet long now and with all pins connected on it, I think they call this cable straight through.
So if I get 5V on the Laptop printer output and after I connect the cable I get 0V at the end of the cable what this means.
I did check myself the printer cable for continuity between each pin and its ok. I also jog the axis with the keyboard arrow keys when I was testing for volts
-
It means you are maybe checking the wrong pins?
Hood
-
I will check them again tonight
-
How silly of me Hood, yes I was using the wrong pins, now they all show 4.9V, sorry
-
Time to open a Johnnie Walker bottle and celebrate LOL, it works !!!
I bought today a used DELL desktop, installed XP, connect it to the machine and now all is fine. Motors sound very smooth and quite
Now I have to install the 2 home switches on the Y axis (X & Z switches are already installed), do some testing to make sure nothing is loose, and square the gandry.
After I finish the above I will have to do the power supply unit (didn’t forget)
Thanks so much Hood,
-
Glad to hear it, laptops can sometimes work but they are normally more hassle than is worth it.
Hood
-
Finally I have a working machine
Here is the 1st dry run, nothing fancy like some machines here but for a hobby job its pretty good
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJvCtoMv814
-
Looks to be working fine :)
Hood
-
I have a light knocking sound on the X axis and ONLY when she travels in the Positive Direction. If you watch my video above and turn the volume up you will hear it well.
I have checked all mechanical parts on this axis and cant find anything wrong. Anyway if I had anything wrong you would hear the knocking sound in both directions.
Is it possible the sound may come out from the motor?
Any ideas where to look?
-
Hard to say where the problem is but I would say more likely mechanical as its not constant. Could be bearing related in that it being one direction only thus the screw is moving slightly. Check the coupling and see if you can see and rubbing between the two halves.
Try and locate where the noise is coming from using a mechanics stethoscope if you can get one, if not then a long screwdriver, just make sure you keep any loose clothing away from rotating screws etc when checking..
Hood
-
Thanks Hood, I will give it a try
-
The knocking sound from the X axis was the backlash nut which was not aligned properly.
I'm still working to fine tune the alignment but the knock has decreased at least by half and soon it will be gone completely
-
Glad to hear it , or rather glad to hear you are not hearing it ;D
Hood
-
Just watched your video Nicolas - excellent work my friend.
Tweakie.