Machsupport Forum
Mach Discussion => General Mach Discussion => Topic started by: joewinslow on February 07, 2014, 10:07:30 AM
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Good Morning Everyone!
I'm looking for someone who either has a gecko540 controller configured for Mach3 to run a chinese YOCNC 3040 desktop router,
OR,
someone who can configure a gecko540 controller and cables for me.
After running one project on the provided controller box - it's shot. Immediately called Gecko and IMMEDIATELY realized (with the help of a great tech rep) that I don't have the skill set to configure it. :-\
If anyone can help me with this I'd appreciate it.
Thanks everybody.
Joe
(469)363-0651
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What's shot the Gecko 540 ?
I'm using Gecko 540 with a Huanyang VFD Drive, but the only thing the Gecko 540 is doing is controlling the VFD speed through Mach3, there's not much else the G540 will do with drives, it's main function is stepper controller.
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No I talked to him.
The original controller burnt up. Chinese not a Gecko.
He is so frustrated with the company he wants to go with a Gecko due to their reputation. Upon talking to gecko he believed the repair was over his head. I tried to encourage him to reuse what he can (case, power supply and steppers) and install the G540 where the Chinese controller was. He didnt feel confident but i assured him thru this site and a little patience we could get it done. I also referred him to a local hackerspace in the DC area and assured him that for a small donation possibly he could find an interested party to help him. Hopefully he allows them or us to help him rather than pay money to someone else.
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Thanks for the call John - very helpful scoop indeed.
On thinking about it a bit, I just don't have the time or expertise to configure this afterall!
So if there's anyone in the community here who can help with setting the whole thing up and shipping it down that would work just fine. I can either ship a Gecko to someone who can help or can buy a used one from someone who has the gear already.
Thanks Everybody.
Joe
(469)363-0651
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JoeWinslow - If I lived locally to you, I would have been happy to help you set it up, don't give up, I knew nothing about any of this a little over a year ago and now I have a very nice CNC Router, you can do it, just one step at a time.
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Joe, I really feel bad for you guys who get the short end of the stick with these cheap import machines that jut don't work. It is hard for someone else to jump in and refit your controller from afar as it requires a lo of hands on work. If you can send me some pictures of your controller the specs on the stepper motors and any other boards or other things involved I'll see if I can help. My website is www.soigeneris.com, email birt_j@soigeneris.com
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Jeff, he just didnt feel like he had the time or the abilities. I assured him he was capable and that in the long run it would be beneficial.
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What I was trying to get at is that it will take some investigation, picture taking, etc. from the owner so that the guy making the upgrade kit knows what is what. On an older machine the challenge is that the documentation for the machine was likely lost, on a new cheap import machine the problem is that the documentation is mostly non-existent from the start.
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He is willing to ship the whole unit to whoever.
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Thanks Guys - boy do I appreciate the help. I ordered a brand spankin' new gecko 540 yesterday. When it comes in I'll touch base with you all asap.
Have a great day.
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Hey Fastest1 and Jeff,
The new Gecko controller is in.
Can I tie this power source in directly?
and
I've bought pre-wired cables - what wires on the new cables should be attached to which coming out of the motor?
Joe
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Joe,
First of all, yes the power supply can be used. The picture is odd. It appears to have a dual output on the transformer as indicated 18v (yellow pair) 36v (white pair). You want the 36V, higher (up to 48v would have been better IMO but these are minor differences, I would have also chosen a dual voltage in either 48 & 5v or 48 & 12v).
Anyway if you follow that white pair on the transformer, they go to a rectifier or regulator module. It should be clearly marked + and - on the output side. The voltage in the transformer is AC until it goes thru this module. Those 2 will be the voltage supply for the G540.
Regarding the steppers. The pictures are odd. Is it only a 4 wire? Can you show how and where it was hooked up originally? Your prewired DB9 came with a 3.5k resistor soldered in?
Wires 6 & 7 (green and white according to your diagram) are B phase.
8 & 9 (red and black) are A phase.
If you have a meter, you can test which pairs are common to each coil on your stepper. Otherwise the Chinese unknown stepper are difficult to guess. No harm will be done either way on the stepper. It will either work or not. It might go the wrong direction but that can be changed in the settings.
Btw use wire nuts to hook them up temporarily til operational.
This article might give you a little more insight.
http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/0AEE7B9AD4B3E04186256ACE005D833B
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Any luck?
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I bought a package, G540 motors and all just because i did not want what you went through. But with all that I find that both Mach and Gec0drive have a limited amount of manuals to help people like you and me. I had a Carve wright before and it came with hundred of pages of information that made it easy to locate an answer fro just about anything. I was not happy with the quality of the finished product and sold it. Now i feel inferior when I read all the knowledge many of the answers I read Eli
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This topic is more complicated than it appears or you desire it to be. You are not alone. When I started, I thought it would be simple like pressing a few buttons, actually to tell the truth I really didnt think as much as I wanted a finished part.