Machsupport Forum

Mach Discussion => Mach4 General Discussion => Topic started by: Banr on May 05, 2016, 01:13:53 PM

Title: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Banr on May 05, 2016, 01:13:53 PM
I've got a G540 going though a ESS to the PC with Mach 4.
No matter what I try I can't get any of the input signals to come though. The strange part is, all the motors work perfectly.
Gecko's website states 0-12v  to the inputs, I've tried 5v, I've tried 12v. this should be the simple part of the whole set up and its driving me crazy. I can't seem to find where the break down in communication is.
I tried twice to contact gecko to see if there is away to diagnose the drive. but never got a response.

Any one have any ideas?
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Jarhead on May 05, 2016, 02:38:18 PM
Chances are the trouble is in the ESS. Nothing but problems when I tried one of them... returned it not long after.
Try to contact them before Gecko. I think they have a user forum at warp9.com.

I use a G540 with no problems. And no ESS.
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Banr on May 05, 2016, 02:52:03 PM
Yeah that was my next stop. I had a purpose built PC made just for a stand alone CNC control. except its running windows 7 pro 64 bit, which doesn't support a parallel port, so a ESS is pretty much my only option.
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: dude1 on May 05, 2016, 03:20:15 PM
post your config .ini
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Jarhead on May 05, 2016, 06:41:20 PM
Yeah that was my next stop. I had a purpose built PC made just for a stand alone CNC control. except its running windows 7 pro 64 bit, which doesn't support a parallel port, so a ESS is pretty much my only option.

Plenty of other options.
PMDX, CSMIO to name a couple.
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Durero on May 05, 2016, 08:22:14 PM
Are you using the latest release of the ESS plugin?

http://www.warp9td.com/index.php/kunena/7-general-discussion/5589-ess-mach4-public-beta-release#10560
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Steve Stallings on May 06, 2016, 07:49:21 PM
The G540 inputs are not looking for a voltage presented on the input terminal.

It has an internal resistor pulled up to 12 VDC, and responds when something
shorts the input to ground on terminal number 12.

Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: dude1 on May 06, 2016, 08:14:00 PM
you can use the ESS as a pass through and let the bob do it's job, it's just getting the mapping correct if you post your config .ini it would help
Title: Re: Mach 4, ESS & G540 Input issues
Post by: Banr on July 11, 2016, 07:54:11 PM
The G540 inputs are not looking for a voltage presented on the input terminal.

It has an internal resistor pulled up to 12 VDC, and responds when something
shorts the input to ground on terminal number 12.



Yup Thanks. I feel like a moron. The data sheet threw me for a loop saying "Input Voltage 0-12v" Its amazing how well things work when they're wired up correctly