Messages

1

General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 09:49:48 PM »

This is my setup with three active, accurate, stepper motors running.




I've run a test G-code a few times now and it always returns to zero when I prompt it to.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 06:07:32 PM »

Victory!

OK, at a price, but I think we have ALL paid that price. Fwiiw, I had to strip out and replace ALL the electronics in my CNC in the early days, and it had cost me a lot more than yours. All I kept was the big transformer. I used Geckos for the lot, with much satisfaction.

Photos might be of interest later on.

Cheers
Roger

Photos will be provided later on. I'll possibly add a build thread.

So far the price has been reasonable. I have burned up a cheap BoB and a stepper motor. The BoB was CHEAP and the stepper was all but free. I have more than 20 of those left over.

I hadn't counted on the cost of the Geckos and the cost of the bigger motors but the rest of my costs are staying well within my initial estimates. So, all in all, it's all good.

I need to start thinking of a central controller enclosure. An old PC cabinet might be where I will go for that. I think I have one laying around somewhere.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 05:20:01 PM »

THe Gecko lives!!

I hooked up a different stepper with the output amp set to 1AMP.
Everything else was set exactly the same as it was when I was getting the pulsing, after verifying that's what the manual said to do.

I did a quick spin with Mach 3 and the keyboard and it seemed to work fine.
I ran a test G-code and it performed flawlessly. There was no resonance.

At the end of the G-code I sent the motor back to zero and it went there. No lost steps.

I still need to run it through some tuning exercises but I'm confident that it will work fine now.

Next big purchase will be either the motion controls for the table or a set of NEMA 34 or 42 motors.

Thanks for all the input.

4

General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 02:20:11 PM »

I just disconnected everything from the driver and turned on the power supply. No pulsing.
I reconnected the stepper and... pulsing.

I disconnected the stepper and hooked up a different stepper... no pulsing.

I now have a stepper motor in my garbage can.

It seems the 7 amps tot he stepper was more than it could handle. I know at least one winding fried because I did the test to see if shorting a winding would drag the motor and it didn't drag. Winding "A" is toast.

So now I have it all set for 1 amp. The second stepper is connected and testing will continue.

P.S. I am well aware that electrical knowledge and some engineering is involved with making a CNC machine. I'm more than qualified to learn as I go about things I don't know about. The only reason I screwed up the 7 amp thing was because I misread something in the manual. There's a part that says you don't need to use the resistors and they were optional. I then missed the part about using the internal dip switches. The manual covers 3 versions of the gecko and I read a part of one and a part of another.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 01:20:43 PM »

rcaffin,

I appreciate all your input.
I held the driver in my hand to assure that it wasn't getting hot, that's all. It barely got beyonc room temp so the heat sink wouldn't have done anything anyhow at that point.

I'm using the same windings on the stepper that I used on the cheaper drivers, that worked flawlessly except that it had the resonance. The resonance is the only reason I felt I needed the gecko drivers as it says they have a resonance buffer (rheostat) onboard to smooth out resonance.

I checked my power supply and it is 48 volts and clean. No reason for the pulsing LED I observed on the gecko or BoB. With the gecko disconnected from the power supply I don't see any pulsing on the power supply side of the BoB.

So, something IN the gecko is drawing the power from my power supply down to zero in a pulse. I'm surprised it's not fused to prevent such things.

Next step is to disconnect EVERYTHING from the gecko to see if it still draws down the power supply when it's only connected to the power supply.


P.S. My heatsinks aren't here yet. I'm thinking of robbing the ones on the other drivers for now.

6

General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 02:55:40 AM »

I've verified the windings through a few methods as well as reading the data sheets on the motors.
As for blowing the motors, if the manufacturers have a driver that will blow right out of the box by connecting them to motors with  a lower amp rating than stock config then they are selling a crappy product.

I know the gecko didn't get hot. I was holding it in my hand. My stepper DID get hot though.

If the supply amperage is the problem then I should be able to take a second gecko and hook it up with the proper amp setting and it should perform beautifully, right? If that's not the issue then it will surely suffer the same fate as the first driver (assuming it's damaged)

At any rate, other than the dip switch setting, I hooked it up according to the manual. What I found interesting is the manual says if I hook it up to a common on terminal 10 it can be 3.3vdc, 5.5vdc or gnd. I find it odd that it can be any of the three without additional jumper settings.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 02:00:06 AM »

One thing to remember: if you have damaged the Gecko 201X, contact Gecko about a repair. They are very, very good about that.

Cheers
Roger

At $100 each, they damn well better be.

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 10, 2018, 01:05:56 AM »

I do know the first time it was hooked up I had left the dip switches alone and in factory position. That sent 7AMPS to the steppers that are rated at ONE. So that's wy the stepper got hot fast.

Dropped the dips down to the one amp that I need and tried again and the driver started to smell right off. I shut it down and checked the wiring to make sure I have it right. I have it wired right, I assume, based on the manual that came with the drivers.
I also noticed the power supply was dimming like there was a direct short and pulsing about one dim cycle per minute. This concerns me greatly as I noticed the LED on the BoB dimming as well.

I disconnected the positive (Vcc) from the gecko and then turned on the power and the BoB was fine.

I'm going to have to break out the multi meter to check everything before I try again.

9

General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: June 09, 2018, 09:58:19 PM »

Here I am, back at my project after a break to start a new job and fight off a weird, sudden, pinched nerve issue in my back.

Anyhow, I purchased Gecko 201X drivers and tried to hook one up. I'm sure I have a few things wrong because it functions worse than the cheap Chinese ones.
It's jumpy and resonance is insane. And it made my stepper get super warm, super quick. I finally shut it down after about a minute of tinkering.

Much more reading will need to be done before I can feel confident that this is going to work.

10

General Mach Discussion / Re: Only X-axis motor is working

« on: April 12, 2018, 10:37:24 PM »

Well, I've ruled out the power supply and released the magic smoke from my BoB.

I bought a new 48V power supply and hooked it up. I started the X motor cycling and then ran a G-code.
The stepper dropped exactly the same steps as when using the 24V power supply.
In the process, I forgot my BoB was only rated for 24V through the relay and connected capacitor and, well, a loud POP and the capacitor smoke released.

The BoB still worked with the blown capacitor though. All is not lost on that board. I can always solder on a new capacitor and I have two other boards.

So, different motors, problem exists.
Different BoB, problem exists.
Different Power Supply, problem exists.

Next is drivers but they be spendy.