Messages

21

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 14, 2013, 03:40:16 AM »

Thanks. Thought it was something like that but did,nt want to guess.  The clue is in the name 4.2=42... I,ll go and measure. Thanks.jim

22

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 13, 2013, 04:21:17 PM »

redid almost the same, I assume. They are all ok.
that spellchecker! and me with no specs. Read almost the same so I assumed they are all OK.
Looking at my new 201x, there are option switches, which are related to the motor type the manual says.
3.)      NEMA-34 and NEMA-42  Motor

Use this option if the drive is to be used with NEMA-34 and NEMA-42 size motors. This option adjusts the midband compensation circuit for optimum performance when using a NEMA-34 and NEMA-42 motors. SW10 enables this function when “OFF” and disables this function when “ON”. SW10 should be “ON” when used with NEMA-17 and NEMA-23 motors.

  
I simply don't know what type of motor I have, and whether they are NEMA-34 size or what.
Any info gladly received.
Jim

23

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 13, 2013, 02:51:32 AM »

In my investigation I tested those items, and since they all redid almost the same, I assume. They are all ok. I have glanced at the manual now, enough to realise why the fuses were hidden. Because there is a  short recommended length between capacitor and gecko, there was a routing problem that lead to the fuses being hidden.
Bear in mind this is not a new build, no I haven't thoroughly examined the manual. At the time of the original post, I had no idea what the fault might be. You guys have helped me decide it is probably the driver, possibly failed to to binding shaft.
Jim

24

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 12, 2013, 07:47:20 AM »

Hi rcaffin, yes, I have swapped the drive and the problem migrated with it. Interestingly whoever made the machine seemed to want it to work as if by magic, all the threads are hidden inside aluminium box section, but at the time there was some build up on a rail on the x.
New Gecko is on it's way at the moment, fingers crossed. Thanks for the interesst.
Jim

25

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 12, 2013, 07:13:39 AM »

Well Rich thanks for the interest,
all three steppers are the same, and it's all been running well for a few years now.
The grumbling noise, well the others wizz along nice constant high pitched wheeeee. The one with the faulty driver, that's what I am assuming, as the problem moves with it, goes err. errerr eererr. wheeee errerr. errerrerr wheeee err. err. err. Random roughness, stuttering, stopping and starting very quickly... swap the driver and wheeeeeee.
The drives were nicely heatsunk, and only ever got tepid to the touch, if that's any use.
Amp setting for the drive? don't know.   Where would I find that?
Jim

26

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 11, 2013, 03:37:59 PM »

Well, thanks for the input guys, I did find three hidden 10 amp fuses, two blown, and one by one replaced them. Now I have three lights on the three Geckos.
jogging on two axes, great. jogging on the third, the x, grumbling movement, even with nothing on the motor. Swapping the Gecko's, and the problem goes with it.
So there is a fault on the Gecko 201, and maybe the stiff axis stressed it to failure.
I have never looked at the manual till recently Rich, the Gecko's were on the machine when I got it, and apart from a similar incident in 2007, no problems.
Jim

27

General Mach Discussion / Re: cnc machine about to learn how to fly

« on: September 10, 2013, 05:15:18 PM »

Welcome to the forum cousinit75 .
if sign blazer won't output g code, have a look at v carve pro, or aspire. These take your designs from signblazer, or you can create within each, and give you a 3d or 2.5d graphical interface, ie they will show you exactly what you are going to cut and allow you to adjust depths etc. there are less expensive and even free program's which will do similar. For this type of work something like this is essential, it's not like you are making hundreds of one thing, each is different. You can't spend hours trying to write g code for each.
Jim

28

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 10, 2013, 03:02:41 PM »

Well, they have offered to check the Gecko, although they have instructions for testing on the website under FAQ's
 I have now dissasembled the machine, and found three fuses in the power supply to the geckos. whoopee. 10 amp.
So, would a tight machine stalling a motor cause this fuse to pop?
jim

29

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 10, 2013, 11:39:30 AM »

Well, I have refreshed the connections, but i have found that, whereas I can get continuity from the capacitor to the z axis power in on the Gecko, I can't get it to the x or y axis Gecko, even though it appears to be just a straight cable. I am reluctant to just change the cable in case it is a symptom of the problem, not the cause.
Any ideas?

30

General Mach Discussion / Re: one pop then another, no Gecko light

« on: September 06, 2013, 08:05:36 AM »

Noted