Messages

4151

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 05:32:42 PM »

Hi,

And THAT'S IT!  If you put that little piece of code into the SigLib table which is at the top of the screenload script

The code goes into the signal library table (SigLib{}).

Craig

4152

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: I NEED ''Enable'' an ''Cycle Start'' scripts for activating with a ESS input

« on: July 01, 2018, 04:50:06 PM »

Hi,

i have put it in the left down script, the left up script i have put the left up an left down actions

Wrong, that code needs to go in the SigLib table at the top of the screen load script.

Craig

4153

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 02:59:44 PM »

Hi,
 try my suggestion and use input #0-#5, then an LED will display on the Machine Diagnostics tab. You can still use port 1 pin 13 but
assign input#2 say to the pin.

Where did you put the code?

Craig

4154

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 03:15:30 AM »

Hi,
in my case I removed the spindle, that is un-mounted it and that when the problem showed up. By having the spindle motor bolted in place the problem was
not evident but it had been there all the time.

It was only when I one by one hooked up the home switches...then retest....the limit switches.....then retest...the x motor...then retest....the y motor ...then retest, well
you get the picture. That was the only way I could find the fault and make a plan to fix it.

Craig

4155

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 03:03:05 AM »

Hi,
given that it was unplugged should mean that it would not produce any electrical noise but there could still be a conductive path
between the motor frame and the windings and therefore the speed drive. I would still remove it just to absolutely remove any potential
earth leakage path.

I'm guessing that one of your power supplies has a leakage path to earth. Lets say your power supply for your steppers, and I'll guess its
48V. It should be isolated so that if one wire (+ or -)of the power supply touches the frame (earthed) no current will flow. If there is a leakage path
to earth within the power supply however then some current would flow, maybe not much perhaps just a few milliamps but enough to cause noise
faults and damage electronics. It may also be that the power supply for your ESS and/or PoKeys has leakage to earth. That could mean that current
is flowing in signal wires due to that leakage, a prime cause of noise faults.

Craig

4156

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 02:29:43 AM »

Hi,

How does it leak? It would have to be a short?

No not necessarily, it could be a  resistive leak. Your will need to test the spindle motor for leakage resistance to earth. In New Zealand we call it a Megger,
the technical name for the test is 'high potential earth leakage test'. The other possibility is as I found with my steppers that there was current induced into the
frame, not a conductive path at all. That would be hard to trace but not impossible.

There are a couple of other possibilities also, particularly if you have switch mode power supplies. They can leak to earth.

Still the most likely culprit is your spindle. I know you think it impossible but it is by far and away the biggest noisy component of your machine. I would take it off altogether
and see what happens. If I'm correct it has blown about $450.00 worth of boards....do you want continue?

Craig

4157

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 02:11:57 AM »

Hi,
that keyboard is going to need a plugin between its USB port and Mach.

I can help with individual push button switches, an MPG and that sort of thing but trying to write a plugin to interface with Mach is quite an undertaking,
its beyond my pay grade!

Craig

4158

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 02:04:39 AM »

Hi.
yikes!  That sounds like an expensive learning curve, so you have two Pokeys and one ESS boards which are potentially faulty.
I would certainly like to get to the bottom of that before I did anything else.

You may have noted that in the other thread:
http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,37598.msg257219.html#msg257219
that there is a possibility that current is leaking into the frame of your machine. My steppers do so, an unusual mechanisim but it happens.
The first time I knew anything about it I had removed my spindle and inadvertently removed the earth bonding. I only recognized it when I got a good
'tingle' off the machine while trying to track a fault with my Estop. It turns out that the leakage blew the input buffer on my BoB, fortunately it didn't affect
my ESS. It has made me a little more cautious though!

To be honest I would go back to square one, disconnect EVERYTHING off your machine. Particularly the spindle and driver. I would remove the earth bonding also. THEN I would hook up things ONE AT A TIME
measuring the voltage of ALL metal parts of the frame against a KNOWN GOOD POWER EARTH. This is exactly what I did with my mill until I had it nailed down as to what components (steppers)
were contributing leakage current (approx. 1mA each) and under what circumstances.

Craig

4159

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 01:31:16 AM »

Hi,
I see your problem. I rather suspect it may be related to the noise issue you have described in your other thread.

If there is some leakage current getting into the frame of your machine it would certainly cause noise issues but could also fry inputs of PoKeys boards,
my earlier post states that PoKeys boards employ little or no protection on their inputs and possibly explain why they appear sensitive and are failing.

May I suggest rather than expend more time and money on a remote keyboard that you solve the noise issue, especially if it appears to be damaging boards.

In the mean time would you post whatever information you have about your programmable keyboard. Thinking about something doesn't cost anything!

Craig

4160

Mach4 General Discussion / Re: easy way i can make "Enable, Cycle start,ect" in mach 4 work with key stroke

« on: July 01, 2018, 01:22:03 AM »

Hi,
sorry I misread your post. The C11 and C25 share many similarities. I would still recommend additional, or at least one, C10 if you wish to extend the number of inputs
you have available.

From your previous post regarding a programmable keyboard we may be getting a bit ahead of ourselves.

Craig