Bp
 go back to your last thread. I am doing the same thing as you and have a thread going on  CNC ZONE. lots of info there. more info on your last thread on how to get there. sometimes it takes a while to read all the  requests and we all have lives that get in the way. be patient. it took me all summer to get the right info. my 540 gecko drive arrived today. I'll be documenting my progress in my thread.

your motors are servos, wired in a bipolar stepper configuration same as mine. the three extra wires are for the limit switches. all the wiring is on my cnc zone thread. the m100 box is old and won't process the mack 3 software, it was designed for dos based software. the g540 is a good move. my thread shows which motor wire goes to which pin on the g540. you should be able to use the power supply from the m100 box, it is a 24 volt output system then you can use the power on/off switch and e-stop and use the box. you will need modern software also to do your cad/cam requirements. I got bobcad which I am happy with, but there are others out there. you will learn about them as you go.

Good luck.
  Ted

your motors are servos, wired in a bipolar stepper configuration same as mine.

Huh? Servos wired as steppers? I think you meant to say they are STEPPERs wired in a certain configuration...

it is a 24 volt output system then you can use the power on/off switch and e-stop

The 24 volt power supply may work but may not be ideal. If the inductance of the stepper motor is known you can estimate(calculate) the ideal power supply voltage. Generally speaking a higher power supply voltage will give you better performance and let you get the most out of your new G540 drive.

Jeff
You could be right . In looking back at my thread I was told they were unipolar wired in bipolar not servos wired as steppers.

 The motors worked well with this power supply in it's original state so I don't see why they wouldn't work with the g540 at the same voltage, after all it is rated at 18 to 48 volts ( the gecko that is). I guess we'll see as I am doing it to my machine. Don't want to hijack  this thread but you are right ...better motors and a higher voltage should give an optimized performance. Depends on where you want your machine to be. and how much you want to spend.
  Ted

Turns out the power supply was 26 volts ac not dc output. I am now looking for a new power supply..Gecko wants dc.
Ted

Rectify it and smooth it, easy enough to do and will give you 36.6v DC. Look here for info http://campbelldesigns.net/files/power-supply-part-1.pdf
Hood

I asked this elsewhere but got no responses. Hoping someone here can help.

I need to know what output config I can use to respond to M10 and M11. These typically support pallet operations, though I want to use it to fire a laser without the usual (M3/M4, M5) delay.

Specifically, "How do I tell Mach3 to respond to M10/M11 with signals to a specified Port 1 pin?"

Alternatively, I am open to any other ideas that will get around the delays associated with spindle command.

You need two macros and you need to name these macros m10.m1s and m11.m1s and place them in the macro folder of the profile you use, for example if its Mach3Mill profile you use then they need placed in C:\Mach3\Macros\Mach3Mill
 Ideally you should use macros named 100 or over for User macros, so if you can use m110.m1s and m111.m1s.
 So to call the macro from code it would be m110 or m111.
What you need in the macros would be, for M110

ActivateSignal(OutPut1)

and for M111

DeActivateSignal(OutPut1)


Hood

You need two macros and you need to name these macros m10.m1s and m11.m1s and place them in the macro folder of the profile you use, for example if its Mach3Mill profile you use then they need placed in C:\Mach3\Macros\Mach3Mill
 Ideally you should use macros named 100 or over for User macros, so if you can use m110.m1s and m111.m1s.
 So to call the macro from code it would be m110 or m111.
What you need in the macros would be, for M110

ActivateSignal(OutPut1)

and for M111

DeActivateSignal(OutPut1)


Hood

Thanks, Hood. I'll look into that - I have not done Macros in Mach3 before, but it is time I learn. (I have 34+ years of computer software design and development - maybe I should have thought of that first.)

A little while ago, I posted the following info, which I will try first, as it is a built in method - rather than me doing it.

"Actually, I believe I have found it, after 5.75 hours of searching. I got the info here: http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,6629.msg43375.html#msg43375

Appearantly, I don't need to do much "special" in Mach3. I already have my "spindle" (laser) relay set to output #1. When you use the M10 or M11, you simply add on a "Px" (x = output number you are using). So, in my case, a M10P1 will turn on the laser and M11P1 will turn it off. Delay is reported to be only 1.5ms instead of 500ms.

I have not tried it yet. (My eyes are tired and brain dead from searching the forum and net for this answer.) Hope to try it tomorrow and will report back."

Problems solved. Here is a post that covers everything.

http://www.machsupport.com/forum/index.php/topic,12653.msg82436.html#msg82436

Thanks to all who replied with suggestions.

tim