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Home switches
« on: January 03, 2010, 06:12:20 PM »
Could someone please help me, I am new to Mach3 and I am setting up my first machine (3 axis mill). Everything has gone well until I started hooking up my home and limit switches.
All my switches are NC so the software settings are for active low. I hooked up the limit switches and the E-Stop switch in series to pin ten and they seem to work fine (LEDS come on as expected. I hooked up my X axis to pin 11 Y axis to pin 12 and Z axis to pin 13. The only one that works is the X axis, it works as expected.
Y and Z will not work at all.
Is there any way of testing the signal for the breakout board?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
Re: Home switches
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2010, 08:01:57 PM »
I am also new to the Mach3 world.  It is my understanding of the switch logic is that you want all the switches closed  so they are presenting a ground or "LOW" to the input.  When the input goes true by "opening" the switch it presents an active "HIGH" signal to the software.  One reason to do it that way is if a wire breaks at the switch you now get an active "HIGH" at the input effective shutting you down.  E-Stop works the same way.  logic 0 or ground means it is OK to operate.  Logic 1 or high at the input means "SHUT DOWN NOW". 

That is how I am setting up my machine.  Those with more experience, correct me if I am wrong here.

You should be able to see the switch operate in by going to the diagnostic page.  Activate the switch manually and the LED should toggle.

RWW

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Re: Home switches
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2010, 04:31:42 PM »
Shouldnt really put your limits and E-Stop on the same circuit, main reason is you will have to manually turn the axis to back off a limit or you will have to provide a means to bypass the E-Stop and limits.
 You can connect all home switches in series (if NC switches) and just input to a single pin in Mach if you wish, in fact if your home switches are at the extent of the axis you can use the limit switches as home switches also.

Hood