Hello Guest it is March 28, 2024, 07:02:48 AM

Author Topic: Ref All and Ref Z not working  (Read 3778 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Ref All and Ref Z not working
« on: April 16, 2012, 05:45:44 PM »
Hi,

I've been trying to be a Z zero plate wired up now for a couple of days and I've ran into a new problem. I've wired my plate to pin 12 and used the auto configure settings option to set up my Z home. I then configured homing / limit switches screen for my Z axis.

Here's the problem, hoping to just be able to hit ref Z and have the machine drop until it encounters the plate, when I hit ref Z nothing happens, nor does anything happen when I hit ref all.

Anybody with more experience with Mach3 have any ideas why nothing would happen?

Thanks for your help,

Offline ger21

*
  • *
  •  6,295 6,295
    • View Profile
    • The CNC Woodworker
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #1 on: April 16, 2012, 06:06:14 PM »
Sounds like you don't have any home switches enabled. Do the axis Ref'd LED's turn green?

Also, if you try to home to a plate, the axis won't be zeroed if you have any offsets set, unless you use a custom Ref Z macro.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #2 on: April 16, 2012, 07:54:44 PM »
Gerry,

All I have set up is the Z plate. Am I correct that if I initialize a home plate in homing / limit switches that when I press ref Z in Diagnostics that the spindle should lower until the homing plate is contacted?
I can understand why the ref All doesn't work, but not why the ref Z.

Thanks
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #3 on: April 16, 2012, 08:45:51 PM »
I'm back in front of the machine staring at the Diagnostic page, when I notice that when I don't have the alligator clip on the bit, I have no yellow lights on the right hand side of the screen. When I hook up the clip, the M3 light flickers intermittently.
Not certain if this changes anything but it does seem odd, I would think I would only get that light when the bit touched the plate.
Could that be caused by noise, and if so would that noise cause the ref Z button to not work?

Thanks,

Offline ger21

*
  • *
  •  6,295 6,295
    • View Profile
    • The CNC Woodworker
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #4 on: April 16, 2012, 09:00:13 PM »
Again, does the Z axis Ref'd LED turn green? If it does, than noise is triggering the input
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #5 on: April 16, 2012, 09:36:19 PM »
Ger21,

Yes the light does turn green. This is where I'm assuming I'm going to need to learn how to wire a capacitor to reduce the noise? Would I wire it in-line?

Like existing wire into BOB connect to capacitor, through capacitor back to wire then the plate?

Thanks,

Offline ger21

*
  • *
  •  6,295 6,295
    • View Profile
    • The CNC Woodworker
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #6 on: April 16, 2012, 10:11:11 PM »
Just did some googling and it looks like you wire a .01uf capacitor between the input pin and ground.
Gerry

2010 Screenset
http://www.thecncwoodworker.com/2010.html

JointCAM Dovetail and Box Joint software
http://www.g-forcecnc.com/jointcam.html
Re: Ref All and Ref Z not working
« Reply #7 on: April 16, 2012, 10:43:46 PM »
Ger21,

A user on another forum was nice enough to help me find the manual for my BOB.

http://www.cnc4pc.com/Store/osc/product_info.php?cPath=33&products_id=45&osCsid=def66f9ad4e14ec044d02cab3413b19c

Looking at page 15/18 it shows a diagram of what I'm wanting to do. Now the only problem is the wiring diagram to me isn't 100% clear, it shows the plate being grounded but does it also go to the 5V side?

Thanks