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Author Topic: LPT Port Power  (Read 5586 times)

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LPT Port Power
« on: March 31, 2013, 07:46:22 AM »
Can someone help me. I don't want to have to buy the computer from Sherline. I am not getting enough volts from the Parallel Port on my computer, I am only getting 3.29 V from it. Is there any way I can increase the volts? I have try almost everything I can find on the web. Someone here must know how I can do this. Is there something in the registry that I can edit or is there an add board I can try? I have been going nuts for almost 2 weeks now. I can feel the drive click when I try to jog but the motor doesn't turn. I have try a PCI card, that didn't work. I have the BIOS set to EPP and I also try ECP. There has to be something I can do to increase the Vols.

Thank you
WackoWolf

Offline olf20

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Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #1 on: March 31, 2013, 11:11:44 AM »
Do you have a BOB between your computer and
drives??

Are you using Mach3?

Most newer BOB's handle 3 - 5.5 volts.
olf20 / Bob
« Last Edit: March 31, 2013, 11:14:30 AM by olf20 »
Mach3, Atlas Knee Mill, 4th Axis, VcarvePro, ESS, Super PID.
Been Heating with corn since 1998
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #2 on: March 31, 2013, 01:44:31 PM »
Yes I am using Mach 3. I am not using a BoB. I have the Sherline driver box and cables and stepper motors. My Motherboard will only let me have 3.42V, it tells me this in the BIOS. I have the Parallel Port set as LPT1 and the address is ox378 and it is set as EPP. I can feel the motors click with I try to jog in Mach 3, when I turn on the driver box the motors lock. So I must be getting some power to the motors. I need something that will give me the Volts I need to turn the motors, but I could be very very wrong since I am totally mew to this. I hope someone can come up with a plan since like I said in the first part of this tread I really don't want to have to buy a computer from Sherline ( I would make sure that it would be clear that I want more than 3.29v from the board ). So you can see I am stuck. Unless I have something else mess up and they could work with 3.3v ( you tell me ).

Thanks
WackoWolf
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #3 on: March 31, 2013, 02:30:35 PM »
Add an parallel card to the PC that outputs 5V.  Output will either be 3.3V or 5V.  Older electronics don't seem to like 3.3V where most of the stuff out there today of decent quality support both.
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2013, 06:34:57 PM »
Try that. Can't seem to figure which I/O numbers to use, I have 00 or 07 and then below those I have 880 and 887. I disable the on-board port Right? In March 3 I have it as port 2 right? I can't seem to be able to get anywhere in the card where it tells me what Voltage it is, and when I do a check using Mach 3 for the pin output I get the same reading for + and - which is still in the 3.3 volt range. It looks as those the boards they use at Sherline for there computers are AMD boards, low process speed so they are old school boards. Every time you try and save a few bucks, it ends up costing you what you try to save or more LOL. Just my luck, all I can do is laugh because if I let it get to me something is going to get broke like the other day when I threw the HF cheap o meter and then had to go and by one ( at least this one is better ). I heard it click with I turn on the driver box, but now I don't feel the motor make a click when I try to jog it. Maybe I have something mess up in the settings on Mach 3. Anyone got any ideas?

Offline olf20

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Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2013, 06:41:11 PM »
Are you using a laptop for your computer??
Laptops are not Mach approved. Some work
most don't.

Looking on the Sherline web site the 8760 stepper
driver specs call for in part the following;
Parameters:
∙ Logic high levels should be greater than 2 volts.
∙ Logic low should be less than 1/2 volt.
∙ Step pulses are active low.
∙ Step pulses should be at least 22 microseconds long.
∙ The lines labeled as EMC inputs or outputs can be disregarded in other systems.

I believe somewhere in the setup of Mach3 there is a tick that
you can check to tell Mach you have Sherline driver. I seem to remember
that this being discussed before.

Maybe do a search and see if you can find more info.


olf20 / Bob
« Last Edit: March 31, 2013, 06:58:42 PM by olf20 »
Mach3, Atlas Knee Mill, 4th Axis, VcarvePro, ESS, Super PID.
Been Heating with corn since 1998
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2013, 06:58:36 PM »
No this is an I3 With Windows XP 32bit on it. I just look on Sherline web site, more than likely this is going to cost me more than if I had gotten it with the package in the first place. This is what they have for the computer and trust me this is old school.



    Processor: AMD Athlon XP 1900+ (1.2 Ghz or faster)

    Motherboard: Via KT133 OEM reference board, Ethernet and sound in northbridge

    RAM: 256 Mb

    Hard Drive: 40 Gb

    Internal drives: CD-RW and 3.5” Floppy

    Current: Internal switches are set to 110VAC but can be reset for operation with 230 VAC

    Installed software: Ubuntu Linux based, with real time extensions, EMC2 4-axis CNC software.

    Included peripherals: Keyboard, mouse and connection cables for stepper motors (Monitor to be supplied by customer)

    Stepper motor drivers/Power supply: 4 drivers installed inside computer box run off separate power supply also installed inside computer box. Power supply output: 6.5 amp, 24-28 VDC

    Other features: Separate on/off switch for drivers so computer can remain powered up without power to stepper motors

    Also included: backup CD-ROM with Linux and EMC, plus a second CD with the instruction manual as a PDF and/or HTML document.

I don't think I have anymore IDE Hard Drives anymore, and not sure if I have any of the old ram (256 RAM LOL ). Poor Poor me LOL.

Offline olf20

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Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2013, 07:19:53 PM »
Did you try the Sherline mode in Mach3???
olf20 / Bob
Mach3, Atlas Knee Mill, 4th Axis, VcarvePro, ESS, Super PID.
Been Heating with corn since 1998
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2013, 07:23:54 PM »
Yes I did, but I will try it that way again, I forget if I turn that one when I just put the PCI card in. Will have to turn the computer back on and check it.

Thanks
WackoWolf
Re: LPT Port Power
« Reply #9 on: April 01, 2013, 12:50:08 PM »
Installing another parallel port will not by default turn off the on-board port.  The documentation that came with the card you installed should tell you what the TTL voltage levels are, but if you're still reading 3.3+- from the new port, it's TTL output is probably 3.3V.  To figure out the address that it's installed at, find it in device manager.