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mach3 and PC communication problem
« on: April 23, 2013, 02:24:15 PM »
Hi

I have quite an odd problem. 
I testran my router yesterday. After several hours i got it work except spindle. As soon i hit spindle button, the Estop came on, saying limit switch triggered. All the limit switches were off actually. After playing around with some pins i disabled the x++ x-- etc. Only X,Y and Z home was enabled. Then somehow spindle worked.
But there started problems with coordinates. After loading an cut code suddenly the coornidates were like 17000 and so on. Before the calibration was ok. I understood that the rev per must be off, so i tried changing the rev per and i had to set it like 3700 something. This was abnormal but the coordinates looked ok. After pressing some buttons the coordinates were off again so i had to change the rev. per to original settings and then it was correct. I got tired and shut it off for this day.
Today i was going to fix the problems but after 4 hrs i just gave up. All the settings are the same as yesterday but spindle does not work again. Pressing spindle button just lits Estop and then, when pressing again with no reason it shows that spindle is working but only in program, not actually. The inverter shows RUN but no RPM on display.

Is this a PC problem? PC is not very old, 4-5y. maybe. Running XP. I tested also second PC today, new and more speed. But still could not get spindle working. I also uploaded bluescreen probe but tool change macro does not work properly, it stops were it should not etc. But both, masch standard and blue screen work perfect in my brand new laptop. Too bad i  have only LPT port on mach3 board not USB to try my laptop and see if there is computer problem or mach3 board problem or communication betwwen mach bob and PC.

There is a mach3 board and there are some red leds. When mach3 is not opened there are two leds glowing but after mach loaded, only one stays on, is it normal?



thanks in advance
Taniel


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Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2013, 02:38:22 PM »
Sounds like your spindle is producing noise which is being picked up by the limit switch/E-Stop wiring and Mach is seeing them it as limit or E-Stop triggers.
You need to get your wiring shielded and properly grounded if it is not already done.
Hood
Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2013, 02:46:27 PM »
Thanks for your input.

I did ground the inverter today. It is an chinese spindle and also wireing. so today when i took a look with electrician, he made some remarks about the wireing and grounding, but there should be no big problems with it. OFcourse he was wondering that the shield of spindle power cable, attached to inverter, was just cut off close to isolation and wasn`t attached anywhere. we added ground to inverter but still nothing.
As i said, the estop  lits time to time. sometime the dro says spindle is working but not actually.

Taniel
Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2013, 02:48:48 PM »
could the ground problem also affect mach3 working properly, i mean playing around with coordinates, doing unwanted things in macros etc?

t.

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Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2013, 04:17:58 PM »
Are your limit and E-Stop wires shielded and properly grounded?

Noise should not affect DROs but best to get Mach working correctly when spindle is running before trying to find other issues.
You could try entering 2000 for Debounce Interval in General config page to see if that helps.
Hood
Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2013, 04:43:44 PM »
I am not sure about limit and Estop wires. I `ll check it tomorrow but with EStop you mean the physical big red button, right? I have one on the electronic box not on the router.

But what do you think about the spindle power cable. As i said the shield of that cable has just been cut off close to isolation, leading nowhere. Might that be an issue, shouldn`t the spindle be gounded?

Ill try that debounce tomorrow. hope that helps.

thanks. If you get any ideas what to check

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Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #6 on: April 24, 2013, 02:55:10 AM »
The shield of any cable should be grounded, normal practice  is it is just at one end and all shields from all cables should be routed to a single point for that grounding.
As for the spindle being grounded, that will depend on the type of motor, type of frame it is attached to etc, by spindle I am presuming you are meaning motor.

Hood
Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #7 on: April 24, 2013, 03:55:44 PM »
Thanks  Hood,

Shielded everything, works perfect.

Taniel

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Re: mach3 and PC communication problem
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2013, 04:32:29 PM »
Great news :)
Hood