I'm currently converting my triac pnc3, so far I have all 3 axis running, e-stop, and home switches, I have a shuttle prov2 hand wheel working, now am at a lost end whilst trying to link up the spindle drive.
I can get the machine to turn the spindle on/off via M3/M5 command using the spindle relay output, but this is no good as I dont have a separate controller for the speed. I am trying to connect up the step/direction setup but with no joy, and was wondering if anyone has a running setup using the original triac spindle cables, I have a sp4dc board but cant seem to get the correct wiring to the RUN NO/C/NC - DIR NO/C/NC connections, also if the correct setup on the mach 3 screens.

Motor Outputs -
Pin 17 - Step
Pin16 - Run
Pin 14 - Dir
Step/Dir port - 1

Output signals

Output#2 - port 1 pin 16

But not confident motor tuning is setup correctly

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Hi I'm running a Triac with the original spindle drive board (LYNX08) thru a BOB and a spindle drive card from an interface slot in the BOB. the big problem is triac's wiring uses a mixture of low voltage and 240 voltage intermingled thru the system, so be careful.  Mines a 1988 model and uses 4 wires to drive the spindle and control the speed. I gave up trying to get it to reverse as Denford had a strange way of doing spindle reverse. I can give you my connections but before I do tell me the spindle drive you are using and the BOB type. Jim

Hi Jim,

I had emailed you direct regarding your setup. My spindle drive is a brown and pestel controller, home made BOB, but the connections are the same I have Step/Dir/Run outputs, I think yours is the pc version of the triac, so I think the spindle drive is different but I believe I only require 4 wires to get it running RUN - NO/C and DIR - NO/C, just dont which is relavent to which wire,and also the correct setup in Mach3

OK Jason I've attached 5 pictures of my set up. Unfortunately to get at the electronics is difficult so I'm sending 2 in-focus pictures of the boards unconnected and the 2 out of focus show my wiring connections you make the link and finally there is a diagram just a wiring reference for me. ( the text on the one picture is the set up before I rewired it) I'm the worlds worst electronics man so tend to leave well alone when things are working, indeed I converted my machine 3 years ago with the help of Hood and others on the forum and haven't move a thing since except for a couple of electronic noise issues. Sorry can only send 4 attachments that the maximum for the forum, if you want the wiring diagram will send later. Hope this helps 

Thankx Jim, it is a little help, but If I'm correct I think your just using a relay output spindle drive, ie input M3 in mach and it switches on the motor, do you have an external control for the speed?. I am after the connection's for step/dir, if you see on your spindle board where you have that one green connecting block with the letters NO,C,NC as if you use step/dir signals there are 2 sets of those blocks RUN (step)-NO/C/NC and DIR(dir)-NO/C/NC, its these connections to a cable that I have coming from the original spindle drive that I cant work out

According to the denford gsm manual these cables represent -

Bn (Bk) 1 SPEED REF1 SIG
O ( Bn) 2 SPINDLE ON
Y ( R) 3 SPINDLE ON COMM
R (Y) 4 SPINDLE FWD
Gn (Gn) 5 SPINDLE DIRN COM
Be (Be) 6 SPINDLE REV
V (V) 7 SPINDLE OV
GY (W) 8 SPINDLE +12V SUPPLY

My connections were as follows -

(Bn) 2 spindle on TO Run NO
(R) 3 Spindle on comm TO Run C

(Y) 4 Spindle fwd TO Dir NO
(Gn) 6 Spindle Dirn com TO Dir C

 (V) 7 Spindle 0V TO 0V
(W) 8 Spindle +12V TO V-Out

As I say with these connections and mach3 set to relay output the spindle turned CW, but no speed control.
Except when I changed Mach3 to Use spindle motor output and step/dir control and disable spindlle relays box checked, nothing happened.... unless the wiring is correct and my initial setup in motor tuning is wrong?

This is where you've got me Jason, as I said I'm no electronics man mechanical is my skill. I had loads of problems getting my spindle to work, then all of a sudden it worked. again bear with me cause I'm thick when it comes to electronics. I purchase my BOB and spindle card from the same place as you DIYCNC
I read it like this
I have a direct 240  AC volt into my spindle drive board direct from the machines on/off relay which converts the output to the spindle motor to 180v DC. the spindle drive card that is slotted into my BOB has a small relay on it which is activated by the M03 & M05 commands via the normally close contacts on the Lynx unit. the 2 other wires give a variation of 0-12v for the speed into the 0-12v connections again on the lynx drive unit.. So I assume Mach sends a voltage signal via the BOB connection to the spindle card which in turn sends a voltage signal to my LYNX spindle drive to give the correct speed. By the way I ditched all my Denford electronics except for the main power transformer doughnut and the LYNX08 spindle unit so all my electronics are rewired I even had to reconnect the oiler and operators light into my system.
Sorry can't be of anymore help as I've said If i cant see it move I don't understand it.

I too am more mechanical, this has been quite a learning curve.

I have ditched everything also, so hooking up what is left is a bit of an art, but I'll get there in the end.

Would you be able to copy your settings in mach3 in the motor output section, ie steps per/velocity/acceleration this may be where I am going wrong.

Is this any good, I always make a paper copy of my wiring and settings. Jim

Thats excellent Jim, thank you. More food for thought