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Author Topic: Newbie Trying to test my first controller  (Read 2390 times)

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Newbie Trying to test my first controller
« on: September 27, 2013, 09:21:27 AM »
Greetings all,
I am a newbie building my first CNC project which is to be a 10'x9'x5' hotwire foam cutter, I have all my electronics situated in an enclosure and my steppers connected for testing. In trying to text my computer's parallel port, I opened MACH3, set the screen to Program/run mode, selected "config">ports and pins>

Port Setup is "port #1 enabled
Port Address is 0x378
Motor Output > x,y, and z axes are set to 2,, 3, and 4 respectively
Input signals > "e stop" is enabled and set to pin number "0"

I clicked apply, OK
Went back to the program run screen
clicked "reset" so that it was not blinking
stuck a paper clip in the second hole at the bottom, on the "wide side" of the computer's parallel port.

but....I'm reading 4.44v no matter which arrow key I press
What am I doing wrong?
Thanks
Here are a couple of shots of my controller...
The box was an outdoor solar-power enclosure.

Offline Fastest1

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« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2013, 06:20:40 PM »
Are you just trying to verify the output voltage of the PP? Btw, hook up an estop and assign it a pin.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)

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« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2013, 06:22:34 PM »
Are you just trying to verify the output voltage of the PP? Btw, hook up an estop and assign it a pin. You do get 0 volt if not pushing any key, right?
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)
Re: Newbie Trying to test my first controller
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2013, 05:33:35 PM »
Thanks.
I have an e-stop connected to the breakout board and assigned it's pen to "0" as per the video tutorial. I'm getting 4.44v even when not pressing a key.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uglCm_qsojk

Offline Fastest1

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Newbie Trying to test my first controller
« Reply #4 on: October 09, 2013, 10:04:13 AM »
You can't use pin 0.

   On the Mach set up screens inputs section there will be a specific set of pins that are listed. You must choose 1, hook your estop to the pin specified and then enable it and acknowledge which state it will be in active or low.
I want to die in my sleep like my grandfather, not like the passengers in the car! :-)