I am fully able to move the spindle with M3 & M4 codes, CW and CCW, however it is the S*********x command that doesn't work, it is almost as though there is no PWM output. I will try the voltage testing as Bob suggested today, probably this evening.

good stuff it will be something small stopping it working

Ok, so I tried an idea. I loaded the mach4mill profile and was able to setup the OB1 on the spindle, excellent. Everything works, better than on the lathe profile I might add. However the spindle is still not working. I cannot even get it to turn now. The relay clicks on and off when I hit an M03 code (not for M04) and the lights switch (see attached). The pmdx107 test mode works and the voltages show around 8.4v (2300rpm) at max, 2.3v at 700 RPM. As Bob recommended I tried the voltages on pin 16 and the pc_gnd and it dropped from 4.8v to 0v as hoped for. Any thoughts?

try without OB1 Daz said to not use it he is a IT guy who is not full off his self and is very good at this Mach4 stuff

Well I have tried the setting s that Daz has suggested and on the new profile it doesn't start the spindle at all. On the old lathe one it started it but couldn't speed it up or slow down... It is starting to get very odd and even more confusing...

yep ok have you set speed's in the Spindle page

so the on/off is working when you do a M3 is there voltage on pin 14, pin 16 is working.

pin 14 should just be high to low or low to high

Ok, so I tried an idea. I loaded the mach4mill profile and was able to setup the OB1 on the spindle, excellent. Everything works, better than on the lathe profile I might add. However the spindle is still not working. I cannot even get it to turn now. The relay clicks on and off when I hit an M03 code (not for M04) and the lights switch (see attached). The pmdx107 test mode works and the voltages show around 8.4v (2300rpm) at max, 2.3v at 700 RPM. As Bob recommended I tried the voltages on pin 16 and the pc_gnd and it dropped from 4.8v to 0v as hoped for. Any thoughts?

Just to make sure I understand: when you measured the 8.4V at 2300 RPM and 2.3V at 700 RPM on the (I presume) PMDX-107's Aout and Agnd terminals, was that using the PMDX-107's test mode (for full speed and 30% of full speed)?  Or was that using M3/S********* commands from Mach4?  If so, what "S" commands did you use?

And when you checked the voltage on PMDX-126 connector J6 "16" and "PC gnd" terminals, what were the "S" commands that corresponded to those voltages?  And were you able to get any voltage between 0V and 4.8V, for example by trying to set the spindle speed at 1/2 of full speed?

In the two pictures  you posted, it looks like the pin 16 LED on the PMDX-126 is on full brightness in both pictures.  The pin 16 LED should vary brightness as you change spindle RPM.  It also shows that the PMDX-107 does not see a valid PWM signal as its "PWM" LED is off, as are the "Fwd/Run" and "Rev/Dir" LEDs.

And a curiosity, though this is a secondary concern over getting the PWM to control spindle speed and DO NOT CHANGE THIS NOW - I notice that you have the PMDX-107 DIP switch #4 in the "up " position, which tells the PMDX-107 to ignore the "charge pump OK" signal.  I thought you were using the charge pump signal on pin 17 from the ESS to the PMDX-126. If so, we normally recommend having the PMDX-107 also pay attention to the charge pump signal.  This is a minor issue as the PMDx-126 should guarantee that the PWM signal is disabled if the charge pump signal goes away.  If you wish to change it, wait until the PWM issue has been fixed (debug by only changing one thing at a time, otherwise you have no way of know which change fixed the issue).

I think it may be time for you to post a copy of your profile, so we can see what you actually have configured.  You can either post just the "Machine.ini" file from profile directory (i.e. C:\Mach4Hobby\Profiles\YourProfileName\Machine.ini), or you can create a profile package and post that.  Go to the Help->Support menu and select "Create Profile Package".  You will have to change the file extension from ".m4prof" to ".zip" in order to upload it here.  I can look at the general config items but I'm not sure I can be of any help on the ESS specific settings.

Bob

Yes the spindle speeds are all set, according to my machine, just as Daz instructed.

Bob, Yes I measured the voltages on the Aout and Agnd termals as you suggested, and due to the lack of control I did use the test mode. Unfortunately at the time I only tried spindle on and off for the J6 "16" part, I will try again later with different "S" commands.

I did originally have the dip switch 4 "down" however I was trying different things ( Before I posted here) to get the system working, and after reading the manual I had a thought that is may be causing an issue, it obviously wasn't. Of course I was just trying different things at the time.

I have attached the information requested for the new mill profile I created as a trial last night. I have also included the machine.ini file for the original lathe profile.

Thank-you again for all your help, this is an area I am very new to...

Joe

Old lathe profile

A couple of things from a *very* quick look through the MILL profile INI file (not the lathe version).

(1) In the ESS configuration you have Port 1 Pin 16 flagged as "active low".  It should be "active high".

(2) In the standard Mach config dialog on the "Output Signals" tab, you have the Mach4 "Spindle On" signal mapped to the SmoothStepper "Spindle RPM" signal, which you i turn have mapped to port 1 pin 16.  This doesn't sound right to me, and sounds like it would override the intended PWM on port 1 pin 16.  I don't think you should have *ANY* of the Mach4 signals on the "Output Signals" tab assigned to the "Spindle PWM" signal.

Try those changes to your MILL profile and see what happens.

Bob