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Author Topic: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper  (Read 2370 times)

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Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« on: September 22, 2018, 08:16:50 PM »
Hi everyone,

I am currently building a CNC router and can not get the electronics to work.

I have a Longs Motor kit with a 1205 BOB and DM542a drivers and have wired everything according to the schematic they sent me (i have also seen this wiring work for other people). I have installed Mach3 Demo on my Windows7 64 bit PC, and I am using an ESS smoothstepper to drive the system.

The result is,
-the correct LED's are flashing on the ESS (top green LED is solid, bottom green LED blinks about 10 times per second, red LED lights up when estop is pressed). Mach3 says it detects the ESS upon startup.
-In Mach3 I am able to jog the axes, but I notice on the Diagnostics screen the Port 1 pins do not change to green when I am jogging.
-I checked the current at the BOB output pins, and it does not change when I jog the axes in Mach3
-the stepper motor drivers will not turn on (the green LED should be on)

I'm a complete newbie, but from what i understand Mach3 should be sending a signal through the ESS then the BOB that will enable the stepper drivers. I'm not sure what to change or what i am doing wrong but i hope it will be obvious to someone on this forum. It is pretty frustrating to be so close to completion of my build and yet be so far lol

I have attached some of photos of my wiring and mach3 settings.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

Offline ger21

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Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2018, 08:49:43 PM »
Do you have the enable pins configured in Ports and Pins, Output Pins?

Most people don't even use the enable signals, as the drives should be enabled by default with no enable wires.


The diagnostic Port 1 Pins don't display properly with a parallel port, and may not work at all with the ESS. Disregard them.
Gerry

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Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2018, 09:18:39 PM »
Yes. I Set them to the recommended setting that Longs motor sent me. Although i wasn't quite sure how those output pins were chosen.

On the Diagnostics tab, output signals  'enable 1,2,3,4' are red. When I press the estop they turn off.

The other thing I was wondering about was, should the drivers power on when I power on the system? Or should they power on when I turn on Mach3?

Thanks Gerry
« Last Edit: September 22, 2018, 09:24:44 PM by M.Step »
Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #3 on: September 23, 2018, 01:25:29 AM »
So I measured the voltage between the +step and -step, same with +direction and -direction. When Mach3 is not running it is zero, when i turn on mach3 the voltages are 3.7V for all except 1 (4.3V).

I found a manual from leadshine that says the hi signal is at least 5V and the low signal is between 0-.5V. Is my low voltage causing the drivers not to enable? If so how do i increase the voltage?

Offline ger21

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Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2018, 07:10:41 AM »
You may have a wiring issue, as the ESS should be putting out 5V signals.
Gerry

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Offline Tweakie.CNC

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Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2018, 07:37:21 AM »
Hi Mike,

From your earlier photo it appears that you are using the ESS Port3.
Ideally you should be using Port1 (which has the standard LPT parallel port pinout) because Port3 has bi-directional pins 2 - 9 and this may be causing your problem.

Tweakie.
PEACE
Re: Newbie setting up Mach3 with ESS smoothstepper
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2022, 07:55:17 PM »
Your setup for Port 1 in your software but your 25 pin ribbon cable plugged in to the Ethernet smooth stepper board is plugged into port 3 Just unplug that cable and plug it in to port 1, it's the simplest way to fix your problem. Or you could go into the Port and pin and change all the port and pins check boxes to port 3, so the software send the signals to the right port on the smooth stepper. Simple mistake! make sure the jumpper pin on the smooth stepper are set right as well.