Howdy,

I am using a light post to indicate the status of the machine. I've most of the lights down, but for the e-stop indicator and can't figure an elegant way to get it to work.

I am using a C25XP breakout board with an M26 expansion board. The expansion board is controlling the lights currently, allowing me to control them without a relay for each one. The breakout board has a pair of ports dedicated to the e-stop, if the connection between those ports is open, the board stops all output signals.

My original concept was to use the e-stop being activated (opening the connection on the e-stop port) to indicate to Mach4 (which is does) and then Mach4 to automatically turn the light on to indicate the e-stop status. However, as said, it seems that all output signals are stopped when the e-stop is activated. I feel like I'm overlooking something in the documentation for the board or maybe an obvious way about it.

Does anyone know if the C25XP has a port that can be used when the board is e-stopped? Am I approaching the problem wrong?

Thank you for your time,
Jacob

Hi,
Its unlikely that the break out board will allow you to control an output during Estop like you want.

The usual solution is to use a single pole, double through relay. Use the Normally closed output to power the red lamp. Then configure an output to be an enable output. This output is used to turn on the relay. This opens the normally closed terminal, breaking the power to the lamp. When the system is in Estop, the relay output is de-activated, turning on the lamp.

I hope this helps.

Peter

Good evening Peter,

Thank you for confirming my suspicions. That makes perfect sense and I admit I ought have just gone with that from jump.

I appreciate your help, good sir!

Respectfully,
Jacob

Fool that I am! I have been going about it wrong.

Was already using the M26 expansion board because of its built-in relays. However, I was using it to turn the light ON.

By switching the pin from Active Low to Active High and the wire from Normally Open to Normally Closed, now it turns the light OFF when I want it off. I feel a fool for taking so long to do so.