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Offline greg

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trouble with 203s
« on: December 31, 2007, 12:48:53 PM »
i am having trouble getting my motors to work. i have cnc4pc c10 bob gecko 203s. i am doing something wrong as the motors do not lock up when turned on. but when i push the jog keys the motors make a hum that is louder than when they would when locking up. on x i have step in mach pin 2 on bob. direction on pin 3. step on gecko term 9 direction terminal 8 com [ground] term 10 the green light is on.
term 1 is ps grd. term 2 is ps hort [80 volt]
disable is not used.
on the bob i have 5 volt to the disable.
in mach x is enabeled.
any ideas on what i can try?
this is not my first time wirieng or configurieng a cnc, but i do not know what else to look at.
thanks greg
ps i am trying to save time & just describe 1 axis. all are doing the same thing.
 ???

Offline TonyP

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2007, 03:31:22 PM »
Just had a quick look at the on line manual. Have you installed the appropriate set current resistor?

Tony

Offline greg

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2007, 03:50:51 PM »
yes i have the resisitor it calls for. i can measure voltage on the step & direction pins when hitting the jog keys. i have had the motor running veerryy slowly with acceleration & velocity set fairly high. it would keep running when i stoped holding the jog key.

Offline TonyP

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2007, 04:13:06 PM »
What sort of numbers have you used for number of steps & pulse width ? Also are the motors locking now? They must have a reasonable amount of current through them If you've had them run. I think the manual said something about automatically reducing the current to 75% of the running value when stopped. What current are you setting for & what resistor have you fitted? A 3A drive would need 36k I think.

Tony

Offline greg

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #4 on: December 31, 2007, 05:21:06 PM »
i do not remember what i have the pulses set to now , i have tried different numbers. steps are set to 16000 as i am usieng a 8tpi acme screw. no the motors still do not lock. the only way the one motor ran [off the machine] was turning it by hand sometimes it would start running on its own veerry slowly. thanks for trying to help! greg

Offline TonyP

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2008, 05:13:19 AM »
Happy new year!
The fact that the motors don't lock is strange. Nothing Mach does would affect that.
It rather sounds as though there isn't enough current in them. You didn't say what resistor value you used. As to the number of steps, assuming the drive is a 10x microstep, 16000 is about right.

Tony

Offline Leeway

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2008, 07:47:53 AM »
You may have a motor phase wiring problem. With all power off, check continuity or OHMS across the pins on the Gecko's. You should have a reading in Ohms. I think mine was 95,000 ohms or something like that. Now disconnect the motor wires. First do phase A and -A. Just check the motor wires for ohms. They should read zero. Reconnect thos if they do read zero. Now do the B phase the same way. If you aren't getting Zero when checking across the motor phases, you have a motor wiring problem. You will have to go back to your schematic and track it down.
Lee

Offline greg

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #7 on: January 01, 2008, 08:33:23 AM »
everyone happy new year!!!
tony the resisitior is about 30000 to 33000 1/4 or1/2 watt i do not know the forumla to read the bands, & do not have the package.
i emailed keling last evening & he confirmed the way i have the motors wired is correct. besides if they were wired wrong the green light should not be on.
 thanks greg

Offline Leeway

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #8 on: January 01, 2008, 09:19:04 AM »
I wouldn't just dismiss it when the green LED is on. I just had to send one back to Gecko because it would not work with the green led lit. I did all the usual everything swapping, testing, checking...
The trouble always followed the gecko. I finally pulled out a 201 from my other controller, hooked it up and got the machine running again. I did have to run the 5VDC to the 201 instead of ground.
I now have two new Gecko 203's that arrived for my lathe project coming up, so I can get the gecko's back where they belong. I haven't heard back about what the issue is with the lazuy one I sent back, but should hear something after the Holidays.

There is also a troubleshooting guide for the 203V's in the Yahoo group files section. I found that very helpful. You will have to be a member there though. Easy enough to join.
I would also suggest you look at the Mach 3 troubleshooting video.

http://www.machsupport.com/Videos/Mach3%20Video%20Selections/Mach3%20Video%20Selections.html

That may also help you pinpoint the trouble. Your resistor sounds about right for Keling 425's. They are 2.8 amp on BP IIRC.


Also you said you have X enabled. Check out this other Mach video.
http://www.machsupport.com/Videos/Mach3%20Video%20Selections/Mach3%20Video%20Selections.html

It deals with inputs and outputs.
In the config, ports and pins section, under motor you should have the step and direction pins assigned like you have them setup on the BOB and you should make sure that the port number on the right is calling the right port. Step should be active high and direction either way depending on which way you axis travels. It can be reversed by switching that.
« Last Edit: January 01, 2008, 09:24:25 AM by Leeway »
Lee

Offline greg

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Re: trouble with 203s
« Reply #9 on: January 01, 2008, 05:44:31 PM »
they [gecko] told me to return them. i guess i will as nothing seems to work. thanks for all the advice. greg