Boxford 4th axis

[Warden5]

Good morning,
I am looking for assistance with wiring for a 4th axis on a Boxford router, I made one and run it off a divisionmaster which has 4 wires - looked into the Boxford socket - 8 (mostly red) wires !
tried to glean some info from Boxford . . . . . . :apologetic:
Apparrently I will blow the board if I get it wrong (2k) or its 2.5k for a unit from them !
any help or direction would be greatly appreciated
thanks
j

[magicniner]

A Google search for 8 wire stepper motor wiring in conjunction with a comparison with the existing wiring should provide the required information.
I know you can wire an 8-wire stepper to a 4-wire driver but I'm not sure if you can wire a 4-wire stepper to an 8-wire driver, with any luck someone with direct experience will step in and save the day ;-)

- Nick

[magicniner]

https://learn.adafruit.com/all-about-stepper-motors/types-of-steppers

If you have an 8-wire driver it looks like you need an 8-wire stepper as you probably don't have access in the 4-wire stepper to split out the required coil connections if they are all there.

[Warden5]

https://learn.adafruit.com/all-about-stepper-motors/types-of-steppers

If you have an 8-wire driver it looks like you need an 8-wire stepper as you probably don't have access in the 4-wire stepper to split out the required coil connections if they are all there.
Thanks for the link, spotted the Blue smoke monster !
Don't really want to get associated with the likes of him.:thumbdown:
Still would be unsure if all the wires in the socket on the machine were all for the stepper motor windings ?
funny how once the seed of doubt has been sown - it doesn't require feeding or watering to gain a hold :bi_polo::bi_polo::bi_polo: !
wouldn't mind half an hour in a well lit room with someone else's . . . .and a camera,pencil & paper ;@)

[magicniner]

Do you have a multi-meter? If so you can disconnect another stepper and meter out the wiring to find out which pins go to which motor wires.

- Nick

[m_c]

As a first step, I'd be tracing the wires to see where they go inside the control box.

I'd guess only 4 of the wires are for the stepper, with the others being inputs for sensors/switches, and/or outputs for controlling locks/actuators.

Hopefully by tracing where the wires go, you'll be able to work out what they do.

[magicniner]

I'd guess only 4 of the wires are for the stepper.

Steppers come in 4, 6 and 8 wire flavours, not just 4, it is possible to connect a 4-wire driver to 6 and 8 wire steppers by externally connecting the circuits to a 4-wire configuration, but if you have a 6 or 8 wire driver you cannot use a 4 wire stepper

[m_c]

Steppers come in 4, 6 and 8 wire flavours, not just 4, it is possible to connect a 4-wire driver to 6 and 8 wire steppers by externally connecting the circuits to a 4-wire configuration, but if you have a 6 or 8 wire driver you cannot use a 4 wire stepper

Which is why I said to physically trace the wires inside the control box. The stepper driver wires should all connect in the same area, possibly to an individual driver, which means you know exactly what wires power the stepper motor.
Then it just leaves the other individual wires, which by tracing, will hopefully connect to a terminal with some form of name to work out what they do.

I would very much doubt that all 8 wires are solely for powering a stepper motor, given Boxford typically only use 4 wire drivers.

[magicniner]

Boxford typically only use 4 wire drivers.

That is really useful information.

[Warden5]

[QUOTE=m_c;80406]Which is why I said to physically trace the wires inside the control box. The stepper driver wires should all connect in the same area, possibly to an individual driver, which means you know exactly what wires power the stepper motor.
Then it just leaves the other individual wires, which by tracing, will hopefully connect to a terminal with some form of name to work out what they do.

I would very much doubt that all 8 wires are solely for powering a stepper motor, given Boxford typically only use 4 wire drivers.[/QUOTE
Sound advice, been into it today, 8 wires in the socket
2 red singles 2 orange singles.
1 multicore red blue green yellow.
traced back to 2 boards1851618517
Ok up til there . . . . I can meter out one of the other steppers to work out the wiring, but I haven't a clue what the red and orange ones do - they are a bigger section (18swg) than the multicores. Could they be for power ? Galloping ahead, I have never seen one of the Boxford 4th axis' in the flesh, does anyone know if they are direct drive or reduction ?

[Warden5]

[QUOTE=m_c;80406]Which is why I said to physically trace the wires inside the control box. The stepper driver wires should all connect in the same area, possibly to an individual driver, which means you know exactly what wires power the stepper motor.
Then it just leaves the other individual wires, which by tracing, will hopefully connect to a terminal with some form of name to work out what they do.

I would very much doubt that all 8 wires are solely for powering a stepper motor, given Boxford typically only use 4 wire drivers.[/QUOTE
Sound advice, been into it today, 8 wires in the socket
2 red singles 2 orange singles.
1 multicore red blue green yellow.
traced back to 2 boards1851618517
Ok up til there . . . . I can meter out one of the other steppers to work out the wiring, but I haven't a clue what the red and orange ones do - they are a bigger section (18swg) than the multicores. Could they be for power ? Galloping ahead, I have never seen one of the Boxford 4th axis' in the flesh, does anyone know if they are direct drive or reduction ?
just seen a Boxford 4th axis underneath view - right angle drive with proxi switch, all wires black except earth, hmmm

[lucan07]

All black with an earth sounds like CY cable and the blacks are usually numbered if you can get a better look.

[m_c]

By the looks of it, the red and orange pairs are the stepper motor wires. Even without the fact the board has 4th Axis Drive written on it, the pair of chips mounted to the heatsink are very much like an old stepper motor drive.
I'd also guess red are one pair, and orange the other pair.

As for the multicore wiring, I'd power things up, and see what kind of voltages you get on the wires, as that'll give us an idea of what they might potentially be.

[Warden5]

Yep, looks like cy.to me.
unfortunately it's on a photograph that I can't do anything with !

[Warden5]

Must admit, that threw me a bit when the multicore went elsewhere and the red & orange went to the board marked 4th axis !!
more investigation tomorrow