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  1. #1
    Hi All

    Not sure if this is the right section, so will explain as best I can.

    I was using my router over the weekend, and noticed at the last moment I didn't set the position right so hit the emergency stop button and it all stopped but then when I restarted it the motors now don't work.

    I didn't build it, I bought it because the wiring was beyond me, and have been in contact with the firm but thought while I was waiting for him to get back to me I would try here, as the guy I spoke to just doesn't inspire confidence in me.

    So to help explain I have attached two pictures one of the main wiring box, and the other is the dsp pendant that works it.

    Now when you switch it on there is a clunk from inside which is the main relay switching on, (that's the tall black thing just in front of the little clear square thing) but there used to be a second clunk type noise as the motors engaged, which no longer happens. Apart from the motors everything else works. Once on the pendant displays 'go to home' and when you press a button it starts counting as it normally does, which to me indicates that it works fine and thinks the motors are now moving the carriageways to the home positions but there not. Power wise the large silver box at the back that supplies power to the axis controllers has power going in and coming out, so not knowing a huge amount about these things I came to the conclusion it could be a problem with the controller card, because the pendant seems to be sending the info to it, but it's not getting to the axis controllers, and while it could be the axis controllers, I thought the chances of them all going wrong at the same time is minimal.

    But as I said wiring this sort of thing is not my strong point, so any suggestions would be much appreciated.

    :) Don

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  2. From the control box picture the top right are the main stepper motor drives, they look something like the 542 or 752.

    If so then it looks like only the step and direction are connected, and the enable pins are not being used, meaning that the drivers are enabled as soon as power is applied

    You say that the silver power supply has power going in and out.

    What voltages are you seeing at the silver power supply, You should see your MAINS 230VAC in, and anything upto 75VDC out, depending on the power supply and drivers being used.

    Are any of the LED lit on the drivers?
    Last edited by Mad Professor; 11-04-2012 at 02:01 PM.
    "If first you don't succeed, redefine success"

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  4. #3
    Just a quick thought -- you have reset the emergency stop button!!

    Peter

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  6. #4
    ecat's Avatar
    Location unknown. Last Activity: 08-02-2014 Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 157. Received thanks 5 times, giving thanks to others 8 times.
    EStop is a good one to check as are the LEDs and actual voltages. Also check all limit and home switches.

    It would be unlucky to have blown all four drivers but the lack of a second clunk does sound like a fundamental problem. I assume you have a multi meter? Set it to DC volts, 10v or 20v range if applicable and measure the voltage across the STEP inputs on the X axis driver, right up at the green connectors. It may read 0V or xxV (near 5V most likely), now with your other pair of hands use the pendant to jog along the X axis and see if the meter reading changes. Any change in voltage associated with the movement tells you that the step control signals are getting as far as the driver, no change in voltage tells you that the problem exists before the driver.

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  8. #5
    Hi All

    Mad Prof. :)

    I am borrowing a mulit meter later today to see what power is coming out the silver power box. All I have is a test screwdriver which glows if there is power, and that glows when touched on the power in and out terminals, but not sure how accurate that is. As for the step and direction thingies, I guess so because normally once you turn it on, I have been told it's a called a contactor (black thing at the front behind the smaller clear relay) clunks and turns everything on the motors also clunk and its ready to go. As for the drivers they have a red and green led on the left hand side but neither is on.

    ptjw7uk :)

    Yes but unlike most of the emergency stops on my older machines which just press to stop these stay closed until you turn them, then they Pop out again.

    Ecat J :) As mentioned I will get my hands on a proper tester later today so will check the voltages then. As for the stops etc it stopped in the centre of the bed, so if nothing else I would have thought the z axis would have worked. Once I get a multi meter I will check the movement ect.

    So far the reply from the firm they have come up with three things. Well the first was check the fuses, which I had already done. Next they said check the contactor to make sure it wasn't sticking open, but didn't say how. I watched with the front open when I switched it on and something inside moved down as it clunked, but I don't know if that means it working or not. There other thought was the main power supply, but didn't say anything more, but thanks to people on here I will check the input and output voltages later.

  9. #6
    Hi All

    So there are two power leads that feed the main box. One seems to power just the pendant, which works fine, while the other powers the rest of it which doesn't. However the power doesn't seem to go past the contactor or smaller clear relay, and while I have checked for voltage at the silver power box and other points nothing is getting there. I have also circuit tested from the wall plug to the contactor and clear relay and the circuit is complete just the power stops at the said points, so I am guessing it's a fault with either or both of those.

    :)

  10. #7
    m_c's Avatar
    Lives in East Lothian, United Kingdom. Last Activity: 2 Days Ago Forum Superstar, has done so much to help others, they deserve a medal. Has been a member for 9-10 years. Has a total post count of 2,908. Received thanks 360 times, giving thanks to others 8 times.
    It sounds like the contactor and relay aren't getting activated.

    Can you trace the wiring, to see what the relay and contactor coils are connected to?
    I'd guess they're somehow connected to the E-stop circuit, but it's just a case of following wires until you find where they should be getting power from to confirm.

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  12. #8
    Don, can you post a photo looking down into the control box showing the top down view of the relay, contactor and the power supply. Also what is on the front panel of the control box? It looks like you have some of the wiring from the relay and contactor going there.
    Another tip is to throw away your neon screwdriver and get a decent test meter. Neon screwdrivers are at best un-reliable, dont trust your life with it.

    Ian

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  14. #9
    Hi All

    I've been away for the weekend so hopefully will trace the wiring on Monday if I get a chance, and have also spoken to a legal chum of mine who gave me instructions on what to write to the firm to find out in terms of what they're going to do and when they're going to do it, and pending their reply to what he suggests I do next. Everyone here has been far more helpful that the guy who owns the company, but being not quite six months old it's still down to him to fix, so I can look and test but not touch anything or I void the warranty.

    So wiring on the front panel is the main power switch, e-stop a second switch which manually turns on the water cooling system which normally comes on automatically when the spindle comes on, and the control panel to manually adjust the spindle speed as it's powered off an inverter.

    I'll try and test them tomorrow and see how I get on, and will charge up my old camera and try and take a top down pic, as my current one won't fit in or focus at that distance.

    Many thanks

    :) Don

  15. #10
    Don,
    hopefully the photo will let us see where the coil connections are going to get an idea of whats happening. I just noticed the power cube driving the cooling fan, classic. You might want to make that one of your first modifications when everything is working correctly.

    Ian

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