Help Please With Auto Tool Height Mach 3 Problem

[howser37]

Just found this also

thanks for any help

[JAZZCNC]

Just found this also

thanks for any help

Ok well this shows it's using Limit C for both probe and limit which is pin13. But like Gerry says because you tried it on another input that works then you have wiring fault. (provided you changed the Probe to same number as limit you tried)

To be honest I'm not 100% sure that link is the same controller you have because it says uses a second breakout board and i don't see one in your box unless it's hidden.? I see a ribbon cable disappearing away underneath the base plate where's that going.?

[Ger21]

If both devices plug into the same place and neither works, then you have a wiring problem between the plug and the PC. If it was intermittent and kept getting worse, it may be a broken wire.

[howser37]

Thanks JAZZ and Ger21, no they arent exactly the same, but its as close as i can find. Heiz dont seem much use when it comes to manuals to be honest. and i cant find one online for my exact setup.

Mine is the S1400 model, its almost same as the smaller models but with the addition of hiwin linear rails

Mine has no second breakout board, just the one control box.

I dont know much about wiring or what happens in the control box, but is it still possible to have a wire problem when continuity tests out ok?

I assumed as long as the signal from both puck wires is making it to the PC then it was ok, but sure im probably wrong as i dont really understand the technicalities

PS, my control box looks more like the one in the first manual i posted up. Basically the photograph i posted first shows everything in the box

[JAZZCNC]

Bed time now but this is a very simple concept. When you touch the probe it just completes the circuit from Gnd to Input +

This is why if your input is working and setup correctly in Mach3 then it must be a wiring or probe problem. To test this and bypass the wire/probe then just put a short wire across the pins going to the probe wires.

[howser37]

Ok thanks JAZZ, i will try that

[Clive S]

It is the wrong manual but the way I am reading it is. The probe is connected to pin 1 on the 9 pin control plug which goes to pin 15 on the D25 plug to the PP. Have you checked the continuity on the cable pin 15 to pin 15 each end of the cable going from the machine control box to the PP on the computer. Or from pin 1 on the control plug through to pin 15 at the pc end of the cable PP. Some more pictures might help. ..Clive

[howser37]

Thanks Clive, yeah that's how i read it as well. I have done some more testing just now by jumping the probe pin and the ground pin, first checked just pc parallel port with mach 3 on diagnostic screen (digitize goes out), then end of parallel cable that plugs into output of contol box (digitise goes out), then to 9 pin input of control box ( digitise goes out) all good so far. then traced the st cable back to the what looks similar to an audio jack on the side of the gantry where the probe plugs in, i plugged in probe to the port digitise led goes out(which i assume is correct as it is now making a circuit waiting for the circuit to be broken by the touch off. however pressing probe does nothing as usual, then tried completely different edge finding probe and again this does nothing, (digitise doesn't change on diagnostic screen.

I then gained access to the box containing the port that the probes plug into and jumped both pins with the wire attached to the top of this port (digitise changes as it should) so my thinking is now that there is something wrong with this jack internally?

Here is a picture

[JAZZCNC]

Looks like a nice rats nest you have there.!! . . . . But you have found the problem so that is good. Personally I wouldn't use any Jackplug has they are too unreliable and you need instant contact with touch probe with no delay thru dodgy contacts. Can't you wire permanently with a coil wire and leave attached to machine.?
what do the probes look like.?

[howser37]

lol JAZZ, it wasnt a rats nest until i yanked it all out to get to the jack, what i don't understand is if it was a problem with the internals of the jack why would plugging in the probe trip the digitize light every time reliably?

will post some probe pictures later

thanks