Troubleshooting non responsive machine- Mach3/Syil x4

[Doddy]

I disabled estop in Mach 3 and have jumped pin 11 and 17

Unsure what now - nothing shows on the diagnostics tab?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hmmm, the PC parallel port is female - you need to short these out either on the PC port itself, or on the other end of that cable.

[IhateDoug]

Hmmm, the PC parallel port is female - you need to short these out either on the PC port itself, or on the other end of that cable.

Lights light up in diagnostics as it is I’ll do it at the pc and update


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IhateDoug]

Nothing happens on the diagnostics screen when press left or right


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Doddy]

Okay, that surprised me.

Can you measure the pin 17 voltage on the parallel port, with respect to gnd (any pin 18 through 25). Again, this is computer-side only.

From the RUN page, slew the X axis left and right (verify with DRO). In one direction you'll get 5V on pin 17, in the other, 0V.

[IhateDoug]

Okay, that surprised me.

Can you measure the pin 17 voltage on the parallel port, with respect to gnd (any pin 18 through 25). Again, this is computer-side only.

From the RUN page, slew the X axis left and right (verify with DRO). In one direction you'll get 5V on pin 17, in the other, 0V.

Nothing


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Doddy]

Okay, so the pendulum of blame swings from BOB to PC.

Now that I know that you're happy patching pins on the parallel port, lets test the actual machine.

With all cables/ribbons on the Syil in place, from the DB25 on the machine (not the PC!), ground the X-Axis "Step" pin (pin 7 to pin 25). I'm assuming here that the pin is pulled high on the BOB. At the point that you ground the pin 7 you should get a single step on the x-axis. Continually breaking/making that connection should introduce further steps. The machine isn't going to launch itself - just move microscopically in one direction on the X-axis.

If that's the case then I think you need to look at the parallel port set-up.

[IhateDoug]

Okay, so the pendulum of blame swings from BOB to PC.

Now that I know that you're happy patching pins on the parallel port, lets test the actual machine.

With all cables/ribbons on the Syil in place, from the DB25 on the machine (not the PC!), ground the X-Axis "Step" pin (pin 7 to pin 25). I'm assuming here that the pin is pulled high on the BOB. At the point that you ground the pin 7 you should get a single step on the x-axis. Continually breaking/making that connection should introduce further steps. The machine isn't going to launch itself - just move microscopically in one direction on the X-axis.

If that's the case then I think you need to look at the parallel port set-up.

I thought it mite of been the pc so I got a new one - the pc is new and the problem remains.

I mite wait till tomorrow for that one - most of my gear is on my houseboat. I’m just rummaging around the shed floor atm so mite wait and go get some proper jumper wires and what not from the boat and do it semi properly tomorrow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IhateDoug]

Actually it won’t let me disable estop, it re-enables it as soon as I exist - I’m disabling estop the selecting ‘apply’ then ‘ok’


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JAZZCNC]

Ok just read thru this thread and the fact it was working before moving and no changes made other than new PC then logic dictates the fault is with the PC and the PP port or PP driver. It's certainly the first link in chain that needs to eliminated.
Suggest you go back to basics and start at beginning.
Also some PC's use parallel port cards that are not compatible or work on different address to what's set in mach. Some also only output 3.3v and your BOB could require 5v.

So firstly are you using the PP cable which ran the machine before.? If you have replaced the pp cable it must be a straight thru cable (null modem), pp printer cables are often not and cross over pins so cannot be used.

Next I'd delete and reinstall mach3 and the PP driver with new download using latest driver to elimimate any chance of software corruption. Write down the settings you know worked before deleting.
Re-enter settings in new mach install, don't use the old xml as it could be corrupted.

After this then you can move onto the electrical side. To be honest if not PP Issue then I'd just buy a cheap £5 BOB. This instantly tells you if old one is the issue.


Sent from my SM-T580 using Tapatalk

[Doddy]

As I read it, the PC replacement was after the machine was moved and failed. There's a chance something was damaged, disconnected or shorted during the move. Right now with the images I'm not convinced this isn't a FrankenSyil machine.

OP: Are you the first owner of this?