CNC mach spindle not spinning

[Doddy]

As the spindle is 220v (which is stated on top of spindle), can we connect 220v direct to the spindle externally, bi-passing the control box, with a separate speed controller. I can then power the spindle before cutting, independent of Mach 3 controls of the spindle. Cheers, Bernard

Bernard, for this limited control - you should have this already - the front panel "Spindle Mode" positioned to Manual, then use the 'RUN' and rotary control on the front panel to control speed. Are you suggesting that this doesn't work?

Re. connecting the spindle to 220VAC directly, or through a speed controller - it's *probably* a three-phase spindle and so you need a 3-phase inverter with variable frequency drive give variable speed. If you follow the ribbon from the front panel control on the white box to a larger control board in the enclosure that will be the integral 3 phase inverter - so you already have this.

The board at the top...

I'd ask first of all if you can get the manual control to work - just so that we know where we're starting from.