Help Mach3

[dazp1976]

Hi dazp,
I now have all axis working fine. I connected stop limts, probe for hight of tool but none of them work. I wired them as per manual still nothing, Have i missed somthing?? I have attached the manual for you to look at
Regards

Mike
Attachment 30989

Attachment 30989

Do you have a 12-24v power supply plugged into the middle 2 screw terminals on the right hand side?.
If not, that is your problem. Inputs are powered by this. Only the outputs use the 5v power.
They are 2 separate circuits.

Around a 2Amp supply should be plenty.

Missing out this power supply is a common problem.

[Mikes Planes]

Hi,
Sorry foe being so long to say thank you all in last post now working. Sorry stiil have problems. I have wired all axis up but Z only go's up I have tried plugs and pin and also looked in Homing and limits no luck.

Mike

[dazp1976]

Hi,
Sorry foe being so long to say thank you all in last post now working. Sorry stiil have problems. I have wired all axis up but Z only go's up I have tried plugs and pin and also looked in Homing and limits no luck.

Mike

Broken wire or pin between controller and driver DIR terminal?.
Controlling the stepper DIR simply works by switching the 5v on or off to the drive DIR terminal. So a broken wire is the first place I'd start.

[Mikes Planes]

Hi
Thanks for that.
If I put the Z axis on to the Y axis on the board it works perfectly does this mean there is somthing wrong with the board???

Mike

[JAZZCNC]

Hi
Thanks for that.
If I put the Z axis on to the Y axis on the board it works perfectly does this mean there is somthing wrong with the board???

Mike

If you are absolutely sure you have the correct pin numbers for the Dir pin and when you replace the wiring and it still doesn't work then yes it's a good indication there is something wrong with the Dir output pin.

Highly likely you have the wrong pin number if it's the first time using it, but if it was working before with this pin number then most probably dead output.!

[Mikes Planes]

Hi I have just changed boad with a spare I have and get same results.
When you say pin is this the output on the parallel por lead??
Mike

[Mikes Planes]

Hi Just put the Y axis on the X axis and get the same problem only driving in one direction??

Mike

[JAZZCNC]

Hi I have just changed boad with a spare I have and get same results.
When you say pin is this the output on the parallel por lead??
Mike

Ah didn't realize you were using the parallel port. Well in that case then if it does it with both boards and you are sure the pin number is correct it most likely will be a faulty cable. The cable must be what's called a Null modem cable, which basically means that each pin goes to the same numbers at each end of the cable. Some cables cross over ie: pin1 to pin 10 at the other end. This is easily checked with a multimeter continuity test.

[JAZZCNC]

Hi Just put the Y axis on the X axis and get the same problem only driving in one direction??

Mike

Check the wiring, check the pin numbers, check the cable, and after this then difficult to say without being in front of the machine. Personally, I would get rid of the parallel port and upgrade to an Ethernet-based controller as the parallel port is a dinosaur.!

[dazp1976]

You need a multimeter ideally.
First check.
End to end on your parallel cable for continuity and that the pin numbers end to end all match.

If that checks out then next check.
Get the bob with nothing connected except for the parallel cable and 5v power.
Put -negative meter terminal onto bob board pc-GND pin.
Then use the +positive terminal on the output pins.
Test each pin one by one by setting it as an output for M8 coolant relay in Mach3 outputs and relay on spindle page.

So start with say P2. Set output# as P2, set spindle M8 relay as selected output#. Put positive probe on P2, (neg to pc GND). Now M8 on/off toggle in Mach3 will show either 5v or 0v on the meter if bob output Pin is working properly.
Just change selected Mach output P number as you go along.

If bob Pin not working it will either show 0v or 5v permanent regardless of on/off toggle.

If parallel cable checked OK then output fault is either bob or pc port itself. If both bob's do the sane it's the pc port.