Tiddy CNC.

[TonyD]

Thanks to Gary @ Zapp who answered a query today, the PLCM E3 card I am using also support's ethernet, I've been assuming that it didnt since the there appeared to be a daughterboard on the SS literature that isnt on the card I have.I guess the Rev 2 of the SS that I have didnt need it. I have comms to the SS now, I had a crossover cable adaptor spare so thats working now :) I can jog so thats working fine. The VFD is soundling like my very own Rols Royce Trent 900 turbo fan & I can jog so no lost comms :) :)

Thanks for the feedback Eddy, until I upgrade the control box I'll stick to a seperate wall plug for now. Time to read the VFD manual now and find out how to not have it spin so fast it wakes the neighbourhood. Thanks again.

[JAZZCNC]

Thanks to Gary @ Zapp who answered a query today, the PLCM E3 card I am using also support's ethernet, I've been assuming that it didnt since the there appeared to be a daughterboard on the SS literature that isnt on the card I have.I guess the Rev 2 of the SS that I have didnt need it

Ok first let me just clear up something because it becomes confusing for others reading this.! You don't have a SS this relates to a particular Brand name of Motion control card called the Smooth stepper shortened to SS or ESS for the ethernet version.

You have PLCM E3 which is still a motion control card but not to be confused with the SS.

Now what breakout board do you have because the PLCM E3 doesn't have spindle speed control directly so for this you'll need either external spindle speed control board or a breakout board with one built into it.

If you haven't set up the parameters in the VFD then don't go trying to make it start else you'll possibly do it some damage if the parameters are set wrong.
After setting intial parameters like Voltage, amps etc then if you want to control it thru G-code and the control software then you'll need to set more parameters in VFD so can be controlled from an external source. Also along with this you'll need to set outputs and spindle settings etc in Mach3.

Do a search on the forum and you'll find the settings and parmeters to change.

[TonyD]

Thanks Jazz, you're right, I meant the generic, it is as you say an PLCM E3 from Purelogic, a Russian company. I'm using the Zapp ZP5A-INT breakout board, I'm not planning to try and control the spindle speed using that but I do have a USB dongle that supports RS485 that I've read will work for speed control. We'll see, right now as you say I've got to explore the VFD manully and get that going, with perhaps a little less noise.

[Clive S]

You could put a pot on the vfd front panel to control the speed if its the standard Chinese one. ..Clive

[Clive S]

Fitting a pot to a vfd.

Here is the link to the way I did it http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/7388-...ighlight=speed ..Clive

[TonyD]

Great Thread, thanks Clive.

[TonyD]

I have two NPN NC bullet type proximity switches on my X Axis. Normally the inbuilt LED lights up when the target metal approaches and triggers the switch. As of last week, one of the proximity switches is lit the whole time, I cant change its state. Mach is reporting the error when I try to home the X axis. I've run a new switch to the same connectors as the faulty one and the new switch stays lit also. Note, in case it matters both switches were in parallel during this test. I can't spot any obviously loose wires in the control box. Before I start to tear into the control box, has anyone experienced this type of failure mode from the proximity switch before? Cheers. Tony.