What have I done!

[cropwell]

The PP pins send and receive 5v signals depending on the pin. What worries me about this controller is that it has no opto isolation and so your computer is vulnerable. You should be glad that you have a PP card as it is easier to replace than a motherboard. Everything points to a spike going back to the PP. The pinout diagram shows the capabilities of each pin. How they are used depends on the controller. If it were my controller, I would replace the driver board with a BoB and three drivers, but it is a lot of work to cure what could be a simple fault.

[artmin]

Thanks for that, I am hoping that it is just the PP card. Hopefully I will receive a new one by Tuesday. I remember when I could have popped over to PC world and picked one off the shelf but times seem to have changed.

Replacing with a bob and drivers is my backup plan if all else fails. It is exactly as you put it so well: A lot of work over possibly over a simple fault. If I did end up going that way, with 2 steppers on the X axis, could I get away with 3 drivers or would I need 4?

Cheers,

Gavin

[magicniner]

+1 on the voltage spike possibility

The PP pins send and receive 5v signals depending on the pin.

Or 3.3V for most modern cards and laptops.....

I remember when I could have popped over to PC world and picked one off the shelf but times seem to have changed.

Maplin still stock some but I'm not sure what bus types for and what voltage data levels.

- Nick

[cropwell]

+1 on the voltage spike possibility



Or 3.3V for most modern cards and laptops.....



Maplin still stock some but I'm not sure what bus types for and what voltage data levels.

- Nick

The PP cards generally are 5v logic.

Sorry, you would need 4 drivers if you have a slaved X axis, I wasn't paying attention to the actuals, just the principles.

What operating system are you using on the PC? Most of these PP cards have very old drivers. They work OK up to XP generally, but no later.

I have got one of the PCI socket (not PCI express) PP cards (dual port) sat in a drawer and several new LPT leads, if you get stuck.

Nick, Maplin used to be good, but it is just a toyshop now. Most of the gear you can get cheaper by up to 2/3 (that's a quarter of the price in pub talk) , though Maplin do take stuff back more readily.

Cheers,

Rob

[magicniner]

The PP cards generally are 5v logic.

Nope, that used to be the case but modern hardware can be running anything down to 2V Signal High.

- Nick

[cropwell]

Nope, that used to be the case but modern hardware can be running anything down to 2V Signal High.

- Nick

Modern they aint. The cards with the Moschip MCS9805 or 9815 use 5v logic, and they are in the majority of add-on PP cards on the market.

Rob

[magicniner]

Modern they aint. The cards with the Moschip MCS9805 or 9815 use 5v logic, and they are in the majority of add-on PP cards on the market.

Rob

Useful info, any big brands to look out for or just generic ebay stuff?

[JAZZCNC]

If you have tried on another PC then you have elimnated the PC and it should have worked so this suggests you have other issues.?
Doesn't matter if PC was old, infact often better being old as the PP will be 5V not 3v.

I would start again removing anything that isn't required and re wire. Then Fresh install of software on Fresh PC if possible.
If still giving trouble then chances are you have damaged chips or something on the control board.

In this Case I would just scrap the whole lot and replace with modern gear.

[cropwell]

Useful info, any big brands to look out for or just generic ebay stuff?

Nick, I don't buy dozens every day. All I remember is that the last one I bought was about £7 and was 'Generic Chinese' - that's the only brand I could get at a decent price. Startech are charging 4x that.

Drivers are a sod to find if you lose the disk, you have to hunt t'Interweb based on chip or hardware id and try several before you find one that fits.

Rob

[artmin]

Thanks Guys and thanks Rob for the offer of the card if I get stuck.

I'm running XP still on the CNC but it's that WinPC-NC Economy that I'm using. The PCI card was churning out 5V.

Hopefully the new card will work and get it up and running, but I know that the old controller isn't the best. I would rather have a seperate PSU, BOB & drivers, so I'm thinking about building a second controller with 9 pin d sub OPs that will connect straight up to the machine and hold it as a backup until I can get time to crossover. I would also prefer to move over to Mach but I'd rather get a bit of practice on it first before going at it full tilt. I can't find anywhere on WinPC-NC to change the axis driver pins to match a BOB if I needed to. Spindle, coolant, tool sensor etc can be nominated but not the essentials it seems.

I just have to wait for the postman now!

Cheers,

Gavin