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IndustryArena Forum > CNC Electronics > Gecko Drives > G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Posts
    11

    G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches

    I need help. I have four proximity switches (APS4-12s-e-d), a new G540, a 48vdc power supply for the motors, and a separate 12vdc power supply for the proximity switches. The motors are working fine but I can't get the proximity switches to work. I use them to home the machine in X and Y and as limit switches in Mach3. I'm very confused with all of the posts in this forum. Is there a simple solution to the wiring of these switches or won't they work with the G540? I've been using these proximity switches for a long time with a breakout board and separate G202 Drives. I'm hoping that they'll work with the G540 because of cost and simplification. Thanks in advance for the help.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    208
    The APS4-12S-E-D is an NPN sensor that requires 10-30VDC input to operate correctly. You'll need to connect the Brown wire to the "+" voltage (10 to 30VDC). The Blue wire is connected to the G540's GND. The Black wire is connected to one of the four input pins. When the sensor "sees" its target, it will pull its Input LOW. I've used the APS4-12M-E-D with my G540 with excellent results.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    2141
    Quote Originally Posted by Richards View Post
    The APS4-12S-E-D is an NPN sensor that requires 10-30VDC input to operate correctly. You'll need to connect the Brown wire to the "+" voltage (10 to 30VDC). The Blue wire is connected to the G540's GND. The Black wire is connected to one of the four input pins. When the sensor "sees" its target, it will pull its Input LOW. I've used the APS4-12M-E-D with my G540 with excellent results.
    Just curious - does the internal NPN transistor in those switches have an open collector, or does the blue output lead have an internal pull-up resistor to the positive supply?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    208
    Look at wiring diagram #1 at http://www.automationdirect.com/stat...oxrectaps4.pdf. That is all the information provided for the proximity sensor.

    Buy one and experiment, then you'll know whether it meets your requirements.

    I always provide ~12VDC for proximity sensors. My G540 uses 48VDC, which is much too high for the sensors. A +12VDC "wall-wart" power supply will give you anywhere from 10-16V. That's close enough for the proximity sensors. They can handle voltages from 10V to 30V.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    136
    Traditionally these NPN outputs were intended to be true open collector, but
    recently many vendors have started putting a mild pull-up (10K ohms seems
    popular) into these devices. The argument was that people needed to be
    able to see if they were working by just connecting a volt meter to the
    output. The unfortunate consequence is that for some sensitive circuits
    the pull-up can cause problems.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    208
    The schematic for the G540 shows that the inputs must sink current through an optocoupler that is in series with a 200 ohm resistor. The data sheet for the proximity sensor tells us that the proximity sensor can sink 100mA. In the applications that I design, I require at least 10mA through a typical optocoupler to make the optocoupler work. The proximity sensor can sink 10X that much.

    When I get stuck with a circuit that doesn't seem to work properly, I grab some similar parts from my "junk box" (or run down to Radio Shack) and play with the parts until I can see where I've made a mistake.

  7. #7
    I Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" and pulled-up the specifications .pdf for this switch. Here's what you do:

    1) Get the "NPN" version of this switch.
    2) Connect your proximity switch to the power supply you intend to use for it (+24VDC to "1", GND to "3").
    3) Connect proximity switch term "1" to the G540 term 12.
    4) Connect proximity switch term "4" to the G540 input you plan to use (INPUT 1, 2, 3 or 4).

    That's all there is to it.

    Mariss

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    137
    Quote Originally Posted by Mariss Freimanis View Post
    I Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" and pulled-up the specifications .pdf for this switch. Here's what you do:

    1) Get the "NPN" version of this switch.
    2) Connect your proximity switch to the power supply you intend to use for it (+24VDC to "1", GND to "3").
    3) Connect proximity switch term "1" to the G540 term 12.
    4) Connect proximity switch term "4" to the G540 input you plan to use (INPUT 1, 2, 3 or 4).

    That's all there is to it.

    Mariss
    Mariss,

    I am researching how to use the Hamlin 55110-3H-02-A Hall Effect Senors as honing switches. Thinking this post would lead to the answer my question, I also Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" to follow your discussion. The "APS4-12s-e-d" has three wires like the "55110-3H-02-A". What did you mean by term 1,3 & 4? In my plan, I connect the "55110-3H-02-A" Blue wire to G540 input 1, 2, 3, or 4. Using a combination of resistors ( Voltage Divider Calculator) to reduce the 48 volt input to 12 volts on the Red wire and the GND to the Black wire. Do you or any one else see a problem with this?

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    137
    Quote Originally Posted by dsnellen View Post
    Mariss,

    I am researching how to use the Hamlin 55110-3H-02-A Hall Effect Senors as honing switches. Thinking this post would lead to the answer my question, I also Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" to follow your discussion. The "APS4-12s-e-d" has three wires like the "55110-3H-02-A". What did you mean by term 1,3 & 4? In my plan, I connect the "55110-3H-02-A" Blue wire to G540 input 1, 2, 3, or 4. Using a combination of resistors ( Voltage Divider Calculator) to reduce the 48 volt input to 12 volts on the Red wire and the GND to the Black wire. Do you or any one else see a problem with this?
    For historical purposes, here is what I did. Using the Voltage Divider Calculator mentioned above, I used two 1k resistors to drop the 48 volts power supply to 24 volts. Then fed that into a Radio Shack 7805 Voltage Regulator which gives me a clean and constant 5 VDC output. The Voltage Regulator output gnd was wired to pins 6-9 on the DE 9 female plug. The +5 VDC output was wired to pin 5 of the DE 9 female plug. The Hamlin 55110-3H-02-A Hall Effect Senors red wire is connected to pin 5 and the black wire to pin 6 - 9. The blue wire is connected to pin 1 to 4 corresponding to input 10, 11, 12 or 13. It works, its simple and does not require an external VDC transformer/voltage source.

    Note: All limit/home switches can use the same DE9 pin 5 for the 5 VDC and any of the DE9 pins 6-9 for GND. The Voltage Regulator isn't necessary. The Hamlin 55110 can handle an input of 24 VDC. I had the regulator on hand so I used it. +5VDC is also handy for using lasers.

    Dave

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jul 2024
    Posts
    12

    Re: G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches

    Quote Originally Posted by Mariss Freimanis View Post
    I Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" and pulled-up the specifications .pdf for this switch. Here's what you do:

    1) Get the "NPN" version of this switch.
    2) Connect your proximity switch to the power supply you intend to use for it (+24VDC to "1", GND to "3").
    3) Connect proximity switch term "1" to the G540 term 12.
    4) Connect proximity switch term "4" to the G540 input you plan to use (INPUT 1, 2, 3 or 4).

    That's all there is to it.

    Mariss
    If I'm reading these correctly the FCM1-1202P-BRU4 that I have won't work as they are PNP. I need the NPN Version - Correct? I think I need:

    FCM1-1202N-BRU4

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    136

    Re: G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches

    Correct. PNP sensors will not work with the G540.

    Steve Stallings
    PMDX



    Quote Originally Posted by Valguy1 View Post
    If I'm reading these correctly the FCM1-1202P-BRU4 that I have won't work as they are PNP. I need the NPN Version - Correct? I think I need:

    FCM1-1202N-BRU4

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2024
    Posts
    12

    Re: G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches

    OK, so a further question. Tonight I changed all of the Switches to NPN. Powered them with Wall wart 12 vdc. Brown to + Blue to Wall Wart Negative. That worked fine to test them I was a little surprised that it was Powered LED On - LED goes off when target is in range, but, I think that is just NPN.

    I'm also starting to see why I was warned about the G540 having a very limited amount of inputs. So I have 4 inputs and I was hoping to Home (3 or 4 LS for Auto Square) and a Z Zero Set. That would be 5 I believe. TBH, I have y and a wired together so I'm not sure I can auto square anyway. Maybe I go with x, y, z and Z Zero Set?

    Does all of this sound correct so far? Now I'm really confused about this........ NPN Wire Brown to + Wall Wart Blue to ??? I'd think Wall Wart negative - but I've seen Blue to G540 Ground suggested as well - I think that is 11 or 12. Then Black from the NPNs to pins 1 2 3 respectively - saving Z Zero for 4. Does this sound correct?

    In regard to Mach 3 - for Home - I guess Ref All Home runs the G Code to Go to the Home Switches or do I have to load some G Code. I think I've learned that Auto Zero requires that I load a G Code Routine.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Jul 2024
    Posts
    12

    Re: G540 Gecko Drive and Proximity Switches

    Quote Originally Posted by Mariss Freimanis View Post
    I Googled "APS4-12s-e-d" and pulled-up the specifications .pdf for this switch. Here's what you do:

    1) Get the "NPN" version of this switch.
    2) Connect your proximity switch to the power supply you intend to use for it (+24VDC to "1", GND to "3").
    3) Connect proximity switch term "1" to the G540 term 12.
    4) Connect proximity switch term "4" to the G540 input you plan to use (INPUT 1, 2, 3 or 4).

    That's all there is to it.

    Mariss


    I think this answers the Power wiring question for the NPNs and G540

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