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  1. #1

    Mystery to Solve

    I am running Mach 3, the latest version available for download. An ESS Smooth stepper sends the signal to a C10 breakout board. It took some doing, but I finally have Mach 3 booting up and seeing the smooth stepper. I get all of the required indicator lights. The E-stop works like a charm. I have set up all of the motors just like I have on my other Mach 3 machine. Mach 3 moves the DRO’s like everything is happy, but the motors do not move. I have put a multi meter on the outputs and pushed the arrows to jog the motors. I get 4.7 volts off of one and a crazy reading of 83 off the other. The 83 must be my meter messing up, because if there were 83 volts going through there, the board would be toast. Not to mention, the board is only supplied by a 5 volt power supply. I have also re-wired one of the motors off of pins 2 and 3 and moved it to 16 and 17. Same result. By my line of thinking Mach 3 is working, the ESS is working, and the C10 is working (because the E-stop is working). The motor driver powers up and the stepper motor holds the shaft stationary. It has been 14 years since I built my other Mach 3 machine… what am I missing?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Posts
    41

    Re: Mystery to Solve

    Hi dreidsteinmetz You do not mention what stepper motors you are using but I too use the ESS Smooth stepper and Mach 3 but you need to send an enable signal to the steppers to operate at least mine do. I'm using the Teknics steppers which also has an output to send fault conditions to the ESS.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Posts
    5835

    Re: Mystery to Solve

    Are you missing the power supply? The motors won't run on 5 volts; that's just for the logic circuit that tells them what to do. They need a lot more power to actually run. That might be the 83 volts you're noticing - it's not too high for some boards and drivers. I wouldn't expect the motors to lock up, as you say they're doing, with just 5 volts.
    Andrew Werby
    Website

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