[kolias]

Started to read the 20 pages guide I found for this BOB but it makes no sense to me what they are talking, pretty unreliable.

https://www.amazon.com/Stepper-Contr.../dp/B07BFTRTBC

I attach a picture of the BOB and wonder if someone knows anything about it. For example talking about the X axis stepper connections they say to connect PUL to one side of the board as I marked and the DIR to another side of the board. And still there is one more motor connection on the X left to be connected.

Looks like the spindle and limits should be easy to connect, I guess

Any ideas?

Thanks

[kolias]

I also purchased the BOB from this link which includes only one relay

https://www.makerstore.com.au/produc...axis-breakout/

however I discover that the printer cable was not included and since in my area I could not find printer cable, to buy one online was $25 + so it was less expensive to buy the other one which had 3 relays and included the printer cable

What is confusing in the instructions, they are talking about "....the board supports the connection of common cathode and common anode. The common anode connection would be taken as an example..."

What common cathode / anode refers to in relation to the BOB?

[chopper13]

Hi does this diagram help you any.

[chopper13]

I have found that Warp9 doesn't like all three relays, it turns one on permanently when in use. Other wise it works fine will run the surface touch plate and all the limit relays well. Tried using the edge finder in Mach3 but no response from the Bob. Either the file I'm using is incorrect or the Bob doesn't like it. Never looked any further. I switch between this board and the BD25 with the single relay across 3 machines.

[kolias]

Hi does this diagram help you any.

Thanks for your time mate, appreciated

Currently I'm working on the BOB described in my post #2 below (with 1 Relay) which I purchased from MakerStore in Australia. Seems it has better instructions and some help is provided from the vendor. However I have been unabled to get it going, when I start there are 2 red LED lights on the BOB which I have no idea what they mean and no matter what connections I make they don't work.

So I will switch to the one you posted the schematic (with 3 Relays). I have one similar schematic but the one you posted has more details. However I have these 2 questions?

Where the +5VDC connection is going on the motor drivers?
Where the Enable connection is going and is this the Enable+ or Enable- ?

Cheers

[chopper13]

I'll need to check my wiring harness late,r but this file should give you all the info for this board.

[chopper13]

OK, +5VDC Goes to all the positive connections, +Pul +Dir and +En on each driver. Negative goes from P2/En to - En on drivers. I have found this board works well but as I have Chinese wiring each time a cable falters it blows another circuit board. The wires last about 4 years with me then I replace them and hope they are better quality.

[kolias]

Thank Chopper13 for the help. I do have the same file you sent me and I find this file confusing because the English translation is not the best.

Also I don't understand what you mean about "Chinese wiring" in your board.

I will start working on this BOB tomorrow and post results when ready

Cheers

[chopper13]

No problems. Here is how I have wired up my Bob. This being the second one I have blown with the crap wiring I made them plug in and out so my down time is very limited. It usually goes down when I'm starting a job, since replaced the wiring and have my fingers crossed it is the last one I blow. The first indicator is one of the axis jittering or doing unplanned moves in one axis. With my usual disbelief I push on and stuff it completely! This is why I stick with the cheeper Bobs although I have a alternatives but more expensive and mostly Chinese. In the process of building up another complete spare controller so I can just unplug the cables and be running again in minutes. I'm using a HY VFD but do not use Mach3 to do the speed adjustment as I find it is far quicker to adjust the speed on the VFD than muck around fumbling for the Mach3 control. I use one relay for the spindle off and on, one relay for the coolant pump and the last relay for suction. I'm changing to incorporate the cooling into the spindle relay so they come on together and as I have stepper motor cooling for running very long programs that is now done automatically with temperature controller. All coolant is run through a 6 fan computer radiator, dual core and is a mixture of engine coolant and water 4 to1 of coolant. This stops the spindle from rusting internally. I have fitted a sight glass in each coolant line with a spinner so the flow can be seen. Had a smaller coolant pump supplied with the router but it couldn't stand the pace and gave out without me knowing. Fortunately no damage to the spindle, only a short run job.

[kolias]

Thanks for the picture, nice way you have to switch BOB's as needed. I also use HY VFD and I find it easy to change the spindle speed with Mach3. Also I only use 1 relay to turn ON both the coolant pump and spindle at the same time and works well as per attached wiring schematic. However you have a much more complicated system and perhaps you need to use more relays.

I still can't get my BOB working, have 3 red LED's on it at all times regardless what I do. If you happen to know what these LED means let me know otherwise soon or later I will find the answers.

Cheers

[chopper13]

The 3 red lights are for the relays when energised. When you power on the Bob you should be hearing the relays click on as they light up. At a guess you may find that the ports and pins settings are what's causing the relays to be on. I run my spindle speed as slow as possible to reduce any wear from high speed. I tend to let the cutter do the work with torque. Typically I'm running around 6K but vary it as needed topping out around 10K. Driving the feed from 600 to 800 mills/meter My spindle is a 1.5Kw ER10 at 65 mm diameter which allows me more room around the spindle. L have run some 3D cuts and then would crank up the speed and feed rates as they take many hours to cut if you are looking for a fine finish. This is why I have water cooled the stepper motors, they can run 24/7 if required. The steppers will take the heat generated but with heat come eventual degredation of the copper laminations. I have incorperated a manual relay reset on the power into the system so that with power failure it shuts down and can't power up without my activating the power relay. Did this so I can just walk away and leave the router to its own self to do what it is instructed to do, hopefully! The longest run single cut I have made lasted 8 hours on a small 3D sculpture.
As an after thought check the relay jumpers are positioned as required. They are the yellowish rectangular items on the otherside of the capacitors, check against how mine are set if in doubt.

[kolias]

Thanks for the tip on my LED lights, it helps...

You are doing heavy stuff mate, 8hrs cut....water cooled motors,,, woow I only do hobby work, no 3D, just 2D, longest run about 30 minutes, lol.. Looks like we have the same water cooled spindle, pretty quite and a good unit. I also do the same regarding the cooling water, 50/50 antifreeze/water, helps to prevent rust

Cheers

[chopper13]

Nah, just a hobbyist these days. Thirty years ago set up and ran a CNC facility for NZ Govt science facility. Bought my router for model making and clock parts while I ran my own business. Had the 6040 router for around 8 years now and am relieved to find all the forgotten CNC know how has come flooding back. Built a 4030 router and am in the midst of building a CNC lathe for my model making. Been building miniature woodworking gear for downsizing. Heavily modified the 6040 router and increased the height to take 150mm objects. Had the foresight to buy a heavy duty router and have spent at least double the cost on it since. Just sold off my big mill and am slowly getting rid of the contents of my workshop. I had the foresight to set myself up with all the equipment I thought I might need in retirement so there is minimal $ going out these days. If I didn't have it it wasn't worth having. Future proofed myself with double of everything for spares and put aside some top CNC Bobs etc. Have a Gecko G540 I need to get up and running with my Warp9. But that is one of those get a round to it things while the router is working as it should. I occupy a double garage space under my home behind my double garage and can hardly move for gear. My passion is building things and improving yet more things. Hit a brick wall this year with being told I have Autonomic polyneuropathy, kind of put a dampener on things. So the race is on to finish up all the started projects before I can't. When I'm not pottering around I spend my time designing "stuff" can't resist it. Can't resist the challenge. Finally clocked up 72 years and on the down side of aging although I still think I'm 39. The biggest CNC job I ever did was a one cut 13 hours when working for the Govt making a soap die for a commercial company. My design is still being used 30 years later.
I'm into designing and building RC models. Been getting rid of alot lately, left with 13 10th scale rock crawlers,15 yachts and a handful of planes/gliders and thousands of $ worth of gear. Figure I will never have to buy anything else to continue playing!

[kolias]

Sorry to hear about your health mate, we are humans which means tomorrow we never know what will happen. I'm 83 and still going strong but as I said tomorrow its another day. 20 years ago when I retired I saw a thread on a forum where this guy started builing a cnc all in wood. At the time I didn't even know what a cnc is but I got hooked and now I'm on my 12th machine. I make them all in 3/8" thick aluminum plate, table top mills about 3ft x 4ft cutting area. Then I sell them to get my cost back and start a new one. You are much more knowledgable than I am, my weak point is electronics, I will never be able to grasp this field regardless how many cnc I will make. Glad to hear your story and I wish you the best of luck.

Cheers