[MAG45]

Hi, i posted in another forum section, but not getting a lot of help. I have a ShopMaster Eldorado converted several years ago using Gecko drivers, LinuxCNC, and a kit or home built BOB. Most of this was put together by a friend and Im not real familiar with what works with what. The kit BOB has stopped working and I need to replace it. I have tried to contact Mesa for advice and didnt get any info other the 'we recommend 'this'' What they recommended is more then I can afford right now, and they didnt give me any inout in to why I should use it. I see several BOB's on Ebay for $15-$30 but when I contact the sellers they say they dont know if their board will work. Can anyone give me some suggestions and info about what I need and why?

TIA

[MAG45]

Gecko just replied to me and say the recommend a BOB using "74ACT logic" I have no idea what that is, and none of the boards I have looked at mention logic. :-(

[jalessi]

Mag45,

Please post a few images of the BOB you would like to replace so we can suggest a valid solution.

Welcome to the Zone,

Jeff..

[MAG45]

Mag45,

Please post a few images of the BOB you would like to replace so we can suggest a valid solution.

Welcome to the Zone,

Jeff..

Attachment 266786

This is the home built board, i believe it failed due to the sloppy wiring in the case which i will be cleaning up.

[jalessi]

That is one of Phil Moore's (Pminmo) old boards, replacing it with a C10 would be a good option.

See attached link:

CNC4PC

Jeff...

[MAG45]

Cool, thanks....I was looking at that one !

[john-100]

Hi MAG45

since the PMinMO web site is down at the moment this archive page from -


{ http://web.archive.org/web/20120119113052/http://pminmo.com/PMinMOwiki/index.php5?title=DIY4axisinterface}

may close enough to help you to identify the connections on your old BOB

DIY4axisinterface - PMinMO.com

the C10 BOB does not have its own 5V regulator (unlike the PMinMO board)
you will need a 5V supply either from the PC's USB port or mains adaptor

John

[MAG45]

My control box housing the BOB, PS and Geckos is a PC case with a PC power supply still in it, I think it is using the 5v off of that.

[john-100]

another thought after looking at the archived PMinMO page

If your PMinMO BOB was controlling a relay

you will need to add a relay control board like this one -
http://cnc4pc.com/Tech_Docs/C37R1_USER_MANUAL.pdf

the cnc4pc C10 BOB does not have any rely drivers

John

[MAG45]

I believe it was, a relay to turn on the spindle. Is there a better option then that would include these things ?

Are the ebay ones like this useable CNC 6 Axis DB25 Breakout Board Interface Adapter Mach3 KCAM4 EMC2 DB25 Cable | eBay

[john-100]

in the past , the ready made breakout boards (with relay outputs ) I've found have
either been like this ebay one -

Anonymous 5 Axis Parallel Port Breakout Board Pinout | The Smell of Molten Projects in the Morning
that I found to have design errors - the IC used for the inputs didn't have the supply pin connected !!!!


or expensive boards like this -
Campbell Designs - CNC with Bob Campbell

what stopped working on the PMinMO board ?

John

[MAG45]

WOW, $245....i would get the $199 mesa set first ! lol

I honestly dont know enough about it to tell you. I was having problems with random or inconsistent movement. I had the BOB dismounted so it was out of the way while i was checking for loose connections, then it fell and grounded out on the case when i was running tests.

[john-100]

just had a closer look at the picture of your BOB and found a burnt resistor ( R5 )

Attachment 266898

can you post a clear pictures of both sides of the board ?

John

[MAG45]

Wow, your good...thanks for helping !

I think there was a fried tracer and the wire was added to bypass
Attachment 266900Attachment 266902

[MAG45]

Im going to go label everything and pull it out for a better look

[MAG45]

Hope these are easier to see

Attachment 266912Attachment 266920

[jalessi]

MAG45,

If you decide to replace Phil's board with the C10, a inexpensive relay board is available for $1.25


5V One 1 Channel Relay Module Board Shield for Pic AVR DSP Arm MCU Arduino 2014 | eBay


Or use a solid state relay 25A for only $3.00


Solid State Relay SSR 25DA 25A 250V 3 32VDC for PID Temperature Controller TE | eBay

P.S. the C10 is buffered and may perform better in the long run.

Jeff...

[john-100]

yes the pictures help a lot

the board is simpler than the breakout board I found ,( it does not have the 3 transistor E stop circuit )
but has two relay drivers instead of just one

what I had expected to be a 5V regulator looks like a second transistor to control a relay ( possibly TIP122)
so you would need to use a dual relay board like the CNC4PC C15 with the C10 BOB

CNC4PC


what supply voltage do you have on the green terminal block ? ( It should be 5V )

the damaged PCB track connects the printer port pin 10 to one of the input terminals

John

PS
I see Jeff has posted some alternatives

[MAG45]

Ya, I believe it is 5v, its coming off the PC power supply in the case, red wire.

There are two relays mounted in the machine near the lathe and spindle power/direction switches, and a added Estop switch. There is a lightbulb inline with the power feed i guess to drain power if the estop is hit. Trying to trace the wires, i cant make sense of what the relays are doing !

the thought of changing bob's and having to add new relay control boards scares me. I wish i understood this well enough to start from scratch and wire it myself !

[MAG45]

Here are pics of the rest of the mess. Can anybody make sense of what is going on and is there a better way ?

Attachment 266964Attachment 266966Attachment 266978Attachment 266980