[bushwakka]

I have a completely different BOB but it is switchable between 0-10 for the spindle speed and 0-5V.
Have you had a look to see if there might be something similar on this one.

Cheers
Bushwakka.

[WannaMakeStuff]

Hi doorknob and bushwakka,

Firstly - I don't have an oscilloscope and neither of my two friends have one either.

My breakout board does not have a 5V/10V switch.

As detailed in my initial post, the voltage does not change with different Mach3 speed commands - except that there is a minimum speed, below which there is zero voltage.

The Mach3 Mill User Manual states the the PWM Base Frequency should be set at 5 to 10 Hz. The fact that I had to set mine to 4,166Hz to get a mere 4.0 volts leads me to believe that there must a fault in the breakout board.

I have now ordered a different breakout board which should resolve the issue - so unless anyone has any other advice, I will report the results of replacing the breakout board when I get my hands on it (in about 3-4 weeks).

[jjobezo]

It would be very helpful if you supplied a diagram of your BOB connections. Did you supply 12V to the BOB, how? Did you connect to the 0-10V output and not the 0-5V?

[p38nut]

Hi doorknob and bushwakka,

Firstly - I don't have an oscilloscope and neither of my two friends have one either.

My breakout board does not have a 5V/10V switch.

As detailed in my initial post, the voltage does not change with different Mach3 speed commands - except that there is a minimum speed, below which there is zero voltage.

The Mach3 Mill User Manual states the the PWM Base Frequency should be set at 5 to 10 Hz. The fact that I had to set mine to 4,166Hz to get a mere 4.0 volts leads me to believe that there must a fault in the breakout board.

I have now ordered a different breakout board which should resolve the issue - so unless anyone has any other advice, I will report the results of replacing the breakout board when I get my hands on it (in about 3-4 weeks).

Are you sure you want PWM? PWM will keep a voltage on for a period of the cycle time and then turn off. If total pulse time is 1 sec, then 50% PWM will give .50sec of full power on time and .50sec of off power. On a voltohm meter this will be seen as 5Vdc. But the VFD will see it as on-off-on-off. It may never come on.

[WannaMakeStuff]

Hi again,

in response to jjobezo and p38nut;

I have attached a simplified circuit diagram.

As mentioned in my original post;
“I have therefore replaced the supplied breakout board with one that has integrated spindle control (0-10V output).”

So the BOB does the PWM to voltage conversion (or it should!). Mach3 is therefore supplying the BOB with the PWM signal.

Extract from “Using Mach3 Mill” (revision 1.84-A2) page 4-12;
“As an alternative to Step and Direction control, Mach3 will output a pulse width modulated signal whose duty cycle is the percentage of full speed that you require. You could, for example, convert the duty cycle of the signal to a voltage (PWM signal on for 0% of time gives 0 volts 50% gives 5 volts and 100% gives 10 volts) and use this to control an induction motor with a variable frequency inverter drive.”

[p38nut]

Hi again,

in response to jjobezo and p38nut;

I have attached a simplified circuit diagram.

As mentioned in my original post;
“I have therefore replaced the supplied breakout board with one that has integrated spindle control (0-10V output).”

So the BOB does the PWM to voltage conversion (or it should!). Mach3 is therefore supplying the BOB with the PWM signal.

Extract from “Using Mach3 Mill” (revision 1.84-A2) page 4-12;
“As an alternative to Step and Direction control, Mach3 will output a pulse width modulated signal whose duty cycle is the percentage of full speed that you require. You could, for example, convert the duty cycle of the signal to a voltage (PWM signal on for 0% of time gives 0 volts 50% gives 5 volts and 100% gives 10 volts) and use this to control an induction motor with a variable frequency inverter drive.”

Is the VFD set up for a PWM input to control the speed? You must also either jumper out the enable and/or direction inputs or use a contact closure, such as the spindle on/off.

[WannaMakeStuff]

The VFD is disconnected. This means that it cannot be the problem.

If the Breakout board was working properly, its PWM to 0-10V circuit would be outputting the correct voltage, increasing with higher Mach3 S (Spindle speed) commands.

So I either have a faulty breakout board, or my Mach3 setup is wrong.

No-one has commented on the Mach3 settings so I still think that the breakout board is faulty and I will report my results when I replace it.

Thank you all for now.

[SAMI81]

The VFD is disconnected. This means that it cannot be the problem.

If the Breakout board was working properly, its PWM to 0-10V circuit would be outputting the correct voltage, increasing with higher Mach3 S (Spindle speed) commands.

So I either have a faulty breakout board, or my Mach3 setup is wrong.

No-one has commented on the Mach3 settings so I still think that the breakout board is faulty and I will report my results when I replace it.

Thank you all for now.

Hello,

I have the same problem. I tried to 12V and 24V external power supply and both didn’t work to me! The breakout board I am using is C11. Could you please share your solution if you happened to solve your issue. I am expecting a bob faulty as well since everything else work fine.

Thanks,

[mactec54]

Hi again,

in response to jjobezo and p38nut;

I have attached a simplified circuit diagram.

As mentioned in my original post;
“I have therefore replaced the supplied breakout board with one that has integrated spindle control (0-10V output).”

So the BOB does the PWM to voltage conversion (or it should!). Mach3 is therefore supplying the BOB with the PWM signal.

Extract from “Using Mach3 Mill” (revision 1.84-A2) page 4-12;
“As an alternative to Step and Direction control, Mach3 will output a pulse width modulated signal whose duty cycle is the percentage of full speed that you require. You could, for example, convert the duty cycle of the signal to a voltage (PWM signal on for 0% of time gives 0 volts 50% gives 5 volts and 100% gives 10 volts) and use this to control an induction motor with a variable frequency inverter drive.”

I think that you may be connected to the wrong outputs check GND and SPEN connection the 0-10v may not be PWM control just a 0-10v output other than that this board does not say it has PWM output

It may also work with Step/dir for the 0-10v output and not PWM