[i_r_machinist]

I'm ready to start cutting wires. I feel confident enough to be dangerous. I have a running machine that I'm upgrading the control to a mach3 with viper200s and Bob Campbell Breakout Board Plus. I need to replace my limit switches with the npn inductive proximity switches. My current switches only have two wires. Anyone recommend a good sorce for these?
Also, I want to document the build with pictures. Archie has his documented in smugmug. I guess I'll open an account tonight and post some photos.
Thanks
i_r_machinist

[keithmech]

If the limit switches work, leave them alone.With the campbell board they
will work fine .Wire them in series.I think there is an inductive oroximity sensor for the z axis upper limit.(3 wires)

[i_r_machinist]

Can do.
Kieth,
What power supply and voltage did you go with on your vipers? Specs are 12 to 18, should I shoot for a 15 volt power supply? And, the Campbell Board has a Dir,Step,Com terminal on each axis, but the Viper 200s only have a Step,+5vdc,+5vdc,Dir terminal. Where does the Com terminal connect to?
thanks
i_r_

[keithmech]

I used the transformer in the machine.I connected it to my rpc as it is a 3 phase transformer.I then connected the existing 3 phase bridge rectifier
to the transformer.This gave me 140 volts dc for the vipers.The input to the transformer is 220ac.Well really about 237 .I used 18 vdc for the viper control .step -step,,com-com +5+5-com.Don't know if it needs it but I just jumpered the to +5vdc on the viper and connected them to the com.
I finally flashed up the mori lathe .uses viper drives and 170vdc.Now I need to find some tool holders and make chips.
Have you found a computer with a serial connection? You will need this to talk with the vipers.It is cool when you see a response on the screen,kind of like "hey some thing is going right".Viper drives are a piece of cake really.
Start thinking about the estop.Location of the button and what to stop.I used the one on the front of the machine and added one on the control panel.I tied the spindle brake into this .Coolant comes from the campbell board and if you are not using a vfd for the spindle just reconnect from the relays on the campbell to the contactors on the machine.

[i_r_machinist]

I'm looking at this power supply on ebay for my 18vdc.

http://cgi.ebay.com/18V-10A-DC-Unive...item3efa48db7e

Is this ok or should I do something else?
Thanks
i_r_

On the Schematic of the campbell board it has Dir/Step/5V. The actual board has Dir/Step/Com. Is Com the 5v power for the viper?

[keithmech]

Here is one close to home.http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Condor-Regul...item199de42cb3
This will work fine.

[i_r_machinist]

Bought the 15v power supplies, set up my smugmug account, and posted some photos.
http://bullyztoyz.smugmug.com/
I'm thinking about moveing everything into one cabnet like Keith. I'm going to label wires and gut the control today.
Let the adventure begin!
i_r_machinist
ps. How do I make that address a link?

[i_r_machinist]

Gutted the control last night. Labeled the wires. There is a com and a tach wire that went to each axis off of the drives. These wires run back to the motors. Where do these wires attach to the viper drives? You can see them at the bottom right of this photo.

[i_r_machinist]

What computer to use? I have an old compact that I was intending to use but it is about 12 years old. I can get a used Dell XPS with 3.? ghz and 1 gig ram for around $300. I could by a brand new HP Pavillion from wallyworld for $500 + tax.
Which way to go?
thanks
i_r_machinist

[keithmech]

You do not need the tach wires.Only the encoder wires.
As far as computers go , buy a good motherboard,cpu combo off ebay.
I do not have a cdrom on the machine only a small hard drive.I would use a solid state hard drive as they are getting cheap and you only need a small memory.Get a good computer, did I say that again? I paid less than 150$ for these parts new on ebay and now I have a good computer.
see how nice it all mounts in the cabinet as well ,no case required.

[i_r_machinist]

What size wire do I use to go from the breakout board to the viper drives? I mounted the board yesterday.
Thanks
i_r_

[keithmech]

For all the signal wires I use 22 Ga. ie small.Don't use solid wire. Multi strand
is what you should use.Remember to tag the ends with numbers or letters .This will make it easy to trace down the road.

[i_r_machinist]

Will it hurt anything to wind the wires together that go from the BOB to the vipers?
Thanks
i_r_

[keithmech]

no

[i_r_machinist]

I need the tools to put the pins in the connections, also the crippers. What are they called?
thanks
i_r_

[i_r_machinist]

Crimpers are on the last page of the instalation guide. Got those in and wired the boards. I'm on the limit and home wiring now. Can I run a jumper wire between all the grounds coming off of the bob and just have one ground wire?
thanks
i_r_

[i_r_machinist]

Keith,
Were you able to just plug your encoders in, or did you have to re-wire them? Is there an industry standard on pin/wire locations for encoders?
i_r_

[i_r_machinist]

Stumped again.
Renco encoder C74506-1000 has an 8 pin connector. Brown,Red(+5v),Black(gnd),Green(?),White(?),Orange (index),Blue(B+),Yellow(A+).
I've looked through all of Renco's drawing and have not found these three colors.
Do I haveto have an ocsilloscope to find out what these are?
thanks
i_r_machinist

[Al_The_Man]

If this is a straight differential type, no commutation tracks, Renco colour code is usually:
RED +5v
BLK Common
WHITE A
YELLOW /A
GREEN B
BLUE /B
ORANGE Z
BROWN /Z
Generally Renco use RED & BLK for power, so in this case as long as you have those two right, you cannot damage anything.
Al.

[keithmech]

I used heidenhain encoders .I also connected them to the
9 pin connector that connects to the Viper .Then tested
with 24 vdc on the motor to get it spinning and oscilliscope
to test the signals.I did this with the motors on the bench.