[rstrease]

When I turn on my control box the fault light on my g540 lights up and stays red. When I push in my e-stop switch power is killed to the box and the light turns green for a moment then shuts down. Could this be a problem with the way my e-stop is wired or is it something in my mach3 settings that is causing the fault? My control box was purchased from cnc4PC.com. I am attaching the original diagram that the guys at cnc4pc created and a wiring diagram that I made from the original one in order for me to better understand it and are looking for any feedback to help me solve this issue. I am a newbie so I know it is something small (hopefully) that I am overlooking or I have completely wired my box incorrectly.

Attachment 207160

Attachment 207158

[awerby]

It sounds like your estop might be configured wrong in Mach3. Try switching it from "active high" to "active low" (or vice-versa) and see if that helps.

Andrew Werby

[rstrease]

I tried switching it to both active high and active low and are still receiving the fault. I think I am going to bypass the e-stop and make sure it is not my gecko that has gone bad. Before I added my controller box and e-stop I had my machine running without any faults.

[awerby]

In that case, see if you can get some help from whomever sold you that controller box. If the Gecko was working before, it's probably still good, unless you left it on when you were changing the wiring. Of course, there might be a simple explanation, such as the e-stop button being locked in the open position (they do that; you sometimes have to twist and pull to reset them.)

Andrew Werby
www.computersculpture.com

[P.Passuello]

Have you checked the Charge pump setting in Mach 3.
Better still turn the Charge pump switch to off just to bypass it until you have things working properly.
The G540 will turn green with Charge pump set to off ,the Estop and power applied. No PC needed.
If the charge pump is left on with no PC it will go into fault.

Just a thought.

Cheers
Peter

[rstrease]

Thanks for the help. My charge pump is turned off but the fault is still occurring.

[rstrease]

I started back and ground zero. I hooked up my g540 and e-stop without the extra stuff in the control box and it worked fine. I got the green light. I still think that the way my e-stop is wired in the control box is the problem. I am at a loss at this point. Do I hook everything into the NC portion of the e-stop?

[P.Passuello]

I started back and ground zero. I hooked up my g540 and e-stop without the extra stuff in the control box and it worked fine. I got the green light. I still think that the way my e-stop is wired in the control box is the problem. I am at a loss at this point. Do I hook everything into the NC portion of the e-stop?

The Estop link between the pin 12 and pin 10 of the Gecko is normally closed when not activated.
What ever you do, DO NOT put the Gecko Estop wires and the mains wires through the same contacts!!!


Cheers
Peter

[Fastest1]

I started back and ground zero. I hooked up my g540 and e-stop without the extra stuff in the control box and it worked fine. I got the green light. I still think that the way my e-stop is wired in the control box is the problem. I am at a loss at this point. Do I hook everything into the NC portion of the e-stop?

Yes normally you do want to use NC switches however changing the active status in the ports and pins (inputs) section will allow you to use either kind of switch NC/NO.
The thought process is that in an NC circuit if any wire breaks a fault is triggered. Sometimes no harm will be done except the broken wire. If wired NO then if there is a problem, the machine will not know and continue cutting whether it has lost position or is cutting into your vise or any number of issues.
My suggestion of changing the active status is best used for diagnostics. The best solution will be to use the proper switches and or wiring techniques.

[P.Passuello]

Yes normally you do want to use NC switches however changing the active status in the ports and pins (inputs) section will allow you to use either kind of switch NC/NO.

That's not quite true.
The G540 can only use a normally closed switch between pins 12 and 10. It is a hardwired feature of the G540 and is independent of Mach3.

Cheers
Peter

[Fastest1]

Well on my G540, pin 12 is for my limit switches on the X axis. 10 is used for my E Stop. Both have the ability to change the active state in ports and pins "inputs".

[Fastest1]

You are referring to the enable pin of the G540's pin 12. Not the PP pin 12.

[P.Passuello]

You are referring to the enable pin of the G540's pin 12. Not the PP pin 12.

Sorry, I did word my reply badly.
I should have said the screw terminal 12, power supply GND and screw terminal 10 disable input (E Stop) on the G540.

Cheers
Peter

[rstrease]

Here is an updated wiring diagram that I am using to wire the control box. I am still receiving the fault! Is this a wiring issue or some setting inside Mach3 that needs fixing?

[Fastest1]

As Peter was saying, there needs to be an enable line between terminals 10 & 12 on the G540. I am on an iPhone and reading the diagram is difficult. To enable the G540 the circuit between 10-12 would be closed. It looks like you have it wired thru the estop as an NO.

[Fastest1]

Something isn't right about your wiring. I see the line in going thru the EStop on the NC side (should use a contactor but will worry about that later) it appears to go to the dc side of your power supply. It should be going to the L of the power supply. Again it could be my viewing via IPhone but I don't think so.

After more review I think you have your purple and yellow crossed over at your EStop.

[Fastest1]

If you look at your first diagram and trace all wiring between terminals 10 & 12. They share the v- side only thru the EStop, when the ground is shared to terminal 10 it will go out of fault mode. It doesn't expect a voltage merely continuity.

If you are truly wired as your lower diagram, I can't imagine how the magic smoke didn't come out of your power supply. It appears to be ok by the fact the lights come on at all.

I would disconnect everything but the power supply to the G540 direct (use a pigtail of a power cord direct to terminals L & N, V- to terminal 12, V+ to terminal 11 , jumper terminals 10 & 12, do you get the green light? Then reconnect in steps.

Once it passed the basics and you are back to hooking everything up I would look into a contactor to handle the high voltage side, not your EStop switch. You would then use a momentary switch after hitting the main power to energize the contactor giving power to all systems (keep PC out of this loop). When you hit the EStop, all power would cease between the machine and controller. Not just software protection as that isn't enough.

[rstrease]

Thanks. I think i had my wires coming out of the e-stop incorrect. I am attaching a new wiring diagram reflecting the change.

[Fastest1]

Ok I see the problem. Your wiring is now correct however both contact blocks on your EStop switch should be NC.

The connection between terminals 10 & 12 have to be connected (NC) when the mushroom is not pushed in. This will allow power from the line in to the power supply, the second set of contacts also has to be completing a circuit (from terminals 10 & 12). Pushing the button in will break (NO) the circuit stopping power to the power supply and disabling the G540 (if it had power however it doesn't). I hope I am not being too confusing. If you have another EStop switch laying around, you can rob the set of NO contacts from it and swap out the NC set which won't be used in this arrangement. You will notice the EStop switch has little tabs just for changing the contact style (NO or NC)

If you ever use a contactor, you will quickly see the benefits. There are many contacts available in both NO and NC. Once the momentary button has been pushed energizing the contactor, many circuits can be enabled at once (the enable line of the G540 for example). Then the only thing keeping the contactor latched is the line running thru the EStop switch. Push it in and ALL power to the machine stops. Just using the EStop between terminals 10 & 12 still leaves the drivers powered. Works well for us hobbyists but not the best or approved ways for the industrial machines.

I would also tie the V- of the power supply to the star ground where your chassis ground should be too. That same place will be where the shields of your limit switch wires should be landed. The lack of that connection had me chasing noise problems for years in my first mill. It wasn't til Al the Man said in plain English to connect the V- to the star ground also. Ask over in the "General Electronics" section along with your schematic for the best grounding (or wiring) practices.

[rstrease]

Thanks for the help. I'll try that out.