[hacker7]

Ok so I had a Xylotex 4 axis control board running my cnc for probably 5 yr's now , well I bought a gecko G540 to replace that system.
That setup ran great no issue's at all. But I kept wanting to change it for the gecko. So I sell the Xylotex and..............
Well I finally got around to doing it and I can't get this thing to work at all.

Here's what I have done so far.

1. New LPT cable thinking that my old one was an issue.
2. Checked port settings: 0378 same as before
3. setup computer which is a Dell optiplex GX280 to EPP mode.
4. Checked pins on back of computer to make sure they were working
5. Checked and triple checked my wiring and current set resistors to make sure nothing was touching.
6. Won't come out of default unless I turn the charge pump switch to the OFF position.

Now mind you I simply disconnected the Xylotex and tried hooking up Gecko.

What I get with the Gecko is Y,Z,A, axis motors only move one way X axis doesn't even move.

I've searched on here for HOUR'S at similar problems. But none quite like mine.

Now my printer port is built in to the mother board which I've heard might be the issue but...................

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!

[awerby]

Check that new cable. Some of them lack wires for all the pins, which would account for at least some of your problems. Go through it pin-by-pin, checking all of them for continuity one end to the other.

[ger21]

6. Won't come out of default unless I turn the charge pump switch to the OFF position.

Now mind you I simply disconnected the Xylotex and tried hooking up Gecko.

You need to set up the charge pump in Mach3 for it to work. The above sounds like you didn't do this?

[CoAMarcus]

Are you using our XML file for the G540? It can be located at the link below:

http://www.geckodrive.com/support/ap...-xml-file.html

You can measure the DIRECTION signal coming out of your parallel cable with a multimeter. This will let you know if those are ever making it to the G540, and what their logic 1 and logic 0 voltage is. The G540 requires a minimum of 3V for logic 1 and below 500mV for logic 0, and it could be that your computer is not making that threshold. If, however, there is no signal being sent at all then it is likely a cable or software issue.

[hacker7]

Thanks for the quick responses.
I did setup the charge pump in Mach 3 Port 1 Pin 16 as described.

The Parallel Port cable I was using on the old Xylotex box and I checked it to make sure that the pins went straight through
and to see if maybe it had an internal break on one of the wires.

I haven't downloaded the XML file yet. Going to try that tonight.
Also I'll check to see if Mach is putting out the right direction on the Parallel Port.

I did forget to mention that if I set the HotKeys for axis movement that none of them work with what I set.

[hacker7]

Ok checked the Parallel Port Pins and here are the results.


X- 3.34v Y- 3.34v Z- 3.34v
X+ .05v Y+ .05v Z+ .05v

These values appear when I press the keyboard arrows to move the motors checking the direction pins.


Ok now pin 16 the charge pump issue. When it is checked straight out the port of the computer I get this:

Ticked =1.91v
Unticked= .48v sometimes 3.34v

No matter how many times I Tick it I always get 1.91v.
Now when I untick it I randomly get .48v or 3.34v
If I Tick and unTick it rather quickly it will sometimes stay at 3.34v
Also loaded the XML file from Gecko and that didn't fix it either.

Hope this makes sense.

[CoAMarcus]

Those voltages all look good for the DIRECTION pin. When you disable the charge pump on the drive by toggling the switch on the cover, does the G540 move the motors as expected? Were you measuring those voltages directly off of the parallel port, or were those on the DB25 cable that plugs into the G540?

[hacker7]

No they still only move in one direction.
Also those voltages were right off the PP port. I also measured the voltages from the PP port cable and they didn't vary that much.

What's weird is the PP port cable is the same cable I used on the Xylotex setup and never had an issue.
I double checked all the pins on the cable for continuity and it checked out good.

Weird..........

[hacker7]

Any More Ideas............................................. .....

[hacker7]

I still haven't found the problem but I did order new parallel port card from PMDX hoping that will fix the issue.
Any more info would be GREAT!!!!!!

[buck70]

Hi There;

I would call myself a newbie. This is a preliminary response to the parallel port issue. I had a pci parallel port card that was epp mode capable. But the G540 would not come out of charge pump fault. I ordered the C-26 buffer board from CNC4PC. It's purpose is to basically hard wire the port to epp mode.I installed it today and the charge pump fault disappeared immediately. It was a much cheaper solution than the UC-100 or Ethernet smooth stepper. However, I still am having other problems with my setup, so this is not yet an unreserved recommendation. Just thought I would mention it..

[hacker7]

Ok got my PCI parallel port card from PMDX installed it and it's working great, no fault mode!!!!!!!!

Now on to the limit switches!!!!!