[bsharp]

Ok I have 4 G320’s and three problems.

Problem 1:
Two of them seem like they have no output to the motor. When you power them on the Fault LED comes on and I have 5 volts at encoder power. When I jump encoder 5 volts to err/reset the light goes out and nothing happens. I then can turn the motor and the Fault LED will come on. I suspect that something with the output portion of the drive is blown? Why and how could this happen?

Problem 2:
One of the 4 when powered on will lurch. When main DC power is initially applied to the drive the motor connected to it will lurch an inch or so and stop. When the drive is enabled by supplying 5volts from the encoder supply to err/reset terminal it seams fine. Although if I turn the gain almost all the way down the motor will start to creep in one direction. Why and how could this happen?

The Last problem I have is that it seams like I cannot get any help with these. In the last month or so I have spent nearly 500 dollars on these things and cannot even get a response out of anyone. Let alone any technical help. I am really wishing right now I had never bought them and spent the extra money and bought real drives from somewhere else. If I had the money to do it over you bet your ox I would.

[dertsap]

thats unusual , gecko's support is second to none

[cncadmin]

Did you "tune in" the drives?? The damp, limit and gain.

[turmite]

Ok I have 4 G320’s and three problems.

Problem 1:
Two of them seem like they have no output to the motor. When you power them on the Fault LED comes on and I have 5 volts at encoder power. When I jump encoder 5 volts to err/reset the light goes out and nothing happens. I then can turn the motor and the Fault LED will come on. I suspect that something with the output portion of the drive is blown? Why and how could this happen?

Problem 2:
One of the 4 when powered on will lurch. When main DC power is initially applied to the drive the motor connected to it will lurch an inch or so and stop. When the drive is enabled by supplying 5volts from the encoder supply to err/reset terminal it seams fine. Although if I turn the gain almost all the way down the motor will start to creep in one direction. Why and how could this happen?

The Last problem I have is that it seams like I cannot get any help with these. In the last month or so I have spent nearly 500 dollars on these things and cannot even get a response out of anyone. Let alone any technical help. I am really wishing right now I had never bought them and spent the extra money and bought real drives from somewhere else. If I had the money to do it over you bet your ox I would.

Have you tried calling them? I can tell you that if Mariss know's about your problem he will help. I had problems getting my drives hooked up the first time because I was using a jury rigged power supply. He spent nearly two hours two different days talking me through where to check the voltages and how to wire my rigged ps, which had nothing to do with his drives other than the fact I needed the ps to run them. His support is second to none...period! Call him and ask to speak to him (Mariss).

Mike

[M100]

Mariss seems to have been extremely quiet on the Gecko mail list recently. Maybe there is something more pressing going on at Gecko and the usual VERY HIGH standards of support have slipped.

[bsharp]

Marris was out of town for a wedding. After getting bashed up and down on the gecko forum when trying to ask for help I decided to return the drives. When Marris did return he did say that he would refund my money if I returned them. Many people seem to have had good experiences with them but I am one that did not. Basically getting ridiculed, Ignored, and made fun of is not the kind of company or people I want to deal with. I think the first clue was when I sent them an Email before I bought the drives and never got a response. But I figured with all the great things I have heard about gecko drives how could I go wrong. I have built and ran Dave's stepper boards for years and had no problems with help from him or on his forum. Hopefully he will indeed give me a refund. And I will more than likely never buy another gecko again. I will build a drive myself first.

[Mariss Freimanis]

Mariss seems to have been extremely quiet on the Gecko mail list recently. Maybe there is something more pressing going on at Gecko and the usual VERY HIGH standards of support have slipped.

Yes, there is something pressing at Geckodrive. I'm now in the "tunnel-vision" phase of designing the new PID stepper servo drive.

Mariss

[turmite]

Marris was out of town for a wedding. After getting bashed up and down on the gecko forum when trying to ask for help I decided to return the drives. When Marris did return he did say that he would refund my money if I returned them. Many people seem to have had good experiences with them but I am one that did not. Basically getting ridiculed, Ignored, and made fun of is not the kind of company or people I want to deal with. I think the first clue was when I sent them an Email before I bought the drives and never got a response. But I figured with all the great things I have heard about gecko drives how could I go wrong. I have built and ran Dave's stepper boards for years and had no problems with help from him or on his forum. Hopefully he will indeed give me a refund. And I will more than likely never buy another gecko again. I will build a drive myself first.

Brein, like I told you over there on Gecko's yahoo group, it was, and is your attitude that caused the problem. It seems to me like you would have opened your eyes to the fact that there is a reason the guys there, and here, are almost, if not totally supportive of Mariss. It is because we have experience, and it is good. I'm sorry that you have the perception that Mariss doesn't care, becaue it simply is not true. Here is my quote from this thread......you should have heeded it!

"Have you tried calling them? I can tell you that if Mariss know's about your problem he will help. I had problems getting my drives hooked up the first time because I was using a jury rigged power supply. He spent nearly two hours two different days talking me through where to check the voltages and how to wire my rigged ps, which had nothing to do with his drives other than the fact I needed the ps to run them. His support is second to none...period! Call him and ask to speak to him (Mariss)."

Mike

Mike

[bsharp]

"Brein, like I told you over there on Gecko's yahoo group, it was, and is your attitude that caused the problem."

Well I was getting frustrated after two weeks of trying to get some help. I did respond pretty negatively to some of the more arrogant reply after I made my final decision. That is one thing I cannot stand is arrogance.

"It seems to me like you would have opened your eyes to the fact that there is a reason the guys there, and here, are almost, if not totally supportive of Mariss."

I could really care less whether the guys are totally supportive to Mariss or not. I am the one that needed support "help" "I am the customer". I can see that there is a lot of fan boys in the Gecko forum. This is a down fall to any product as it will hinder needed unbiased suggestive criticisms. And in a true professional business this type of stuff would never happen.

"It is because we have experience, and it is good."

You could have fooled me! I am still waiting for an answer to my problem. I am sorry but if someone is that good and has that much experience its not going to take two weeks to figure it out. All I wanted was a little help and it turned into a pain in the rear end. I have over 10 years experience working with all kinds of CNC machines and robotics. I do not need any one to tell me how to build a power supply or how to completely set it up. I initially had simple questions about the product. The documentation of the product is far from well detailed. And because of the lack of assistance the problems progressed.

"I'm sorry that you have the perception that Mariss doesn't care, becaue it simply is not true."

I have never said anything personally or directly against Mariss. It was all directed to the Fan Boys that cant handle a little negative response directed to there idol product. The fact that I have not yet gotten a response from him or any one at Gecko makes me question it though.

"Here is my quote from this thread......you should have heeded it!"

I thank you for you help and input on the situation. At this point you are one of the two or three people that have even tried to help. I know that you where trying to help me and it is appreciated.

The drives are on there way back to Gecko. Hopefully Mariss will honer his Gecko Yahoo group posting that he would refund me my money. This will be your answer to whether or not he really cares about the customer. I will post the out come of the situation to let you know.

[Mariss Freimanis]

Brien,

You have no need to question my honor. Perhaps you move in different circles than I.

Mariss

[dertsap]

you clearly started this post with your questions ,then ended it with negativity toward gecko , which is probably a surprise to anyone reading this thread , there is a lot of good information in this site regarding gecko drives ,many of us have posted here asking for advise or varification that we've done things correctly .
i bought gecko drives because i couldn t find a post against them , and support was always right up there .
i had trouble with my drivers ,i made some wrong connections and caused my own greif ,Marris was pretty quick to catch my post in the forums here and offered some suggestions , after a few tests he said send them in we'll check them out , how many companies are willing to do that ,especially when ive admitted to screwing it up myself ,a couple weeks later i had my drivers back .
i don t blow wind up anyones ass concidering i am buying their product ,there is nothing in it for me , but i will give credit where credit is due ,and gecko has gone far and beyond for many of its customers

[M100]

" I can see that there is a lot of fan boys in the Gecko forum. This is a down fall to any product as it will hinder needed unbiased suggestive criticisms.

The "fan boys" (geez what an insult) tried all they could to help you. They provided lots of advice and suggestions as they always do. That Mariss wasn't around 24/7/365 shouldn't and doesn't seem to be a problem to anyone but you (and maybe recently one other "customer")

Around a year ago I started investigating suitable drives for a future 4 axis cnc project, Gecko's were one of many that I initially considered but as my build was scheduled for winter 2007/2007 I could take my time and make an informed decision to purchase based on the quality of design, and the pre and aftersales support. So I subscribed to the Gecko mailing list on Yahoo to see what real customers were experiencing. After more than 20 years employed in the process control/automation industry, albeit in a completely different sphere, the level of support and backup for their relatively low priced items has simply amazed me.

In the past year, with one or two gaps while I was elsewhere I've received around 3200 messages from the Gecko mailing list or an average of around 8 per day. Around 20% of those messages have been from Mariss usually responding promptly to people's problems and providing in depth but *extremely* readable responses into why particular design decisions have been made. Over all that time a very small number of messages have expressed disatisfaction with their purchase or the application of their purchase.

On a very rough basis every 12 hours Mariss has posted to the mailing list, as a past customer of a few multinationals, some with many tens of thousands of employees, waiting a few hours or maybe days for a response to a problem on a $100 item would be considered something exceptionally good. Hell I've waited *months* for a proper technical response to a problem on a $150,000 system.

So as an outside observer with absolutely no connection to Gecko except as a purchaser of four of their drives (just before their summer sale) I'd say your experience is not typical, that you still aren't satisfied is an indication that you are a prime customer for something other than Gecko. Your choice of course but on the evidence of the support normally supplied, and the no nonsense guarantee It wouldn't be mine.

m100
Not a "Gecko Fan Boy" but a fan of Gecko

[Mariss Freimanis]

The "Gecko Fan Boy" (neat phrase) really bothers me. I don't posses the ego to ever get off on that. I never reply to people that say nice things about me, even though good manners says I should, because what I do is not about a cult of personality.

The way I see things is my job is to do the best I humanly know how. If I do my job, I'm only doing what is expected of me. Treat people fairly and always know they are my equals. If I know something that helps, share it with people so that it does good. My pleasure is taking something that seems complicated and turn it to show it isn't complicated at all. There are plenty of times where I'm at the receiving end and asking for help. To me it's very simple because I'm a simple guy.

Where it gets uncomfortable and messy for me is at both ends of the spectrum. I don't like adulation at all because I don't deserve it and I don't like to be attacked for things I know are unfair.

As a kid I was raised harsh and hard. My only options were to either come back carrying a shield or to be carried on it; failure was not an option. My talent, if I have any, is unearned because I did nothing to have it and therefore it's nothing I can have pride in. My pride is in doing the very best I personally can and in how I treat other people.

OK, I've said more than I should have. I just like to design stuff, not deal with this crap.

Mariss

[epineh]

OK, I've said more than I should have. I just like to design stuff, not deal with this crap.
Mariss

Speaking of which, don't you have a stepper/servo drive to concentrate on ?

Russell.

[cpsheets]

I just got off the phone with Mariss, I really did'nt expect to speak to him, I thought I would get some tech guy. I have to tell you I deal with a lot of major companies daily in my job, and never have I dealt with someone so willing and eager to aid , help , and educate people with the problems they encounter. In the short 10 to 15 min. that I talked with him I recieved more information and knowledge than the entire time I have been in contact with the manufacturer of my machine (name not mentioned so as not to be termed a basher). I just want to say add me to the Gecko Fan Boy Club and Proud of it. Thanks Mariss!!!!!
:cheers:

[DonW]

Wow, I only saw arrogance in one person in this thread, and that was bsharp. Too bad for him, because he's probably a lonely individual... so sad.

[Mariss Freimanis]

Every interesting story deserves an conclusion.:-) We got Mr. Sharp's 4 G320s back yesterday and immediately refunded him the purchase price for the 4 drives as promised.

We tested the 4 drives and they passed all tests once the trimpots were turned to reasonable settings. The drives are in "as new condition" electrically. What is not in "as new condition" are the mounting plates. For some bizarre reason Mr. Sharp felt compelled to hack up the mounting plates with a rather large pair of side-cut pliers (see attached picture). This renders the drives unsalable, so what are we to do?

Have a contest of course! The first person to come closest to guessing how many drives Geckodrive has shipped since we started in 2000 gets these 4 cosmetically ugly but perfectly functioning G320s. The winner will get these very same 4 G320s for free, a new 1-year warranty on each, full tech support and free shipping. The contest will run 72 hours from the date of this post.


Mariss

[turmite]

Mariss so we guess here on this thread? If so, can I ask you what your average sales per year are?

Mike

[ger21]

9,000,000

EDIT: here is my revised guess (per Mariss 1 time change allowance)

195,000

[Mariss Freimanis]

No clues (it's over 20 tons). Not fair.:-)

Mariss