[zool]

then its just wait and see .. might be the easiest way though

[Ed3XP]

Ok, so i went ahead and purchased 3 gecko 201v drivers. I now need a breakout board and power supply... what is your recommendations on those two?

[awerby]

I've had good luck with toroidal power supplies from Antek:

Antek - Your reliable source of transformers, power supplies, and more.

You might also look at the offerings from PMDX; they have combination heat-sink, breakout, and mounting boards specifically for the Gecko drives:

PMDX.COM - Products for CNC and motion control applications

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Ed3XP]

I was looking at both of those sites actually... i want a 48 volt power supply I think, how many watts should be looking at?

I am going to buy one of the PMDX breakout boards, is the heat sinks necessary?

[awerby]

I was looking at both of those sites actually... i want a 48 volt power supply I think, how many watts should be looking at?

[Why a 48v supply? Those motors would go faster with more voltage, and the drives will handle 80v. So somewhere around 78VDC would be best, I'd think. Your motors are rated for 3.5 amps each, so if all of them are going at once, that's 10.5 amps, which gives you 819 watts if you use the 78v supply, or 525 watts with the 50v supply. (V x A = W) ]

I am going to buy one of the PMDX breakout boards, is the heat sinks necessary?

[Probably not in an unheated basement in the dead of winter...]

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[Ed3XP]

does this look good or the power supply?

Antek - PS-8N80

also, there has got to be a cheaper way to heatsink those geckos than the 96 dollar one form PMDX

[ger21]

is the heat sinks necessary?

If you read the Gecko manual, it says that a heatsink is mandatory above a certain current rating. 3 amps I think.

[PaulRowntree]

there has got to be a cheaper way to heatsink those geckos than the 96 dollar one form PMDX

Gerry is right : a heatsink is required in still air/closed box to keep the G540 below 70 C, but a simple 12V fan works well if you are exchanging air. Some of the power supplies have 12V DC options too ...

[zool]

does this look good or the power supply?

Antek - PS-8N80

also, there has got to be a cheaper way to heatsink those geckos than the 96 dollar one form PMDX

Please do not be penny-wise and pound-foolish in your acquisition of the electronics and associated items.

While a heat sink seems expensive now, it will seem cheap after the magic smoke gets released from the Geckos.

Remember, the steppers motors, the Geckos, the break out board [BOB] and the power supply are what take the intellectual effort translated into digital information from the mind-to-CAD-to-CAM continuum, and change it into reality. If you skimp, your the machine will run slowly or inconsistently or unpredictably, and you will get frustrated and give up or settle for something less than you and the machine [excluding the electronics] are capable of.

To make an analogy: Look what happened to Dr. Frankenstein when he skimped on parts.

[Ed3XP]

Yeah, I understand that.. just 100 bucks for a simple heat sink seems like your paying way to much just to have some predrilled holes... for example, here is a very close sized heatsink for 20....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Heavy-Duty-H...#ht_721wt_1169

[Ed3XP]

Also, can you guys give me the yes power supply option from antek? Theres a lot of options there with not a lot of details on each one.

[ger21]

What voltage were the original drives using?
80V might be too high.

Also, any heatsink will work, but you'll want to have a fan or two blowing on it.
I've even seen gecko mounted to CPU heatsinks.

[Ed3XP]

Id be happy with a 68volt supply or somewhere in that range... When i put a meter on the connections on the boards, it showed 24 volts.. now i never actually tested the transformer inside.. i probably should before I purchase

[ger21]

I found this which lists your Anaheim motor as 17mH. So , 80V may be fine, but I'm not sure.

Since you're replacing everything else, I'd replace the motors with something more modern, where you'll know what power supply will work best.

Something like the Keling KL34H260-42-8A should have similar holding torque, and will probably spin 2-3 times faster, while only needing around 36V

[Ed3XP]

Ok, so here is everything I purchased....

3 - Gecko G201X
1 - PMDX132
1 - 70volt Power supply from Altek with both 12 and 5v accessory outputs.
Got additional heatsinks, fans, cables, ext.

Now, all i need to buy is an enclosure (get one at home depot or something). Is there anything I need to know about hooking everything up? Any tricks I should do? Or anything I should NOT do? let me know.

[awerby]

I've used old computer cases for enclosures - you might consider that if you come up empty at Home Depot. They have fans already, and AC inlets, and places to mount your plugs. Any good-sized chunk of aluminum should work as a heat-sink. Put down a thin layer of heat paste under the Geckos when installing them on the aluminum plate.

As for what not to do - never unplug a stepper or drive when it's powered on, and let them rest for a while after turning them off, to let the capacitors discharge, before detaching any cables.

Andrew Werby
ComputerSculpture.com — Home Page for Discount Hardware & Software

[sappy00]

Doh! I just saw that warthog post of craigslist I'm guessing from the same guy, who didn't take down the post... Opa locka? Oh well better luck next time for me I guess hope it works out for you!

[Ed3XP]

yeah, thats the add... good deal i would say, it was on for 4 days before I got it, i was surprised. haven't seen them go that cheap in awhile

[zool]

Ok, so here is everything I purchased....

3 - Gecko G201X
1 - PMDX132
1 - 70volt Power supply from Altek with both 12 and 5v accessory outputs.
Got additional heatsinks, fans, cables, ext.

Now, all i need to buy is an enclosure (get one at home depot or something). Is there anything I need to know about hooking everything up? Any tricks I should do? Or anything I should NOT do? let me know.

I am not planning to enclosed my Gecko G540 with heat sinks and the power supply48V 12.5 amp. They are mounted on a piece of 1/4-inch ply wood which in turn is mounted on the inside of the extruded 4-inch square aluminum legs so the whole assembly is out of the way yet accessible.

On my first CNC, 19-inch x 16-inch cutting area, I mounted the controller and power supply and BOB along with two fans, on the side of the computer case so they were right where I could see them. As I was the first one I wanted everything that controller the CNC "right there".

I like to see the electronics .. and with me being the only one that runs the machine it is probably safe. I built a computer case from clear LEXAN and like that, though sold it as one guy kept bugging me to buy it.

It all started in the 60's when I built the model: Visible Engine.. a plastic model of a V-8 with a clear block. My father bought it for me after I took so many mechanical things apart to see what was inside .... even got some back together and running too.