[TheProCreator]

Ok, I have Mach3 and a g540 connected with the R25 cable. I do not have any other boards or plugs (Smoothstepper, etc). My spindle is a 1.5kw with VFD. The spindle works perfectly in manual mode. When I change PD001 and PD002 settings to 2 Mach 3 will not run the spindle. I am certain that I am missing something in Mach 3 in the port/pin configuration. On my diagnostics I am getting a red led on enable 1,2, and 3. Any suggestions???

[jsantos]

Ok, I have Mach3 and a g540 connected with the R25 cable. I do not have any other boards or plugs (Smoothstepper, etc). My spindle is a 1.5kw with VFD. The spindle works perfectly in manual mode. When I change PD001 and PD002 settings to 2 Mach 3 will not run the spindle. I am certain that I am missing something in Mach 3 in the port/pin configuration. On my diagnostics I am getting a red led on enable 1,2, and 3. Any suggestions???

How do you have your VFD connected to the G540? Normally, you would have the speed control connected to the G540 and a relay to turn your VFD on and off. The relay is in turn controlled by OUTPUT1 or OUTPUT2.

Download this and study the VFD connections. -> http://www.homanndesigns.com/EN010_V8.pdf

You do not need to set up the spindle in the pins and configurations either.

Once you've got your connections verified, I might be able to help you further with the Mach3 settings. I'll have to look at how I set mine up.

[TheProCreator]

Thanks for the reply. I have POS 7, 8, and 9 of the G540 MAIN TERMINAL BLOCK wired directly to the ACM, V1, and +10 terminals on the VFD respectively as on the attached PDF. My VFD uses a 220v converter and is powered on/off with a switch.

[jsantos]

Thanks for the reply. I have POS 7, 8, and 9 of the G540 MAIN TERMINAL BLOCK wired directly to the ACM, V1, and +10 terminals on the VFD respectively as on the attached PDF. My VFD uses a 220v converter and is powered on/off with a switch.

When you say, it's powered on/off with a switch, do you mean that the VFD is powered on/off with a switch? Or do you mean you turn the spindle on/off with a switch?

The "Relay Control" under Spindle Setup is what turns the spindle on and off. In your set-up, you specified "Output1" as your "CW" (Forward) and "Output2" as your "CCW" (Reverse). But in your "Output Signals", you have not enabled "Output1" and "Output2".

Normally, "Output1" and "Output2" will turn on/off relays that are in turn connected to the FWD and REV terminals of your VFD. Do you have that setup?

In my case, I've got my "CW" and "CCW" specified as "Output1" as I don't want my spindle going in reverse. My "Output1" is enabled in the "Output Signals" and turns on a relay that's connected to the FWD terminal of my VFD.

BTW, you do need the "Spindle" setup in the "Motor Outputs" as that's the PWM. My Bad.

[TheProCreator]

I currently turn the VFD with a switch. I do not have any relays set up. Is it absolutely necessary to run the VFD with Mach3 with a relay?

[jsantos]

I currently turn the VFD with a switch. I do not have any relays set up. Is it absolutely necessary to run the VFD with Mach3 with a relay?

You're actually not running (turning on/off) the VFD with a relay. You're turning the spindle on/off with a relay with Mach3. That's what the Relay Control in the spindle setup is for.

If your VFD is similar to mine in the sense that you turn on the spindle by shorting the FWD to CMN or REV to CMN, then yes you do need the relay. Look at the HommanDesign diagram to see how the Auxiliary Relay Output is connected to Output1 of the G540 and to the FWD of the VFD. If you want a reverse for your spindle, you'll have to have another relay connected to Output2 and to the REV of your VFD.

[jsantos]

I'm looking at the G540 manual and it looks like it might be possible to connect the VFD FWD to Output1 and the VFD CMN to the G540 ground, eliminating the need for a relay. But before I would do this, I'd ask Gecko. The Gecko forum might be a good place to ask.

[TomiY]

I hope you guys dont mind I continue in this thread. My problem is exactly as described in the title of this thread.

Difference is I am running a hobby cnc with a TB6560T4-V5 controller. Here's a link to the user's manual (which is written in horrible English): H5 Controller | Cau Cau

I am trying to recover from a breakout board and computer failure. I have replaced my old controller with the TB6560T4-V5 controller and performed a fresh install of Mach 3. I am now at the point where all axis are moving correctly and they are also calibrated. But I cannot get my spindle to turn on when I start running g-code and turn off when the code ends.

I previously used a similar controller and had my spindle and shop vac setup to be turned on/off through Mach3. I have not, however, wired the relays to the spindle and shop vac on my own, they were wired by the previous owner of my machine. I asumed the spindle and shop vac would work if I only hooked up the wires to the relay output.

These are my current settings in Mach, following the instruction manual:







Do I need to setup something in the Spindle setup page as well? Or do something to the values for the Spindle on the Motor output page? I have tried different things but so far no luck. My understanding of pins and ports is nill.

I have measured that the output for the relay on the controller has a constant 24 volts (my power supply is 24V). And there are no changes in the voltage when I run a g code from start to finish. If I change between active low and active high on the Digit Trig value on the Output Signals page I can hear the relay on the breakoutboard click.

With my previous breakout board I used a 36V power supply. Could the voltage difference affect the function of the relay?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Tomi

[TomiY]

I am answering myself.

I managed to sort out the spindle on/off issue. After reading a wonderfully simple setup instruction for another breakoutboard I configured the output #1 on the Output signals page to port 1 and pin 14. That made the relay click once g code was started and click again on finish. So that was a step in the right direction. But still no spindle action. Once again I jumped into an easy to understand tutorial on relays and read that that relay output has two possibilities for wiring, NO and NS, normally open and normally closed. Turned out mine was wired in the NO position and switching this to NC and adjusting the Active low/high setting of the output #1 in Mach 3 now has my spindle turn on and off as wanted.

But one new issue has arised. I found out that I need to push the Reset button after finishing each loaded g code. After finishing g code my xyz axis will not respond to input unless I press the Reset button. Nor am I able to run the same code repeatedly without pushing Reset in between. Why is this? Before the system and controller failure I could move on to the next set of code without touching the Reset button and move all axis as well.