[clickbangboom]

Hi Everyone,

I'm new to this forum. Thanks in advance for your expertise!

I am working on my first CNC build. It is a 2'x4' 8020 DIY machine with 3x Nema 23 380 oz-in steppers from cncrouterparts run by a Gecko G540. I purchased cncrouterparts' Nema 23 "3-axis electronics kit" which includes:

48V 7.3A switching power supply
Gecko G540 4 axis stepper motor driver
3 High-torque Nema 23 380 oz-in stepper motors (OEMOTOR 57BYGH433-06BS)
3 High-performance flexible motor cables: (1) 6'and (2) 12' cables

I have the latest version of Mach3 installed on Windows XP. Mach3 has the xml file provided by cncrouterparts for my specific motors loaded. I have the charge pump set to off on the G540 because otherwise it stays in fault. I have achieved movement on all axes.

I had some issues with the scale of the movements at first (g00 x1 would produce only a half a unit movement). I fixed this by doubling the "steps per" in the motor tuning. Now it runs so 1" in the gcode is 1" in real life.

After solving this problem I was excited to make my maiden cut. I started the router and ran the gcode (created in Aspire, exported for Mach 2/3) and it cut about ten of the holes before the G540 faulted. It faults whether or not the router is on, I have tried separating the components to different outlets in my studio and have the same problem. (I don't really know how sound the wiring is in this old building and I'm no electrician.)

I have run a variety of files from Aspire and the G540 faults at various points every time. What am I missing??? What else should I check? The only thing I haven't been able to test is the parallel cable from the G540 to the computer because I don't have a replacement laying around. Could this be it?

Please help me solve this so I can move on to playing with my awesome new router.

Thanks,

Logan

loganbeck.com

[clickbangboom]

A few other things I forgot as I typed my post bleary-eyed last night: I have jumpered the estop because I don't have one yet and I haven't installed my limit switches yet. Every time the G540 faulted it was when the z-axis hit 0. I am using stranded 16 AWG cable for the connection between the power supply and the G540. This is just regular unshielded wire. Mach3 is running at 35000Hz. I have tested it with both EPP and ECP bios.

Let me know if there is anything else I need to be looking at to troubleshoot this problem.

Thanks!

[clickbangboom]

Replaced the DB25 Parallel cable to computer and the power cable from power supply. No luck. Again it stopped when the z reached 0, this time on a different cut.

My X and Y motors are set to 3818 Steps per/ 100.02 Velocity / 20 acceleration / 5 step pulse / 5 dir pulse.
Z is set to 4000 with the same on everything else.

Help!!

[clickbangboom]

Switched back to EPP in BIOS after swapping the cables and got a couple good runs out of it. Let's see if it sticks.

[clickbangboom]

Still getting faults shortly after start up. Anyone else having this issue? It almost seems like the G540 has to warm up before it works properly.

[clickbangboom]

Got the machine working consistently and cutting true. Happy about having her up and running. Finished a vacuum hold down bed yesterday. Here is a picture. I have a dust shoe cut, waiting on the brush strip to arrive. Still have some cable management to do and have to build a box for the electronics.

Attachment 212634

[Beepe_mike]

I am having all the same problems as you with the same cncrouterparts kit. What was the fix?

[Mokra]

I would be curious to hear youre fix as well. It seems like my machine needs to sit and warm up a little to before i can start jogging it. I have the CNCrouterparts Pro4848. I did not buy the G540 box. I made my own from a previous machine i built. I would be curios to see pictures of the CNCrouterparts G540 box. Any ways seems like there are always little gremlins in these due to my error or that is the way they are. Still loving my machine. Been cutting carbon fiber, wood, and Aluminum. Aluminum is tough. It is a 7075 grade and the machine chatters. Cant find a sweet spot.