On Jan 18, 2024, at 1:46?PM, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

?

John,

I just tried changing the jumpers JP4 and that didn’t make any difference. I then change the jumper on JP3 and again no improvement.?

When I say changed, I’m talking about changing them from the default configuration. ?

For some reason, although I’m getting the proper voltages on the parallel port pins, they don’t seem to be having any effect on the PMDX board?

Chuck?

-sent from my iphone --

On Jan 18, 2024, at 12:28?PM, John Dammeyer <johnd@...> wrote:

?

Hi Chuck,

On my PMDX_125 and 126 it’s possible to jumper or disable the need for the charge pump.? To remove one more variable I’d disable that.?

Once disabled see if the direction signals into the PMDX-122 are changing to the appropriate Gecko.? I’m assuming the Gecko enable is working because you said your motors were locked.

John

?

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chuck Kahler
Sent: January 18, 2024 12:19 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MachCNC] Mach3 mill stopped in the middle of a job.

?

I’m still chasing gremlins, but I have some more information that may generate some new ideas.

?

There have been a lot of inputs so far and I have addressed them with no joy.?

so here is where I am currently.

Summary:

?

I have a PDMX- 122 and Gecko drivers on my Table top TAIG 4 axis milling machine. Using MACH3.?

?

It’s been running fine for years and then all of a sudden in the middle of a job it stopped.

?

I checked the voltages for the direction pins on the XYZ axis And they each registered 3.5 V and 0.2V when checking the direction pins.

Does this voltage sound correct?

?

I also checked the voltage on the charge pump, and it registered the same.

although I am getting these voltages coming out of the parallel port cable, I am not getting any voltage on the PMDX – 122 board itself. When I try to move an axis.?

?

?

From everything I’ve checked so far the problem appears to be either in the PDMX – 122 board itself or some setting in MACH3 that is not set properly.?

?

Is there a way I can troubleshoot this board??

I have tried the PMDX forum, but it appears to be having a problem currently.?

any additional help would be greatly appreciated,

?thanks,

Chuck?

?

?

-sent from my iphone --

?

Hi Chuck,

On my PMDX_125 and 126 it’s possible to jumper or disable the need for the charge pump.? To remove one more variable I’d disable that.?

Once disabled see if the direction signals into the PMDX-122 are changing to the appropriate Gecko.? I’m assuming the Gecko enable is working because you said your motors were locked.

John

?

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Chuck Kahler
Sent: January 18, 2024 12:19 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MachCNC] Mach3 mill stopped in the middle of a job.

?

I’m still chasing gremlins, but I have some more information that may generate some new ideas.

?

There have been a lot of inputs so far and I have addressed them with no joy.?

so here is where I am currently.

Summary:

?

I have a PDMX- 122 and Gecko drivers on my Table top TAIG 4 axis milling machine. Using MACH3.?

?

It’s been running fine for years and then all of a sudden in the middle of a job it stopped.

?

I checked the voltages for the direction pins on the XYZ axis And they each registered 3.5 V and 0.2V when checking the direction pins.

Does this voltage sound correct?

?

I also checked the voltage on the charge pump, and it registered the same.

although I am getting these voltages coming out of the parallel port cable, I am not getting any voltage on the PMDX – 122 board itself. When I try to move an axis.?

?

?

From everything I’ve checked so far the problem appears to be either in the PDMX – 122 board itself or some setting in MACH3 that is not set properly.?

?

Is there a way I can troubleshoot this board??

I have tried the PMDX forum, but it appears to be having a problem currently.?

any additional help would be greatly appreciated,

?thanks,

Chuck?

?

?

I’m still chasing gremlins, but I have some more information that may generate some new ideas.

?

There have been a lot of inputs so far and I have addressed them with no joy.?

so here is where I am currently.

Summary:

?

I have a PDMX- 122 and Gecko drivers on my Table top TAIG 4 axis milling machine. Using MACH3.?

?

It’s been running fine for years and then all of a sudden in the middle of a job it stopped.

?

I checked the voltages for the direction pins on the XYZ axis And they each registered 3.5 V and 0.2V when checking the direction pins.

Does this voltage sound correct?

?

I also checked the voltage on the charge pump, and it registered the same.

although I am getting these voltages coming out of the parallel port cable, I am not getting any voltage on the PMDX – 122 board itself. When I try to move an axis.?

?

?

From everything I’ve checked so far the problem appears to be either in the PDMX – 122 board itself or some setting in MACH3 that is not set properly.?

?

Is there a way I can troubleshoot this board??

I have tried the PMDX forum, but it appears to be having a problem currently.?

any additional help would be greatly appreciated,

?thanks,

Chuck?

?

On 16 Jan 2024, at 2:13?pm, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

?Peter,

You were right on relative to the spindle configuration Mist enable.?

So that explains the flashing light on output #4 ?even though I did not have it enabled in the output table. ?

The output assignments all look good.

Other than the XYZ&A Motor assignments. The only other output I have is the Charge pump.?

The strange thing is, this mill has been running fine for years and then, right in the middle of the job, it decided to quit. But for some reason it decided to work for one afternoon after I did some playing around with the configuration and then the next day I was back to the same problem. , i.e no axis movement when commanded, ?only DRO changing.?

Thank you Peter for your input.

Chuck

-sent from my iphone --

On Jan 15, 2024, at 6:17?PM, Peter Homann <groups@...> wrote:

?Hi Chuck,

A couple of things to check.?

1. Have a look at the spindle configuration tab. See if the mist is enabled and if so what output it is assigned to.?

B

2. Check the configuration for the pin assignments for all the output items and the axis outputs. Confirm that there are no double assignments.?

Cheers?

Peter Homann - (from my mobile)

http://www.homanndesigns.com

On 16 Jan 2024, at 12:16?pm, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

?

<IMG_8985.jpeg>

<IMG_8984.jpeg>

Well guys, I had it working for one milling job and the next day I went to do some work milling and I’m back to the same problem. i.e., on command, the axis do not move, although the DRO moves.?

the thing that is really strange is if I go into the diagnostics and I click on the Mist i’ll put number four lights up. See attached photos.

?

As you can see in the output chart put number four has no pins or port.?

any ideas what’s going on especially considering I had it working yesterday?

thanks,

Chuck

-sent from my iphone --

?Hi Chuck,

A couple of things to check.?

1. Have a look at the spindle configuration tab. See if the mist is enabled and if so what output it is assigned to.?

B

2. Check the configuration for the pin assignments for all the output items and the axis outputs. Confirm that there are no double assignments.?

Cheers?

Peter Homann - (from my mobile)

http://www.homanndesigns.com

On 16 Jan 2024, at 12:16?pm, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

?

<IMG_8985.jpeg>

<IMG_8984.jpeg>

Well guys, I had it working for one milling job and the next day I went to do some work milling and I’m back to the same problem. i.e., on command, the axis do not move, although the DRO moves.?

the thing that is really strange is if I go into the diagnostics and I click on the Mist i’ll put number four lights up. See attached photos.

?

As you can see in the output chart put number four has no pins or port.?

any ideas what’s going on especially considering I had it working yesterday?

thanks,

Chuck

On 16 Jan 2024, at 12:16?pm, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

?

<IMG_8985.jpeg>

<IMG_8984.jpeg>

Well guys, I had it working for one milling job and the next day I went to do some work milling and I’m back to the same problem. i.e., on command, the axis do not move, although the DRO moves.?

the thing that is really strange is if I go into the diagnostics and I click on the Mist i’ll put number four lights up. See attached photos.

?

As you can see in the output chart put number four has no pins or port.?

any ideas what’s going on especially considering I had it working yesterday?

thanks,

Chuck

?

-sent from my iphone --

?

And have you checked that the parallel port is the correct setting, EPP or whatever, can't remember..

Also, try one of those simple apps like Parport, which allows you to look at the port pins independent of Mach

Roland

On Sun, 14 Jan 2024 at 05:03, Chuck Kahler <chuck767@...> wrote:

According to the device manager, the port is working properly.

Not sure where, in Mach3, I can see what port it is connected to. ?

Anybody have any guidance on where I would find within Mach3 what port it is connected to?

-sent from my iphone --

On Jan 13, 2024, at 1:32?PM, Shawn Olson <Shawnolson@...> wrote:

?

Have you checked to make sure mach3 is connected to the right port?

And in device manager of your computer the ports are working and not showing a fault??

?

I've had this happen.

It was several years ago so well have to dig into archived memories might take a bit.?

But I'm sure it's a setting in mach3 it's a check box or something like that.....

Pretty sure it's in the stepper tab settings,? hopefully this sparks someone's memory or even mine.?

?Good luck!?

Bertho

Thanks for your input.?

I currently cannot get the machine to do anything. I can command the axis to move, but nothing happens even though the DRO moves. ?

I have reinstalled Mach3 and tried a different, identical controller, it was a spare, and that didn’t help.?

So I’m at a ?loss as to what is going on ?

Chuck?

Bertho

-sent from my iphone --

On Jan 13, 2024, at 3:57?AM, Bertho <boman33@...> wrote:

?

I missed the beginning of the thread and it looks like you got many suggestions.

Before trying everything, try to isolate the problem:

Is Mach3 starting up and look normal? Can you load an old known good program and run it?? The X_Y_Z should be changing even if the hardware is dead.

If OK, look at that status LEDs. Turn air or coolant on and off. The LEDs should change.

If OK, check the matching pin on your printer port.

If OK, check the matching pin on your interface card if one is used.

Does the air/gas turn on off?

Check status LEDs for limit switches and test that they work.

Good luck!

Bertho

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Chuck Kahler
Sent: 13 January, 2024 5:46
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MachCNC] Mach3 mill stopped in the middle of a job.

?

Martin,

Thank you for the detailed response,?

?

I will do what you suggest and report back to the group.?

?

Thank you again,

Chuck

-sent from my iphone --

?

?

On Jan 12, 2024, at 11:59?PM, Martin Connelly <martin.at.leasingham@...> wrote:

?There can be random errors introduced into hard disks files that some people attribute to cosmic rays. I know this sounds a bit conspiracy theory and though it is rare it does happen. Also hard disks do not last forever. So there is a possibility that one of your Mach3 files has been corrupted and so it may be worth renaming the current Mach3 folder something like oldmach3 and reinstalling Mach3 to see if that gets it to work again. If it does then it should be a case of copying over the configuration file, license file and part files and carrying on. If it does not work you can delete the new Mach3 folder and put the name of the oldmach3 folder back to Mach3. I personally keep a backup copy of my Mach3 folder on a separate machine and a USB stick just so I can replace it if I suspect the working one has been corrupted. If the parallel port is the fault then you may have to go down the route of either a USB port controller or a network port controller. I use laptops without issues having set them up to never shut down when external power is on, I think it was just a case of setting them up to act like a desktop.

Martin C

?

According to the device manager, the port is working properly.

-sent from my iphone --

?

Have you checked to make sure mach3 is connected to the right port?

And in device manager of your computer the ports are working and not showing a fault??

?

I've had this happen.

It was several years ago so well have to dig into archived memories might take a bit.?

But I'm sure it's a setting in mach3 it's a check box or something like that.....

Pretty sure it's in the stepper tab settings,? hopefully this sparks someone's memory or even mine.?

?Good luck!?

Bertho

Thanks for your input.?

I currently cannot get the machine to do anything. I can command the axis to move, but nothing happens even though the DRO moves. ?

I have reinstalled Mach3 and tried a different, identical controller, it was a spare, and that didn’t help.?

So I’m at a ?loss as to what is going on ?

Chuck?

Bertho

-sent from my iphone --

On Jan 13, 2024, at 3:57?AM, Bertho <boman33@...> wrote:

?

I missed the beginning of the thread and it looks like you got many suggestions.

Before trying everything, try to isolate the problem:

Is Mach3 starting up and look normal? Can you load an old known good program and run it?? The X_Y_Z should be changing even if the hardware is dead.

If OK, look at that status LEDs. Turn air or coolant on and off. The LEDs should change.

If OK, check the matching pin on your printer port.

If OK, check the matching pin on your interface card if one is used.

Does the air/gas turn on off?

Check status LEDs for limit switches and test that they work.

Good luck!

Bertho

?

From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Chuck Kahler
Sent: 13 January, 2024 5:46
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [MachCNC] Mach3 mill stopped in the middle of a job.

?

Martin,

Thank you for the detailed response,?

?

I will do what you suggest and report back to the group.?

?

Thank you again,

Chuck

-sent from my iphone --

?

?

On Jan 12, 2024, at 11:59?PM, Martin Connelly <martin.at.leasingham@...> wrote:

?There can be random errors introduced into hard disks files that some people attribute to cosmic rays. I know this sounds a bit conspiracy theory and though it is rare it does happen. Also hard disks do not last forever. So there is a possibility that one of your Mach3 files has been corrupted and so it may be worth renaming the current Mach3 folder something like oldmach3 and reinstalling Mach3 to see if that gets it to work again. If it does then it should be a case of copying over the configuration file, license file and part files and carrying on. If it does not work you can delete the new Mach3 folder and put the name of the oldmach3 folder back to Mach3. I personally keep a backup copy of my Mach3 folder on a separate machine and a USB stick just so I can replace it if I suspect the working one has been corrupted. If the parallel port is the fault then you may have to go down the route of either a USB port controller or a network port controller. I use laptops without issues having set them up to never shut down when external power is on, I think it was just a case of setting them up to act like a desktop.

Martin C

You could try one of these, not sure if Mach3 will recognize it though....