HELP! Motors "lock" when going reverse/backwards (negative)!

[Jannes20]

This is my first CNC experience and I'm having trouble.

BTW, I use a CNC router machine 3020

Whenever I try to jog the motors (XYZ) forward, it works fine, but when going reverse (negative) it moves for about a second then it seems like it "locks" then it doesn't move at all.

One time I got Z and X to move both forward and backward but when I tried moving Y, nothing happened, then X and Z won't move at all anymore. I restarted Mach3 and the machine and it"s back to it's old problem - "locking' when going reverse.

Then, I got XY and Z to move both forwards and backwards (reverse/negative movement). But they still "lock" sometimes and I press random jog buttons to find which one works because when I find which one works, I press that button then everything works fine again, until one "locks" It only locks going reverse or backwards.

Oh and whenever they "lock", the red LEDs inside the controller light up, and they stay lit until I "unlock" the motor by pressing random jog buttons. Normally, the red LEDs blink when there is motor movement but it flashes off once the motor stops. But when it "locks", it just stays on until the motor resumes movement or "unlocks" then it starts blinking again.

My machine is a moody one.

Is there a problem with my settings?

(in mm)
--Pins
Port 1, 0x378 (according to my system)
X axis - Step Pin 2, Dir Pin 3 (Dir Low) (Step Low Active) Pin 1, Port 1
Y axis - Step Pin 4, Dir Pin 5 (Dir Low) (Step Low Active) Pin 1, Port 1
Z axis - Step Pin 6, Dir Pin 7 (Dir Low) (Step Low Active) Pin 1, Port 1

Probe Port 1, Pin 15, (Active Low) - not sure about this one though
Estop Port 1, Pin 10, (Active Low)
Enable1 Port 1, Pin 14

--Spindle Setup
Disable Flood/Mist relays checked

Motor Control
Use spindle Motor output checked
Step/Dir Motor checked
PWM base Freq. 5
PWM Min 0%

--Motor Tuning
X Axis Steps Per 200, Velocity 2000, Acc 200, Step Pulse 3, Dir Pulse 1
Y Axis Steps Per 200, Velocity 2000, Acc 200, Step Pulse 3, Dir Pulse 1
Z Axis Steps Per 200, Velocity 800, Acc 150, Step Pulse 3, Dir Pulse 1

Whenever I enable Charge Pump (since some threads say that when they turn it on, the motors work), the motors only move forwards and "lock" when going backwards. But when it is off, the X axis can move forwards and backwards with minimal locking, but the Z and Y motors still lock.



Any ideas? I really need this to work

[bradm]

Jannes, this forum is for people that have built, or are building MechMates, not for general CNC support. You might try CNCZone.

As a basic rule, if you have movement followed by a problem, you should reduce your Velocity and Acceleration until you get reliable movement, then gradually raise them and try to isolate what the issue is.

[Jannes20]

Yea i realized too late I didnt know how to delete it so I just left it here sorry!!

Thanks for the reply though! The fellas over at cnczone werent that much help so I was desperate to look for another forum and stumled across this, and out of desperation i posted without knowing the purpose of this forum. Sorry again!