Greg, did you fit the current limiting resistors to the Gecko's? If not, you were giving your motors 7 amps.

Read from post #8 to #18 in this thread:
http://www.mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=164

Thanks Gerald,

For some stupid reason, I had in my head that the "vampire" did not require the resistor. I'll add the 12K ohm tonight and try again.

How do I check the motor for damaged? I'm afraid that if I just started the "cooking" process, the winding insulation may be 90%, or 80%, or 70%. At worst, I can switch to the other coil, but that housing got pretty hot.

Consider this my first tuition payment to the MechMate University.

Greg

It's the capacitor that's not required for the newer Gecko's. Resistor still needed.

Oh well, its OK to make mistakes, ONCE. :o Learn and move on.

Greg

Greg, if it doesn't smell like burnt toast it is still okay. Those motors can handle temps where spit will sizzle on them 100^oC [212^oF]

The current limit jumper setting (when motors idle) is removed from the G203V as well.

Gerald,

No burnt smell. My wife placed a table cloth down with a plastic top and it didn't melt.

Thanks for your input. I feel allot better now.

I'm also getting a kick out of the thread title changes.

I'll get the resistors today and try again. I'll also post pictures of my setup.

Greg

The one and only aspect of being rural and out in the back country that I dislike.

I have my simulator project (kitchen project) waiting on a penny part. I actually have to order 12K resistors via the internet.

Where would I be without technology ..... Hmmmm.

Got a Motor operating
 

WoooHoooo ... I've got one of the motors to turn. Just using a simple jog comand (up, down arrow on the key board). Nothing is over heating and everything seems fine. Its only one motor that moves (no matter if its the up/down or left/right arrow), but that's just my Mach3 configuration.

Let me clean up my simulation/test area and do some sunday chores, then I'll post pictures tonight.

Geeez, who'd think that making a shaft turn on a stepper motor would set you on cloud 9. :D

Greg

:):):):):)

Ports & pins, ports & pins . . . . . .

Ports and pins it was. You'll now have to change my thread title again to all motors operating.:)

I have X (only one until I figure out my driver issue), Y, and Z motors turning. I even have my E-stop getting back to Mach3. It was working before and shutting everything on the metal plate, but Mach3 was not recognizing it. It works now.

Here's my setup. Don't know why I used 4 E-stops. Only wired 2. I guess when your fabricating something, its just as easy to make 4, as it is 2.

Attachment 264

Attachment 265

Attachment 266

Cardboard under the motors now :)

I am fairly sure that you'll get that 4th drive working as well. Now that everything runs cool, you don't have to screw the Gecko to the heatsink for short tests. Plug it into another slot/motor and see what it does. But remember to switch off and let the power supply capacitors discharge before you fiddle with Gecko connectors.

Which box are you using? That white back panel with folded down edges is new to me. Nice edges, but don't know if there is enough space for circulating air with the stirring fan.

Not to sure about that Gecko. I've already switched out motors and BOB slots. I have an inquiry into the Geckodrive forum on Yahoo. Newbies have to wait for the moderator to scan for spamers.

As for the box, it's just a stock one from factorymation. I over sized it because my designs are always conservative. I still have not received the cooling fan. Factorymation had a long delivery, so I went with trusty McMaster. Didn't read the fine print and it also had a long delivery. It should arrive this week. I'm mounting the fan on top of the white plate, so if more space is required, I'll raise the aluminum heat sink.

While I'm learning Mach3 and trouble shooting the Gecko, I'll be fabricating the table. Now the fun really begins.

I'm so close to carving wood ... wait till you see what I create. :)

Greg

When you swop Gecko's, do you slip the whole row of connectors off the header pins (unplugging), or do you undo wires one by one? The reason I ask this is because there was a time when connectors had worked loose from the header pins due to repeated unplugging and replugging, but that was a vendor problem and Gecko have since found better quality. So, make sure you are not having a bad connection problem there. (Recently someone found that he hadn't stripped a wire back far enough and the insulation was......ahem, insulating.)

Well done Greg.

I should get my Gecko's today then I am not far behind you...cant wait for that steppermotor motion rush.

Gerald,

Excellent point !! On my Gecko and BOB connections, the conductors are all just striped bare wire. I took voltages across every tap and they matched the other drivers, but, I'll check again for proper installation. The final product will have all crimp-on pin connectors.


Alan,

I like that "steppermotor motion rush". Don't ever let the kid inside die :)

Be safe and have fun,
Greg

Have a look at this #7 post to see how the connectors pull off the Gecko - very quick to swop gecko's to faultfind. Turn off power first.

Thanks Gerald,

I'll troubleshoot tonight. This day job is getting in the way. :)

A sick Gecko it is
 

Shipping a Gecko back to the farm. I've tried switching motors, wires, BOB slots, ... what else ... oh, drivers, etc. and it still looks like I fried a Gecko. I wonder if there is a prize!! :D Don't you get something for killing a Vampire ;)

I've received some questions about items used for my simulations, so here's the item, part number and source.

Saginaw Enclosure Subpanel, SCE-24P20, Factorymation.com
Handle, Yellow/Red, KSH48RY, Factorymation.com
Mushroom Operator (twist-to-release), BCR, Factorymation.com

Just for the record, my wife may be the brains of the outfit, but, I'm doing all the work. :)

I apologize if I'm not suppling enough information. If ANYONE, has questions, or just wants to know what something is, please ask.

Oh, I've received some metal / steel for the table fabrication today. I'll start welding Friday night! I'm changing the design a little. The legs on my MechMate will not be Channels. I'm using 2 inch x 3 inch x .120 thk tubing. I'll weld a nut on the inside bottom plate for the adjustable foot. Then seal weld it for final. Its a work in progress, it may change again.

Greg

Greg, I am not handing out prizes for killing the G203V - I didn't even recommend that you use it! :)

Will you let us know what Geckodrives finds wrong with it?

Yes, as soon as I hear something from Gecko, I'll post.

Greg

Start of Base Table
 

Started tack welding my table. Don't think I'll need the 45 degree struts because of the 2 inch x 3 inch x .120 wall rectangular tubing I decided to go with. Should be plenty strong (10 inches of weld per connection). Well, the more I look at it, I might add them.

Gerald, (anyone) what's your point of view? I just don't have a good feel of the stresses (bending, shear, etc) a CNC machine generates.

Waiting on my C Channels that should arrive this Tuesday.

Attachment 275

Make sure you have the correct value for the Current limit resistor on the Gecko's They default to 7A with no resistor. Motors should not get too hot to touch. Sitting still they should just get slightly warm. How may volts on the Power supply?

Sorry, not Gerald or Mike but I use Gecko's on a daily basis so jumped in. I also know MACH3 very well.

tomCAUDLE

Thanks Tom,

I'll double check the current limiting resistor math. You never know!!

How are you progressing on your MechMate??

I've added the "gussets" to the table.
If nothing else, it looks cool (that's just me) :cool:

Attachment 278

Greg,

It does look cool. You are progressing nicely. I can see you are going to do a beautiful job. I hope to start welding in about a week. I can't wait. I am waiting for a bunch of laser cut brackets.

I like the box tube. I plan to use it as well. I am going to follow Kim Mortensen's lead and bolt it all together. I will post pictures as soon as I start.

Marc

If you are going to weld 10 inches per connection you are going to get some serious distortions - that is way too much welding that doesn't bring extra strength. A diagonal over a welded corner is MUCH better than a lot of welding in the corner. The diagonal can be much smaller tube - say 1"x1" in your case.

I hope you agree to the amount of welding specified for the gantry? :)

Think carefully about bolting box tube - how to stop it from crushing if a bolt goes right through.

Gerald, I plan to drill and tap 5-6mm wall. (Possibly weld nuts but more likely drill and tap)

Marc

5-6mm wall is very heavy stuff for box tubes and the biggest diam screws tapped into that wall is limited to about 6mm for full strength tightening. Welded nuts are needed for bigger screws.

Gerald, I appreciate the additional thought. (even if this is in the wrong thread) I have to make up my brackets first (when the parts arrive) so I have a little time to make a decision on whether to use box or channel for the leg. You keep me thinking and that is good.

Gerald,

Yes, you are correct on the welding. I'm thinking of "seal" welding the connections, so it should limit the heat and distortion. When I start the full weld up, I watch distortion carefully. May have to go with "plan B".

The gantry is strictly per the plans. :)

Thanks for the input.
Greg

When I was welding up the table, before I added the diagonals, I thought, "Wow. This thing is really rigid." But I could still detect some flex when I bumped it. However, when I added the diagonals in accordance with Gerald's plans, the table became as solid as a rock. I couldn't believe the difference they made. Gerald's a hell of a designer.

G203V update
 

Just received email from Gecko saying a package is on the way. Thats all the message said. Don't know if they are shipping a new one, or fixed the old one, or nothing was wrong. We'll see.