Parallel cable does not work - all the cores are not present
 

Can anyone please tell me why it does not work when I try to use this extention? When I use regular cable it is ok. But when I the one in the photo it is different. I wanted to make some drilling to locate the xtention on the side of the control box and then plug the cable to it from computer.

If it is easy to do, I would try a different cable. If it is not, you might take your ohm meter and check continuity on each of the wires in this cable.

Alternately, but unlikely, th buffer/drivers in your board might not be 'strong enough' to drive the extra length of cable.

Personally, I would try a different cable first. Possibly one from a computer in your office that does not need an external printer port!

Take care. ...

look here too

Purchasing a good Parallel port cable

What do you mean by "does not work"? Is there absolutely no life in your PMDX, or do some functions work?

Or, are you picking up intereference?

Is that cable supplied by PMDX? If not, the polarity of the connectors may be wrong (pin 1 on the wrong side of the connector)

Sorry for missconduct, it is wierd cause when I use the ribbon the way I think it should be namely pin one on the ribbon with the pin one corresponding to the one on the board then the light of E-stop comes up. Although it is not pressd and what is more I cant reset it. Whereas when I turn the ribbon over then the reset in mach is not flashing but the light on the board associated with E-stop is on. I am using J8 on the board pins 5 and 6 for supplying power to the board. I checked with a meter and it showed 10 VAC.

Martin,

I made my own cable by buying the ribbon cable and connector ends at Skycraft. I cut the ribbon the size I needed, attached the male and female connectors and it works.

I believe it is a 1 to 1 relation. You need to do a check and I followed the pin 1 location thought I don't think it matters since it is 1 to 1.

I just checked that extention that I have with a meter for continuity and it seems to be ok.

Thank you all for help, the problem is with the cable. There is not enough wires inside. It is 25 pin socket but there is only 15 wires. Need to get a new one.

Martin,
A lot of printer cables are like that as well as printer extension cables. You need a full house shielded cable (1 to 1 straight through) for CNC use. Especially the cheap ones. :)

Martin we actually make our PP cables - we get 20 core (bcos many of the pins are just short) 0.25mm-sq shielded cable which we solder on to the DB25 connectors.

chk the resistance between pins before you buy the cable - should be like 0.1 to 0.3 OHM, not like 2 or greater.

RGDS
IRfan