Gecko G320x Acorn

[Hmaxey]

Got the Acorn to upgrade a Mach 3/Ethernet smooth stepper 3 axis mill conversion I did a few years ago. I had Mach 3 running with 3 Gecko G320x servo drives. On the Ethernet smooth stepper I had the step\dir wire hooked up and set in the menu and then the common went to the ground pin. I thought that it would be a simple swap over to the acorn, but I'm having some trouble. I swapped the Acorn into the mill and hooked the Estop and the the step, dir, and com wires from the 320x to the acorn. I followed the steps from the videos in setting up the software and bench testing the acorn. The servo drives are still working correctly (the motors are locked on power up), but I don't get any motion when I jog the axis. There aren't any wiring diagrams that specifically reference the 320x which makes me think I have something wired incorrectly, but I'm not sure where to start. Has anyone got these drives working with the Acorn yet, or a diagram on how they should be wired?


Link to drives(http://www.geckodrive.com/geckodrive-br ... g320x.html)

[martyscncgarage]

Got the Acorn to upgrade a Mach 3/Ethernet smooth stepper 3 axis mill conversion I did a few years ago. I had Mach 3 running with 3 Gecko G320x servo drives. On the Ethernet smooth stepper I had the step\dir wire hooked up and set in the menu and then the common went to the ground pin. I thought that it would be a simple swap over to the acorn, but I'm having some trouble. I swapped the Acorn into the mill and hooked the Estop and the the step, dir, and com wires from the 320x to the acorn. I followed the steps from the videos in setting up the software and bench testing the acorn. The servo drives are still working correctly (the motors are locked on power up), but I don't get any motion when I jog the axis. There aren't any wiring diagrams that specifically reference the 320x which makes me think I have something wired incorrectly, but I'm not sure where to start. Has anyone got these drives working with the Acorn yet, or a diagram on how they should be wired?


Link to drives(http://www.geckodrive.com/geckodrive-br ... g320x.html)

Are you using the Error/Reset pin?
How is the drive set up? Which schematic did you use?
From the G320X Manual ( http://www.geckodrive.com/support/motor ... ev-10.html )
How do you have this pin fed:
"TERMINAL 12 S/D Common
Connect this terminal to either +5VDC or signal ground."
It sounds like you have ground on the pin, you may have to feed it with +5VDC.

Let us know

Marty

[Hmaxey]

I have the err/reset pin jumpered to the 5vdc for the encoder from the drive itself. I never used the error pin before, so I left it jumpered out. I am using the schematic for the Gecko 203, with the exception that I don't have the Enable hooked up. The step dir and com are all as they are shown in the schematic. Terminal 12 is wired to the com port on the acorn on the same terminals as the step and direction. Do you think I need to wire it similar to the 201 schematic with the +5vdc power supply to the common on the drive , and the common to the 24vdc common?

[andyolney]

Hmaxey -
I have some geckodrive G320s running so that the step and direction lines are wired like the G201 schematic (Drawing S14089). Basically give the "common" 5 vdc and run the step and direction lines to the acorn. The "common" nomenclature has been a source of confusion for me since the term is often used for the ground connection.

I think the G320x "common" can be signal ground or 5 vdc, the original G320 has to be 5 vdc. I am guessing you have to invert the signal on the Acorn if you use signal ground. I have an old G320 in the system and have not tried the signal ground.

Note that the error reset pin is intended to work like a latched relay where you give it a momentary 5 volts (5 seconds) and then remove power. The pin then outputs 5 volts until pulled low by a fault or a momentary grounding.

Hope this makes sense.

Andy

[martyscncgarage]

I have the err/reset pin jumpered to the 5vdc for the encoder from the drive itself. I never used the error pin before, so I left it jumpered out. I am using the schematic for the Gecko 203, with the exception that I don't have the Enable hooked up. The step dir and com are all as they are shown in the schematic. Terminal 12 is wired to the com port on the acorn on the same terminals as the step and direction. Do you think I need to wire it similar to the 201 schematic with the +5vdc power supply to the common on the drive , and the common to the 24vdc common?

I am in agreement with Andy. You need to provide +5VDC to the Common pin. Yes use the G201 Schematic

As for the ERROR/RESET Pin, I think I would use it as a fault output and tie them to input 5. It might be a good idea to use blocking diodes on them for good measure.(Bold italicized section below). For now, follow the underlined section below.

ERROR / RESET PIN
This terminal functions as an ERROR output and as a RESET input. Because this terminal functions as both an input and an output,
some detailed description is necessary.

When first testing the G320X, ERR/RES (Terminal 5) was connected to ENC+ (term. 7). It can be left that way if it is not necessary
to read the state of the ERROR output. Otherwise, the following details are important.

The ERROR output is latched in the “ERROR” state (Terminal 5 = “0”) by the power-on reset circuitry in the G320X. It will stay in this
state indefinitely until it is cleared by applying +5V to this terminal for at least 1 second.

The voltage on this terminal is +5VDC when the G320X is functioning normally. The voltage on this terminal goes to 0VDC
whenever the FAULT indicator is lit. This output can be used to signal your controller that an error has occurred.

Normally when the G320X is first powered up, it will be necessary to push the momentary switch to START for 1 second. This will
clear the power-on reset condition and extinguish the FAULT LED. The motor will then be enabled and the drive will begin to
operate. If at any time after that a condition occurs that causes the G320X to “FAULT out”, such as not being able to complete a
step command, the ERR/RES terminal will go to “0”, signaling to the controller an error has occurred. This will require the operator
to correct the problem that caused the FAULT and then push the switch to “START” for 1 second to re-enable the G320X.

At anytime the operator can push the switch to the “STOP” position to immediately halt the G320X drive. Anytime the G320X is in
the “FAULT” state (FAULT LED lit), all switching action stops, the motor freewheels and is unpowered.

[andyolney]

Marty, All -
While on the subject of the geckodrive g320,
I would like to tie the error signal into the Acorn and am not sure how to do it.

I think that the inputs are at 24 vdc as I am set up now and change state when grounded.

Is there a way to hook this up in a simple way other than some transistor switch or mechanical relay?

The signal is generated in the G320 and has a very limited amperage, so a relay may not work. It seems like I have enough Electronics knowledge to breadboard a transistor switch but not enough to have it work in actual practice.

Andy

[martyscncgarage]

Marty, All -
While on the subject of the geckodrive g320,
I would like to tie the error signal into the Acorn and am not sure how to do it.

I think that the inputs are at 24 vdc as I am set up now and change state when grounded.

Is there a way to hook this up in a simple way other than some transistor switch or mechanical relay?

The signal is generated in the G320 and has a very limited amperage, so a relay may not work. It seems like I have enough Electronics knowledge to breadboard a transistor switch but not enough to have it work in actual practice.

Andy

Andy, that's a good question. My first reaction would be use a small optocoupler relay, it uses "trigger" voltage, in your case 0 VDC RESET terminal from the G320. They can be set to trigger on a high or a low input. You feed 5VDC from a power supply to it, then your trigger voltage. The trigger voltage does not energize the coil of the relay, the 5VDC power supply does. Here is an example. They do make them in 4 channel boards if you wanted to connect one relay to each of your drive outputs. I would think you could get by with one if you put a blocking diode on each drive.

The contact side would just ground Input 5 on Acorn
Let see if you get anymore input....

http://a.co/ini1xCz

[andyolney]

That looks like it might work and is certainly cheap enough. Thanks for the idea.

Andy

[Jr914]

Andy are you getting any movement when jogging? This was mention in your first post.

John

[andyolney]

John -

I am not the first poster, but yes my G320 setup works fine, jogs, and runs a program.

Andy