No step and direction signal?

[Hbjj1]

Hi guys I need some help getting my conversation going
Basically I can't get any motion

I have acorn rev 4
Mill 4.5
Gecko 203v
I'm using the gecko 203 schematic
I can't find anything on the steppers I think there nema 34 size they are old 4 wire
The geckos and the steppers are from the original mach3 system that was on the machine that did work all three axis ran fine when I could get mach3 to work
(It was a horrible mess)

Currently I have communication with acorn
I have a working estop
I have vfd spindle control in mill 4.5
I have working limit switches
The geckos are providing holding current to the motors and the lights are green

When I power up acorn I have the blue heartbeat when I clear the estop and press cycle start the 3 red leds for the screw treminal step and direction outputs turn green
When I jog a axis the dro starts counting

But no motion

I have checked the continuity of the wires and all is well

Is there any way to check the step and direction outputs on acorn?

[Gary Campbell]

You won't need to check the system. Try a newer gecko schematic that connects to the DB25 header, not the screw terminals. Make sure step pulse is set to 100k.

For the vast majority of drives, steppers will connect to the DB25, servos connect to the screw terminals

[Hbjj1]

Yes my pulse is 100k

would i need a DB25 breakout board as my drives are screw terminal?

[Gary Campbell]

Yes, you will need a DB25 breakout

[Hbjj1]

I guess I could go that way if I have to

The axis configuration clearly shows that the screw terminals are the output not the db25

I feel like I'm missing something here
Is there some software setting or I/O setting that's keeping acorn from outputting step and direction?

[Gary Campbell]

Yes, the 5v line drive signals that the geckos and most other stepper drives require is only available on the DB25. The screw terminals are open collector

[Hbjj1]

Ok that's interesting
I new to this stuff so I thank you for your help and patience
I thought acorn could drive geckos from the screw terminals. Wierd

[Hbjj1]

Is this the way to drive geckos from acorn then?

And would i need to change anything in axis configuration ect?

[Richards]

The G203v drives that you are using must have the Common signal connected to GND. The Step signal is pulsed HIGH and then LOW for each step. The Direction signal is HIGH for one direction and LOW for the other direction. So, when using the DB-25 breakout board, connect the Step and Direction terminals on the G203v to the Step and Direction pins on the DB-25. Connect the Common on the DB-25 breakout board to one of the GND signals on the DB-25, or to GND on the power supply.

I have used G203v drivers on my test bench with excellent results, both with a DB25 breakout board and when wired directly to the "servo" connectors on the Acorn. When wired directly to the Hx connectors, I had to use a 2.2K 2W resistor on each Step and each Direction line to reduce the current from the Acorn to 10mA. The G203v driver uses an internal opto-coupler that uses a common GND for several of its input signals. That's why you must connect the Common on the G203v driver to GND. On my Leadshine drivers, each signal has its own opto-coupler. That's why the Leadshine drives can be used with either a 5VDC Common or with a GND common.

[Hbjj1]

Yes I have com on the geckos connected to com on the acorn
Where would the resistor go exactly?
From step to com or from set to direction or?