Acorn (CNC12 works at bench test) but motors don't move

[alice]

I have tried to do everything that every video (that I could possibly find) said to do (thanks Marty, Centroid, Franco, et.al.). But maybe I missed something or guessed wrong. I have completed the Acorn bench test (communications via ethernet does work). I have then connected 3 axes (X,Y,Z) and an Antek 77VDC (@20A) power supply and Stepperonline CL86Y closed loop drivers and their associated CL stepping motors. I have an EStop switch connected, but no limit switches yet (and none claimed in the wizard, I think). The CNC12 software comes up and I clear the reset and I can click it home to get the zeros in the onscreen DRO. The EStop will work and display the message in the dialog window. In fact everything seems to work on screen. But the motors do not turn. You can see my report file for more details (see attached). The shafts get tight (locked up) but never turn. I have stored pics on cloud at

https://c.gmx.com/@558210690720989861/m ... VulIJ1w3tA

I have check the wiring several time and even "beeped it out" with a meter. I also tried disconnecting H2 and running only the "Z" axis. That made no difference. I used the S15033-ACORN_rev4_STEPPERONLINE_CL86Y_Drive.pdf schematic but extended it for the additional Y and Z axes. I connected all of the drivers PU+, DR+ and MF+ terminals to the Acorns +24VDC and the PU-, DR- and MF- to the H2|3 terminals for step, direction and enables for all 3 axes. The Stepperonline manual does not actually say anything about "AC" or the other "AC" in their "High Voltage" connector. In section 3.2 it does talk about "GND" and "+V" and I caught a couple of instants on a video of those on a CL57Y that takes a DC power input so I put my -77VDC on their 1st terminal and my +77VDC on the second terminal. I did not ground the negative terminal since everything I could find (in various schematics) did NOT connect that (1st terminal, my -77VDC) to any GND or COMmon anywhere. Should I have connected that terminal to COMmon or earth ground (my backplate). I also assumed that the VCC and EGND signals from the Stepperonline CL86Y drivers (encoder lines from the motors) were for the drivers use only, so I only connected those to their respective DB9 connectors from the motors' encoders. BTW I have emailed to Stepperonline several times but have no reply yet. I bought 3 axes of stuff from them.

It makes me a bit nervous to run 24v from the optocouplers in the CL86Y drivers since that might pull a lot of current into those LEDs but the Centroid schematic (and various videos) showed it being done that way so, I guessed, it would be okay so that's what I have done.

It's a shame to have to guess at so much stuff. I hope somebody can help me get this brand new PM728VT that I recently bought running as a CNC mill. I have a 4th (A axis) sitting in a box but that can wait.

What do I need to do and|or what should I check ? The report.zip is attached and the pics are on the cloud for anyone to see.

Thanks in advance for your help.

BTW this is my 1st post so if I have done something wrong please advise me on that too.

[GBCues]

I know the supplied schematic by Centroid shows to use the H2 and H3 terminals, but the CL86Y manual indicates it will take 5-24 VDC inputs. Try wiring one driver (or one driver at a time) via the 5VDC inputs on the DB-25 connector and see if that makes a difference.
FWIW, I run CL57 drives. The Centroid schematic for them also shows using the 24 VDC inputs on H2 and H3, but I use the 5VDC inputs on the DB-25 connector with no problems at all.
HTH

[cnckeith]

disconnect the enable and try it.

[cnckeith]

you also are using a very old version of cnc12, free support for v4.18 has ended. Please update to the latest version v4.62

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... loads.html

[alice]

Okay, I installed 4.62.

It gave some weirdness, please see the attached pics. But basically it said I had no ethernet adapter... but I do. And I had set it to a static IP as was the Centroid instructions of 10.168.41.2 , never the less it installed and ran and connected to the Acorn (even though it said I had no adapter!). I just ignored the dialog message that popped up during the 4.62 setup. I.e. I did absolutely nothing since I had already given the 10.168.41.2 under the IPv4 properties for this adapter and it already was connecting with this Acorn board under the old version of CNC12.

I had never hooked up this Acorn board before. Yes I bought a while back (hence the older version) but we sold our house, moved interstate and I was sick for a while. Plus it took a long time to get this PM728VT mill and all the conversion stuff.

But I guess everything is okay with the version 4.62 install. (Since I had not used the Acorn until now I figured I may as well go ahead with 4.62)

I did not run the Wizard at that point I just did your other recommendation: to disconnect the enables on the axes. I disconnected the 3 wires from the enable terminals on H2 & H3.

Then I powered up the Acorn (e.al.)(got the 'heartbeat' on the BBG) and then the PC and then CNC12 V4.62. I immediately discovered the inverted polarity on the EStop (as shown in the dialog box) so I just pushed-in the EStop switch (cleared in the onscreen dialog box; opposite polarity ). I clicked "Reset Home" and the onscreen DRO all went to zeros.

Then I clicked the X+ jog button and the motor went burrrppp (I'm not sure how much it may have rotated but it made that "burrrppp" noise for a fraction of a second) then stoppped (forever, even if I tried X+ again). I then tried the Y+ jog and the same thing happened; identical. Then I tried the Z+ buttom and it rotated ! It is amazing how exciting it was just to see a shaft rotate! Then I tried the Z- jog and, low and behold it rotated opposite. Just by eye my estimate is about 1 second per rev.

So this brings me to even more questions :
1) was it because I installed 4.62 or was it because I disconnected the enables ? What's going on there ?
2) what about the X and Y axes (and will the Z be okay now) ? Whats the difference ? Is it in the setup ?
3) what next ? I looked at so many videos and read so many forums and blogs my eyeballs are tired. Please just tell me what to do next.

I watched a Centroid video (posted on YouTube about 5 months ago) and at the end it said 'more to follow' so I looked but found only Marty's 3Yr old video. Thanks Marty, but I'd seen that before. I have Stepperonline drivers, not Gecko 540's I'm using the Centroid schematic for the Stepperonline CL86Y drive. And BTW I DID look at the Gecko website about how they do the "motor power supply" and it is different (thus of no help) re. the CK86Y terminals labeled "AC" and "AC". I still don't have either grounded (and I'll stay that way unless an authority says otherwise).

Thanks for your help !

BTW (I am still connected at 24V, should I be running at 5V, and if so should that be from the DB25 connector or should I tie the drivers lines to the +5VDC on the Meanwell (+24&+5) supply (that came with the Acorn) ? What about something else, like 12VDC ?

[tblough]

Where it says None, click the down arrow snd select your ethernet adapter.

[cncsnw]

Your ethernet adapter might not appear in the drop-down list if it is not connected to something (like the Acorn board, powered up).

[alice]

I did click the down_arrow beside where it said "None" and no (zero) adapters showed up (even though the Windows networking settings shows it) .

It is true that: at that time the Acorn was not powered up. But, like I said, the Win settings... networking...devices showed the adapter just fine. In fact it was from there (with the "old" version of CNC12 running okay) that I had gone into the IPv4 properties and set the IP address and such.

Even though I ignored everything during the 4.62 setup having to do with that. It (the ethernet comms) still worked (connected and executed the CNC12 software & VCP) .

But I'm still stuck without motors running (at least not my X and Y axes) .

But thanks for the info

[Muzzer]

I haven't used steppers much but when I tried driving one with Acorn, I had the stepper frequency set too high, so it sat there and did nothing. I think that's a Wizard setting. Changing it to the lowest setting got things moving. So I concluded that the input circuit was too slow to handle the faster pulse frequency. I don't know what setting you have but I thought I'd point out my own experience - may be worth double checking.

[martyscncgarage]

First you have 4.62 loaded and the CNC PC is communicating to Acorn?
Go into the ADVANCED Tab of the Wizard and try and invert the ENAble. Check or UNcheck the box.

When you power up Acorn and RESET CNC12 are the motor rotors locked? Or are they free? Looks like you put it all together without doing basic bench testing?

(Did you do any of the testing on the bench FIRST or did you just go ahead and wire it up, install the motors on the machine etc?)
This bites more people in the behind. Always better to bench test Acorn, then install ONE drive and ONE motor and get it turning before moving forward.)

Marty