Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Hello!

I've got my acorn up and running following the guide for the clearpath CNC4PC wiring diagram.

I happen to notice that nothing seems to use the 5V output of the included power supply.

Do I need the 5V output for anything? I am using a more industrial grade 24V power supply for some other components and am wondering if I can just use that as well in place of the included one?

Thanks!

Power supply i'm using (for reference, not affiliated)
https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/sh ... psv24-120s
I'm running some switches, a servo brake, and the power4Hub from teknic on it. I want to know if also acorn okie-dokie

The Version 3 Acorn, when used with the external relay board, needed 5VDC. The Version 4 board generates 5vdc onboard. I DO NOT. Use 5VDC with my Version 4 Acorns.

It's pretty convenient for other 5v components. As an example , the new recommend clear path servo wiring diagram recommends the drives be connected to the 5v rail with some resistors, not the 24v one. That said , until that change was suggested, nothing in my system used 5v either.

That is a standard off the shelf power supply. Most of them have multiple voltages on them. I have some at work with 24v,12v,5v on the same one.

It's a bit questionable using a 5V / 24V PSU and only loading the 24V output. The 5V output is the "primary" regulated output and Meanwell recommends it be loaded at >10%. If you don't, your centre voltage, load regulation (and even line regulation) is likely to be pretty poor and certainly less than is specified - in a way that isn't actually defined. The magnetics are probably working in discontinuous mode below this minimum load. The fact that it "seems to work" is hardly a sound basis for doing this.

If Centroid are going to be shipping an Acorn that only uses 24V, I would suggest they should revert to a single output (24V) model.

I'm not sure what power level the Acorn PSU is but they pretty much all share the same requirement to provide a minimum load on the primary output. Here's the 50W dual output model - see the last part of "Note 3". https://www.meanwell.com/webapp/product ... prod=RD-50

RichMaple wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:02 pm the new recommend clear path servo wiring diagram recommends the drives be connected to the 5v rail with some resistors, not the 24v one.

The current clearpath wiring diagram recommends using the CNC4PC daughter board, which handles all that.
thread about running clearpath can be found here viewtopic.php?f=60&t=5531

I'm going to go ahead and use my industrial power supply, and shelve the included one for now.

Thanks guys!

rk9268vc wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 7:33 pm

RichMaple wrote: ↑Fri Jul 16, 2021 12:02 pm the new recommend clear path servo wiring diagram recommends the drives be connected to the 5v rail with some resistors, not the 24v one.

The current clearpath wiring diagram recommends using the CNC4PC daughter board, which handles all that.
thread about running clearpath can be found here viewtopic.php?f=60&t=5531

I'm going to go ahead and use my industrial power supply, and shelve the included one for now.

Thanks guys!

>>The current clearpath wiring diagram recommends using the CNC4PC daughter board, which handles all that

There are 2 suggested configurations, both listed on the first post in that thread you referenced. Totally fine and very convenient to use the CNC4PC but the other suggested config that they published a schematic for uses 5v. Just wanted to clear that up. I didn't see the need to use another product when I built my control unit and it was easy enough to change my reference voltage to 5v and use the new resistor value. Seems Centroid recommends either approach.
Either way, go for your industrial power supply! If you don't need 5v, you don't need 5v!

Its handy to have 5VDC. Centroid knows what they are doing. They would not ship a power supply with their Acorn's if it does not work.
5VDC is used on many drives logic input too.
My vote, leave it alone and trust Centroid
Marty