Can Clearpath SDSK & Hybrid Steppers be connected to C86ACCP ?

[jedmill67]

I'm upgrading from Mach3 to Acornsix. I have 3 Clearpath SDSK motors that drive the XYZ axis on my mill. I'm planning to add an umbrella style tool changer and 4th & 5th axis soon. I can't afford to buy 3 more Clearpaths to drive the tool changer carousel and 4th and 5th axis and so I am hoping to use 3 Hybrid Steppers for those. I want to use the C86ACCP board for the easy connection to the Clearpaths but can't see if there would be an issue connecting the other 3 Hybrid steppers to it. This is the Hybrid stepper motor and drive that I'm hoping to use for the other 3:

https://www.omc-stepperonline.com/tp-se ... 7t-p12-v41

Is this possible to connect these steppers to the C86ACCP board as well as the Clearpaths? If so, will the alarm fault function work too for the steppers?

Forgive me if this is a crazy idea. The steppers would have acceptable performance for my application and I really don't have the budget for more Clearpaths. Thanks in advance for any help before I purchase the C86ACCP board.

[Gary Campbell]

#1: The C86ACCP is not compatible with the AcornSIX

#2: Both your ClearPaths and steppers will connect directly to the AcornSIX via flying leads into the terminal blocks

#3: Most stepper alarms will work with AcornSIX

#4: Are you sure that those <200ozin steppers are suitable for your mill?

[jedmill67]

First of all, my apologies for not seeing your reply, I was checking the wrong place. Thank you for such a prompt reply.
I'm sorry, I meant the C86ACCP6, the new one designed for the Acornsix.

https://cnc4pc.com/c86accp-clearpath-bo ... -axis.html

As far as the motors, the one for the tool carousel will have a worm drive reduction and the other 2 will be driving 100:1 Harmonic drives. I'm going to order 1 and see how it preforms and move forward with the other 2 according to the results of the test, but I think they will have enough power.

[jedmill67]

Does anyone have any experience with the C86ACCP6 connecting Hybrid steppers? It seems like it would work as the Steppers have the same inputs as the clearpaths,8 connections in all:
Step+/-, Dir+/-, Enable+/-, Alarm+/-

Or is an additional board no longer needed to handle the HLFB from Clearpath with the design of the Acornsix like it was with the original Acorn. I am making my own cables for my Clearpaths so I'm happy to connect flying leads.

[tblough]

An additional board has never been needed with Acorn. While I'm sure the C86 boards worked for many, there seemed to be an inordinate amount of problems posted to this forum about them. Hopefully that will not be the case with the 6 board.

[johannes]

I used this board on an Acorn (not six) for a large router. One of the pains now is that there is a broken wire in one of the 4 motor signal cables, causing the HLFB signal back from one of the Clearpath motors to occasionally glitch.
The motors receive signal fine, but the HLFB return line glitches at a certain point, tripping the DriveOK fault on the Acorn. Since the board aggregates all errors from all motors into one, you only see a single "Drive Error" in CNC12, and you have to go to other lengths of troubleshooting to figure out which particular motor cable is affected.
The cables are 40foot lengths, so it's not just done in a second to swap them back and forth for testing.
Small inconvenience perhaps, but one other reason for me to wire directly to Acorn, without intermediates.

[jedmill67]

I see. I'm fine with terminating flying leads to the acorn as I've made my own cables. Is the Molex connectors the main advantage of the board? Could all the HLFB's be tied to one input without the C86?

[ShawnM]

There are NO advantages to the C86ACCP board, none. Use the flying leads and wire the drives direct to the Acorn. Follow Acorn diagram S15145 for Acorn 6. This way to you can cut your cable to length or make your own shielded cables as the OEM Clearpath cables are not shielded. I make all my own shielded Clearpath cables cut to length.

For the HLFB circuits you simply wire each HLFB signal to an available input on Acorn 6.

[RogDC]

I'm mot sure if the 100 ohm resistors for enable, & step and direction signals are required on the Acornsix for the Clearpath steppers which are required on the Acorn. I I used a small breadboard I had lying around to mount the resistors to just to make the install a little easier.

My experience with the C86ACCP board was not positive and cost me alot of money, frustration, and time. Ordered an Ether1616, wired all direct per schematics, no issues. With the Acornsix you may not need the relay boards if you wire the HLFB per the schematic and have enough inputs for each HLFB for each axis. The relay board is only required if you don't have enough inputs to the Acorn IIRC.

https://centroidcncforum.com/viewtopic. ... 043#p69043

[jedmill67]

Thats great information, I'm going to pass on the C86 and wire straight to Acornsix. Thank you so much!