Centroid Community CNC Support Forum

Building a PM-30MV with DYN4 drivers and servos. Got the mechanical conversion completed with a ballscrew kit from Arizonavideo99. Very happy with how the 3-axes perform after some hiccups getting started. Now, I'm on to spindle control.

Worked great when I bench tested with multimeter directly tied to the H8 header using Marty's video as a guide ( Everything tested within 10% and passed. Then I set CNC12 to limit output voltage to 5V because I'm tying it into a PM-30MV motor controller. I used Franco's video on spindle control for a PM-25 ( as a guide using his wiring diagram (attached) but omitted the signal isolator since CNC12 now provides the ability to limited to 5V output directly. The other difference is I've already used NoFaultOut for my e-stop circuit, so I tricked it by using Vacuum On to manually energize the spindle motor contactor (I'm sure there's a better option, but I'm just trying to test function for now).

Hooked it all up, turned it on, and got zero voltage out of the spindle analog out. Thought it was a wiring error, so I took it all apart and went back to the spindle bench test procedure with a multimeter directly tied to the H8 header. Now I'm getting no voltage out of the analog spindle output.

I'm afraid I may have damaged the Acorn board and am out of ideas to further troubleshoot. Any tips or ideas would be greatly appreciated before I end up ordering another board.

Does your SpindleEnableOut relay close (turn green)?

If it does not, then there is some reason that the PLC is refusing to start the spindle, and it is a given that the analog voltage will remain zero.

SpindleEnableOut isn't available as an output on my version of CNC12. I tried SpindleBrakeRelease as a surrogate. It activates properly as a relay output, but no change in overall outcome. The spindle analog output is outputting 3mV consistently regardless of commanded speed.

Try to use VFD enable.

Outputs related to M3 M4 M5 are here:

https://www.centroidcnc.com/centroid_di ... ctions.pdf

Uwe

@suntravel: The Acorn Wizard wouldn't allow a combination of Fwd, Rev and VFDEnable. SpindleBrakeRelease functions for relay purposes and doesn't require additional keystrokes to make it work, so I don't see that as a problem.

Still no output voltage for spindle analog output (spindle speed control).

Use in combination with VFD_Direction.

Uwe

Re-wired to try this -- didn't work. Still no voltage off of the H8 header when commanding the spindle manually or through g-code.

As a final test to verify if the analog out is still working, disconnect everything and re-run the spindle bench test.

Yep -- nothing. I ordered a new Acorn board. Best case, I have an extra Acorn for a lathe conversion I'll do sometime down the road. Worst case, my next victim is in the queue.

Assume I burned up something in the analog output circuit -- possibly by trying to direct connect the output to the PM-30MV DC motor controller without signal isolation (which is irritating because I ordered, and have, a signal isolator specifically for this purpose). Self-inflicted wounds.

Centroid does have a replacement policy for self-inflicted damage. Have a look at the Acorn warranty page on the website.