PMDX-126 Rev. A to Rev. C

[thosj]

OK, I bought a brandy new PMDX-126 Rev. C to replace my Rev. A while rebuilding my box. The K1 Relay is the question. On the Rev. A, did it use Port 2 Pin 14 and now it uses Port 1 Pin 14?

I use Mach3.

I have my spindle using Port 1 Pins 14 and 16, so I guess I can't use K1 unless I figure out something else. Is that right?

I'm not good at all this and it's been years since I originally built my box. Everything seems to work except for K1. Is there a solution for this? Do I need to do my spindle differently to get Port 1 Pin 14 freed up? I hope not, spindle setup is a royal PITA as I remember!!

Any suggestions appreciated!!

OH, and are probe merged inputs the opposite of the way they were on Rev. A? My probes trigger the led on the board, but are active when not triggered in Mach 3. I guess I have to look into this one a little more!!

Thanks

Tom Hesselman

[Steve Stallings]

The K1 relay was and still is operated by Port 1, Pin 1 unless you have
moved the jumper at JP1 to the multimode position. Using K1 does not
interfere with the use of Port1, Pin14 and Port1, Pin16 with a PMDX-107
controlling your spindle.

You have mentioned Port1, Pin14 and it is normally associated with K2,
the small relay. If you need to use K2 as well as having a PMDX-107
controlled by Port1, Pin14, then you would need to move jumper JP2
to the multimode position and keep Dip Switch position 8 in the closed
position. This will cause the K2 relay to be controlled by Port2, Pin14.

Do not attempt to use the Expanded I/O or Expanded Output modes
nor install the special driver for them. The evolution of Windows and
of Mach3 software growth resulted in Mach3 being too slow to use
this driver. Expanded Inputs mode is still usable, but would not give
you control over K2.

If you are getting revered operation of the probe, check which of the
two inputs is being used for which type of probe.

[thosj]

OK, I have the relays and probe working per your instructions, and the instructions in the manual had I chosen to read it better!!

But, my old problem of the relay's Estopping Mach3 is still there.

My setup as it is now.

I have one of your 110 filters on the 110 into the box, that's NEW with this new box build
Getting 110 to the K1/K2 relays from the PMDX mains input right below them.
I have tried wiring the relays to another 110 circuit in the house, but in a house, 110 is 110, COM is COM!!
Tried with main 110 into the box coming thru a UPS and without it
I'm switching 110v STC air solenoids
Tried all combinations of the K1/K2 relay and the solenoids
Tried a third, although similar, solenoid, all are STC 110v solenoids
It almost always trips the Estop when turning the K1/K2 Relays OFF, seldom when turning them ON, if that helps.
If I remove the solenoid wiring, the K1/K2 alone do not trigger the Estop. I can flip 'em on/off all day, click, click, click, no Estop.

I'm about to quit with this, put a manual switch on my Fogbuster, and be done with it. But.....it IS nice to have control of the coolant.

Do you have any suggestions?

Perhaps different solenoids, different voltage, running from their own power supply?

Would the placement of the wiring TO the solenoids from the relay's have some effect on this?

I have a small cap on the Estop input on the PMDX, been there for years.

Anything to try before I just wire a switch to the solenoids and be done!!

Thanks,

Tom Hesselman

[Steve Stallings]

Try putting a MOV (metal oxide varistor) directly across the solenoid coils.

Here is one suitable example:

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/littelfuse-inc/V130LA20BP/F3031-ND/1009206

[thosj]

I fixed my issue with a PMDX-104 and 12 volt solenoids!! I did NOT try MOV's on the 110v solenoids. I could not get rid of the estoping in Mach3 with the 110v solenoids any other way, so I gave up.

It looks to me like there are MOV's on the PMDX-104 and there seem to be MOV's on the  12v solenoids. but, alas, there also seems to be MOV's on the K1/K2 relay's on the PMDX-126, so who knows.

Anyway, that's fixed and we're moving on.

Thanks,