PMDX-179 Reset Button

[broered]

How would the Reset Button on a PMDX-179 Remote Status Board be used with the PMDX-424 SmartBOB?

[Bob at PMDX]

Do you mean the large green button on the PMDX-179-PAN (with the panel)?  That was originally meant to be wired into the 2-pin screw terminal on the PMDX-179 when the PMDX-179 was connected to a PMDX-126.  In this configuration the "Reset" button (or "Test" push--button on the 179 board itself) performs the same functions as the "Test" button on the 126.  For example it causes the 126 to re-read the DIP switches, and also clear errors when charge pump is disabled.

When the PMDX-179 is connected to a PMDX-424, the "Test" button input on the PMDX-179 is not currently used*.  There is no PMDX-424 equivalent of the 126 "charge pump disabled" mode, and there are no configuration DIP switches on the PMDX-424 to read.  You may, however, wire the "Reset" button directly to the PMDX-424.  You could then program Mach4 to read that as "feed hold" or some other function.

* future plug-in/firmware releases *may* add uses for the switch input (and DIP switches) on the PMDX-179.

Bob

[broered]

Thanks Bob;

Was thinking the large green button might somehow be used to duplicate the function of the circuit board mounted reset button on the PMDX-424.  My '424 is mounted deep inside the electronics box, where the reset button on the board won't normally be accessible.   That's why I got the PMDX-179-PAN in the first place.

Pictures of the PMDX-424 show J4 and J5 terminals, located immediately behind the board mounted reset pushbutton.  I was hoping these were pin-outs that involved the reset button and would allow me to wire something externally - like the reset button on the PMDX-179-PAN.

 
 

[Bob at PMDX]

The push-button on the PMDX-424 is not a reset button, at least in the current firmware.  Right now its sole purpose is to force the PMDX-424 to run its bootloader instead of the main firmware.  And to do so, you need to press and hold the push-button while you power-on the PMDX-424.

Future firmware versions *may* allow the PMDX-179's test button input to perform the same function and the PMDx-424's push button.  Or different, Mach4 related functions.

Bob

[Bob at PMDX]

Pictures of the PMDX-424 show J4 and J5 terminals, located immediately behind the board mounted reset pushbutton.  I was hoping these were pin-outs that involved the reset button and would allow me to wire something externally - like the reset button on the PMDX-179-PAN.

Where did you see these pictures?

Bob

[Steve Stallings]

Connector J4 and J5 are not populated on production boards. They provide
the connections for factory programming, debug, and test. While there is
a signal on one of them that will reset the processor on the PMDX-424,
that is not useful as a machine reset because it will cause you to need
to restart Mach4.

The Reset on the PMDX-179-Pan is typically used together with relay
logic in your control box to re-apply power to the box if you have a main
contactor that drops our when the physical E-Stop is pressed and you
do not want power re-applied as soon as the E-Stop is released. You
configure the power contactor with a self latching circuit that will hold
power on once you temporarily apply power using the Reset.

[broered]

Pictures of the PMDX-424 show J4 and J5 terminals, located immediately behind the board mounted reset pushbutton.  I was hoping these were pin-outs that involved the reset button and would allow me to wire something externally - like the reset button on the PMDX-179-PAN.

Where did you see these pictures?

Bob

The picture of the PMDX-424 on your web side shows a pin header on J4 and plated through holes on J5.  The unit I received had plated through holes for both J4 and J5.

Sounds like the best approach is to wire the big green reset button to one of the PMDX-424's unused input lines and configure it through the Mach4 setup.  I see advantages this way.  It would allow changing the exact function if needed. 
Thanks for the help
Dave 

[Bob at PMDX]

Those two sets of terminals are for in-house only as Steve explained.  The picture on the website is of the first prototype board.  None of those signals are intended for end-user use.  Connecting any of these signals to wires going to a cabinet wall or external switch could couple noise onto the board and cause unpredictable operation.

If you goal is to have a way to perform a hardware reset of the PMDX-424, the best way is to cycle power to the board.

If the goal is to have some kind of "reset" signal into Mach4, then yes, connect the switch to one of the isolated inputs on the PMDX-424 and write some Lua code to do whatever it is you want done.

Bob