Yes, I checked the e-stop switch and in fact I tried it in both positions just to be sure. I also tried what SparkFun had suggested for the other stepoko board, and that is to just run a jumper wire from one e-stop connector to the other. Still nothing. I tried loading the example file that comes with the cnc machine, which is a simple coaster, and sent it to the cnc and while the software was scrolling all of the instructions as it sent it to the cnc, nothing moved on the cnc.
I really don’t think that it is the software but what software are you using?
You do not seems to have anything that is sent to the controller or the e-stop is enabled. What’s the state of your E-Stop LED ?
The controller will think it work if no power to the controller so can you verify the voltage ?
I have tried it with the E-Stop switch both on and off. When the switch is in the ON position the led is green and when it is in the OFF position it is red. Where on the Stepoko board should the voltage be checked? Are you talking about checking the voltage from the power supply?
The E-Stop will not have anything related to a “Red / Green” state.
When the E-Stop is activated, the RED E-STOP LED will be ON and no movements will be possible on the CNC.
You can check voltage right under the barrel connector.
I checked it again. When switch is off the e-stop LED is OFF and the green step en LED comes on. When the switch is ON the green step en LED goes off and the red e-stop LED comes ON. I am trying to get it to move with the e-stop LED off but nothing happens.
First I checked the voltage directly from the power supply and I get 51.5 V. Then I plugged the power supply into the Stepoko board and checked the voltage on the board under the barrel connector and I am getting 0.85 V. I checked it a couple of times and get the same readings.
Ok - I can be a power supply issue if you do not get the voltage.
Do you have another supply from another device that you could use just to try the board ? It has to be 12/30VDC with center positive barrel.
Sorry about that but this could also be the initial problem.
I re checked the voltage and I may have set the dial on the multimeter to AC voltage in error the previous time.
The label on the power supply says that the output is 24V. When I check it in the barrel of the plug from the power supply it reads 23.6 VDC which is within range.
When I plug the power supply into the Stepoko board and check the voltage from where the female barrel is connected to the Stepoko board I get 4.18 VDC. I’m not sure what reading I should be getting there?
When I put my hand on any of the Stepper motors and click on an axis control button on the Gcode Sender software I feel absolutely nothing from the motors. Not even the slightest vibration to indicate that they are alive.
Since the board is only rated for 30VDC this will not work for testing.
We contacted SparkFun about the supply issue and will let you know as soon as we have information.
Sorry about the late reply, we got a message from SparkFun and they are sending us a replacement power supply for you.
It should be here tomorrow and we will send it to you, our RMA dep will send you the information.
It looks like the power supply was the problem. I received the power supply today and I think it is working ok now. I haven’t tried making anything with it yet. I did upload the example file for the small coaster, without any bit in the router, and it went through the motions like it was actually creating something. I likely won’t get a chance to actually try to make something until the weekend and then I will let you know how it turns out.
Now I am just trying to figure out where to put the cable from the power supply, the USB cable and the router power cord so that they don’t get tangle up in the machine when it is working on a project.
I want to thank you once again for all your time and help with this issue. It was very frustrating for me but you helped me through it and I really appreciate that.
I may have spoke too soon! The X and Z axis work fine but the Y axis does not. The Video says that the motor wires should be connected to each other only in reverse polarity, red to blue and green to black, because the motors are mirrored when mounted. After doing some research it appears that the wiring directions in the manual and the video are incorrect. Apparently you should reverse the polarity on the green and the black but then connect the blue to blue and red to red. I am going to try this and see what happens but if this is the case then I think that Sparkfun should put and addendum in the packaging so that people will know this. They should also update the video on their website to show the proper wiring instructions.
The other thing that is that in the video, (near the end), they lay a piece of paper down on the CNC showing the axis movement directions. They show the X axis as moving the gantry from front to back and the Y axis from side to side. The wires that they tell you to reverse polarity on the two motors is the Y axis but, according to the paper they show in the video, it is the X axis that has the two motors. Total confusion!!!
I talked to the tech support at Sparkfun yesterday and apparently, along with the error in the wiring in the video and the manual, the diagram showing the X-axis and Y-axis in the video, is also an error. They could save customers a lot of grief if they corrected these errors or included an addendum in the packaging.
The Tech guy told me to connect the black wire from the motor on the right side to the green on the motor on the left. Then the green wire on the right to the black on the left. Then connect red to red and blue to blue. Then hook up the first green and black to B+, the other green and black to B-, the red to A+ and the blue to A-. He then said that he would email me a full explanation with pictures. I connected the wires as he said but it still doesn’t work. The motors run but it seems like it is working against each other. I figured I would re check the wiring with the pictures in the email he was sending me but,… I never got any email.
If I can’t get this thing going by Monday or Tuesday next week I am just going to pack it up and ship it back. This is just too much!
What do I have to do to send this machine back and get a refund?
The guy at Sparkfun tech support sent me an email yesterday telling me how the wiring for the Y-axis should be and said if it still wouldn’t work, to call him and he would step me through it. I wired it up as he indicated and it wouldn’t work on the Y-axis. I called him today and I was told that he was on the phone with another customer and that he would call me back. I waited for 3 hours with no return call so I called them back again and got a voicemail saying they were closed.
I also noticed that while the motors on the Z-axis and the two motors on the Y-axis are cool, the motor on the X-axis seems to be quite hot. Not sure if this is normal or another problem developing.
Anyway, I am just fed up with all this nonsense. I have been trying to get this thing to do something for six weeks now and I’ve pretty much had it!
What do I have to do or who do I have to contact to get a refund?
