Changing from Parallel port to Mesa 7i96s
13 Feb 2024 21:29 #293265
by geertd
Changing from Parallel port to Mesa 7i96s was created by geertd
Hi,
Lately I am having some issues with my parallel port configuration and decided to switch to a Mesa 7i96s. Since I do not have a lot of experience with hardware of this kind, I have some questions/doubts before proceeding:
- By switching from Parallel to 7i96s I will also eliminate the breakout board that came with the machine, as well as the wiring from BB to stepper motor drivers. I do not know which cables are recommended for connecting the 7i96s to the stepper drivers. Would a twisted pair cat 6E cable be OK for that?
- Currently the wiring from my machine to the stepper motor drivers has all the step+ and dir+ of all axis wired together (breakout board only has step and dir, no step+ step- and dir+ dir-). I guess with the 7i96s I should connect all step+, step- and dir+ dir- to the equally named pins on the stepper motor drivers separately? (not joining all the + ones)
- The BB on this machine only has one Yaxis output that connnects to both Y axis drivers (this is a gantry machine). Should I do the same with my mesa card or use a separate Y1 and Y2 output to each of the drivers?
Thanks in advance
Geert
Lately I am having some issues with my parallel port configuration and decided to switch to a Mesa 7i96s. Since I do not have a lot of experience with hardware of this kind, I have some questions/doubts before proceeding:
- By switching from Parallel to 7i96s I will also eliminate the breakout board that came with the machine, as well as the wiring from BB to stepper motor drivers. I do not know which cables are recommended for connecting the 7i96s to the stepper drivers. Would a twisted pair cat 6E cable be OK for that?
- Currently the wiring from my machine to the stepper motor drivers has all the step+ and dir+ of all axis wired together (breakout board only has step and dir, no step+ step- and dir+ dir-). I guess with the 7i96s I should connect all step+, step- and dir+ dir- to the equally named pins on the stepper motor drivers separately? (not joining all the + ones)
- The BB on this machine only has one Yaxis output that connnects to both Y axis drivers (this is a gantry machine). Should I do the same with my mesa card or use a separate Y1 and Y2 output to each of the drivers?
Thanks in advance
Geert
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13 Feb 2024 22:12 #293270
by tommylight
If there is only one limit/home switch or no homing switch, wire both together.
Replied by tommylight on topic Changing from Parallel port to Mesa 7i96s
Yes and yes, twisted pair is OK, leave them twisted.- By switching from Parallel to 7i96s I will also eliminate the breakout board that came with the machine, as well as the wiring from BB to stepper motor drivers. I do not know which cables are recommended for connecting the 7i96s to the stepper drivers. Would a twisted pair cat 6E cable be OK for that?
Use just step+, step-, dir+, dir-, so no GND at all. This works with most drives, you did not mention what drives. NO joining of any pins, not even GND, - or + .I guess with the 7i96s I should connect all step+, step- and dir+ dir- to the equally named pins on the stepper motor drivers separately? (not joining all the + ones)
If the machine has limit/home switches on both Y axis, wire them separately.- The BB on this machine only has one Yaxis output that connnects to both Y axis drivers (this is a gantry machine). Should I do the same with my mesa card or use a separate Y1 and Y2 output to each of the drivers?
If there is only one limit/home switch or no homing switch, wire both together.
The following user(s) said Thank You: geertd
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