Limit Switches, EStop and Spindle

Just a thought did you say some ware that you had 2 P/port if so are you look at the wrong one in hal show

Yes there are two, but I'm only using the primary one
For good measure, I checked the pin 10 on the port grounded against the casing of the secondary one - but nothing from Hal show

Yep, checked both ports just in case.
Nothing from Hal show.
Thinking of ordering a different parallel port.

Check with a DVM for voltage on pin10 to ground (directly at the port). Should be 3.3v or 5v. (PS are you checking directly at the parallel port or on the end of the cable? Could be a bad cable.)

If you don't have anything, you might need an external pull up. Shouldn't be nessisary, but I've had one parallel port card that needed it. If you can't get any reading even with the external pull up, then something is broken.

(PS are you checking directly at the parallel port or on the end of the cable? Could be a bad cable.)

1) As I know HAL Show doesn't have realtime reload. I don't see changing of the variable in it.
Insteat of HAL Show I use HAL Meter.
Try HAL Meter for this reason.

2) As for inductive sensors they could not support resistor connection because of lack of the power.
In the past tried to connect inductive sensor in parallel of PLC input and Relay Coil. I was insuccesful in this. PLC input doesn' saw the change of inductive sensor. So only Relay Coil or PLC Input. In your situation you are doing the same but only with resistor (not inductance).

So as Summary:
-use hal Meter to look the state of variable
- to change that variable use short wire between P10 and GND. It's possible that you have damaged your P10 input, so reconfigure to P9.
- if you have succeded then buy NPN sensors and that one live for arduino.
- else if not, then I don't know what, maybe buy another board for this
- else if not, then don't use e-stop and limit switches and try to use without them. On my CNC 2 years I succesfully work without any limit switch and E-stop is only for button Turn-on. If you know how to work on CNC router, you don't need any limits and E-stops.

Maybe silly question
On the GND of your inputs you use a red cable. Is this positiv voltage (and high enough for your optocoplers to see it) Why not black for ground?

Hi Mike,

I'm guessing you are referring to the the pin 10 - Estop - GND wiring.
Just happened to have a red cable already attached to the Estop switch.
I'm currently waiting for a different Parallel Port Card to arrive as all the fault chasing and testing seem to be pointing in the direction of a dodgy port.

No
I ask for the screw connection GND. Is this ground of the switches and do you "input" enough voltage/current for the inputs?