? - Machine Power Disengages Automatically

Hello,

I am just getting started with EMC2.4/Ubuntu 10.4. Fresh install from downloaded .iso on a five year old ASUS motherboard, AGP video card. When I first got the stepper motors wired/adjusted, I ran a few smaller jobs to see if the whole thing was working and all seemed well. Now, the machine power <F2> goes off on it's own. Seemingly randomly. The power can go off after only a few seconds or after a minute or two. I don't have to be running anything, axis can be homed, not homed, keyboard/mouse unplugged (after pressing <F2>). So far nothing seems to help. I have no other programs running. I can press <F2> again, but it isn't long and the power gets turned off. The E-stop switch does not trip on it's own at anytime unless I press the actual switch. I have started EMC from a terminal window wondering if I could get any error messages, but nothing prints to the terminal.

Is there any condition which would shut the machine power down by design? Maybe for safety? Or is pressing the F2 key supposed to be the only way to power down the machine?

Thanks in advance for any insight or direction.

Paul

Hello Paul,

You can activate machine power F2 with Hal from different devices. What configuration are you using, what break out board?
You can look at show machine to tell if the signal has been connected to a device. Go to Machine / Show Hal Configuration.
If it is connected to a device that you do not want to use you need to edit the file.

Rick G

Hi Rick,

Thanks for your reply. I looked through the Hal configuration, but did not see anything pointing to Machine power. I believe I have the C10 - Bidirectional Breakout Board that I got from Keling. I did notice that when I activate the E-Stop switch, the computer monitor shows the icons for the E-Stop and Machine power alternately flickering until I deactivate the E-Stop switch. Also, the status bar at the bottom left of the screen will show E-Stop and then "OFF", back and forth, after I press the E-Stop switch. I didn't know if that was normal.

I may try temporarily removing E-Stop from the configuration in case it is being read as open briefly for some reason which triggers the Machine power.

Thanks again.

Paul

Here are all the lines in my Hal file that contain estop:

net estop-ext <= parport.0.pin-10-in
net estop-out <= iocontrol.0.user-enable-out
net estop-ext => iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in

Should I have an estop-out pin assignment?

Thanks again for your time, Rick

Paul

Paul,

You can watch the iocontrol.0.emc-enable-in pin in hal / machine / watch to confirm that is the problem.

You can also comment out the line that connects the signal in your hal file to the parallel port pin 10 to see if it fixes the problem.

Later if you find you need it or there is a reason for it you can un comment it.

Rick G

Thanks for your help, Rick.

Although the wire connecting the e-stop switch checked ok, I replaced it with a direct run (I had a junction with the first set which also ran along four wires for the X axis motor). Now all is well.

Thanks!

Paul