Can not get stepper motors to move with Gecko g250x drivers

My mistake, I had to turned off the lights to verify and yes there is a very DIM glow.

So, what does this mean?

It means the step pulses are being generated and the drive is not responding
maybe enable related?

I would also check setting hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.step.invert_output true
and seeing if that gives you a bright LED on TB1 Pin 3

Yes, I got a brighter LED with hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.step.invert_output set to true.

I thought I was losing my mind, so I pulled out an Arduino, loaded GRBL on it, connected GND, STEP, and DIR, and then used UGS to test; I just wanted to ensure nothing was broken. GRBL had no issues turning the motor.

So, it has to be either the 7i96s or my configuration; I am betting on my configuration. I get that the glowing LED means STEP instructions are getting to the driver, but are the signals in the correct range/frequency?

You might verify that the TB1 pin 3 STEP+ output measures close to 5V
when you invert the output.

The timing looks OK. (assuming the steptime is still 5000 = 5 usec)
I would think wiring, or maybe enable issues.

I am unsure about steptime; that is, steptime does not appear in my hal file. Is steptime also called steplen?

STEPGEN_MAXVEL = 25.0
STEPGEN_MAXACCEL = 25.0
DIRSETUP = 10000
DIRHOLD = 10000
STEPLEN = 5000
STEPSPACE = 5000
STEP_SCALE = 250.0

setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.dirsetup [JOINT_0]DIRSETUP
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.dirhold [JOINT_0]DIRHOLD
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.steplen [JOINT_0]STEPLEN
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.stepspace [JOINT_0]STEPSPACE
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.position-scale [JOINT_0]STEP_SCALE
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.step_type 0
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.control-type 1
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.maxaccel [JOINT_0]STEPGEN_MAXACCEL
setp hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.maxvel [JOINT_0]STEPGEN_MAXVEL

I get 4.94v on TB1-3 when inverted. hm2_7i96s.0.stepgen.00.enable is true.

To test with the Arduino, I switched only the 3 wires, GND, STEP, and DIR, at the terminal block and pulled the power from 7i96s. So, the rest of the wiring should be fine.

I would now check the signals at the G250X
to make sure you get a change from 0V
to 5V (measured from pin 28 to pin 30)
when you invert the step pin.

 

The voltage flickers between 4.93v and 4.94v at the terminal block and 4.97v to the solder points on G250x

And is it 0V at the G250x when not inverted?
If so,  when you uninvert/invert the step pulse does the motor step?
 

The voltage is approximately 43.7mv

The stepper has never moved connected to the 7i96s. With one of the hal files I tried there was a noticeable thump when powering on and the stepper had high holding power, like 40v. With the current config holding power is about 8v and is really not providing much in the way of holding or any real resistance.

With the Arduino test, the motor locked in position (full holding power) but I didn't measure voltage.

Well if changing the voltage at the step pin from ~0V to ~5V
(by toggling the invert pin)  does not generate a step it really
looks like a wiring/GND/Disable issue of some kind.

EDIT: if there is a change in holding torque. This really indicates a problem
with power supply GND connections  or current set resistor wiring.
Is it possible your HV power GND connection is routed through your Arduino GND?