C6 spindle control board with Hobby CNC Pro

The C6 board is being powered by it's own dedicated 12V 1A P/S. It is hooked up to the +12 & Gnd connections on the power header.
The HCNC chopper board is powered by it's own 32V 10A P/S. They do not share a common ground in order to maintain the opto-isolation of the C6.
Using my meter, I have just verified that the ground that I'm using for the parallel connection is common to pins 18-25.
I have also tested the output voltage of the C6, & it fluctuates between .47 & .52 V just sitting there. It does not change no matter what spindle speed is input.
The adjustment on the board has no effect. It doesn't appear that the pulses are being output. It may be time for a BOB & a 2nd parallel port & jsut bypass the HCNC board altogether.
That does mean adding another enclosure tho.

-JR

It looks like you are using parallel port pins 14 and 16 for the spindle control.

When you start linuxcnc go to
Machine
Show Hal Configuration
Select the Watch Tab

Select
parport.0.pin-14-out
and
parport.0.pin-16-out

When you issue several
Snnn
and
M3
then later
M5

Do you see a difference?
If so those signals are working.

If not your config is using Stepgen 3 for the spindle so also select the Stepgen 3 pins and see if your commands are making a changes there.

The Hobby CNC BOB does not use pins 14 and 16, how have you connected them to the C6 board? Are you sure your parallel cable has all the wires connected? With everything off and disconcerted can you use your meter to check that you do have a good connection from the beginning of the parallel cable al the way to the C6?



Rick G

When an Sxxx M3 command is issued:

parport.0.pin-14-out flashes red & yellow
Parport.0.pin-16-out stays red
stepgen.3.step flashes
stepgen.3.enable flashes
stepgen.3. counts keeps a running count of the steps (I guess)
spindle-out flashes
spindle at speed is yellow
When M5 is issued:
everything turns red except the spindle-at-speed

The HCNC board has small solder pads for pins, 1, 14, 16, & 17. I have attached wires from pads 14 & 16 to the C6 board connectors.
I have verified that pins 14 & 16 are in fact connected from the computer end of the cable to the C6 board.

Have you looked here...

www.linuxcnc.org/emc2/index.php/italian/...-speed-control-board

Try replacing...With...
Rick G

Yes, I have visited that link. It has a lot of useful information. Very helpful in getting a clearer picture of how HAL works.
I tried your suggestion about changing the spindle-cw line. It had no effect. I have gone ahead & ordered a C10 board from CNC4PC. It should be here by friday.
I went ahead & installaled a 2nd parallel port to use for the spindle control. I have also tested the C6 with the new port. No joy.

Hi

A rather obvious suggestion, but it has happened to me before.

Do you know that the speed control board works?

They are very sensitive to connection or disconnection when powered and easily wrecked that way.
It also may never have worked.

You seem to have all the right inputs and the fact that it produces an output voltage, even when there is no
input , makes me very suspicious.

regards

I tried your suggestion about changing the spindle-cw line. It had no effect.

Did you look in the Hal watch window to see if Parport.0.pin-16-out now changes? (or the second parallel port when you installed the second parallel port and changed your config files to use it instead)

The C10 is nice because it will work even with low powered parallel ports so that eliminates one possible issue.

As ArcEye said it could be a problem with the C6, most of the CNC4PC boards have replaceable plug in chips for the inputs and outputs, you might want to order a set of them for the C6 if there is still a problem.

Rick G

You can use your voltmeter to see a voltage change on parallel port pin 16 when you turn the spindle on and off.
You can also try inverting the parallel port pin in hal.

Rick G

Just like you, I'm increasingly suspicious of the C6 board. I will try it again once the C10 arrives.