pmdx 126 estop LED is lit, outputs are enabled

[grimsbycnc]

I had a n/c  estop switch connected to the estop terminals, and it did function....I am not sure what has changed, the estop does not function with mach, the LED is on all the time and the outputs are enabled.

I am not sure what I am missing. I have a jumper on the terminals now.

Kevin U

[Bob at PMDX]

Do you have a PMDX-107 installed on the PMDX-126? If so, power off the PMDX-126, remove the PMDX-107 and power the PMDX-126 back on and see if the red EStop LED turns off.  If so, double-check the DIP switch settings on the PMDX-107.

If you don't have a PMDX-107, or you removed it and still have the problem, write down your current PMDX-126 DIP switch settings (and tell us what they were).  Then set all the PMDX-126 DIP switches towards the "Config" labels on the circuit board (this is called "closed" or "on" in the PMDX-126 manual).  Verify that your jumper in connecting the EStop input and the adjacent GND terminal, and not the Fault input.  Remove any parallel port or ribbon cables between the PMDX-126 and the PC (or motion controller board like a SmoothStepper).

Power off the PMDX-126 and then power it back on.  The red EStop LED should turn on briefly and then turn off.  The Outputs Enabled LED should be on.  Press and hold the "test" push button.  The red EStop LED should turn on.  Release the "test" button and the EStop LED should turn off again.

If you see this, then try change the "Config 1" DIP switch so that it is away from the "Config" label on the circuit board (called "open" or "off" in the PMDX-126 manual).  Press and hold the "test" button for about 1/2 second and then release it.  The EStop LED should turn on while the button is pressed and then turn off when the button is released.  The outputs enabled LED should remain off.

Bob

[grimsbycnc]

Setting all the dip switches to open and pressing the test button solved the problem. To answer some of your questions, I do not have a pmdx-107 installed, and the dip switched seemed to be set right. I did take a picture of the dip switches to document my settings, but the picture or my eyes are blurry...

Anyway, thank you for your help.

Kevin Urquhart

[Bob at PMDX]

Glad to hear it is working.  Now we usually recommend enabling the charge pump feature on the PMDX-126 to help avoid spurious outputs while the PC is starting up or shutting down.  This uses pin 17 on the parallel port, so if you are using pin 17 for something else you cannot enable charge pump mode.

If you wish to to do this, here are the steps:
- Change the PMDX-126 DIP switch "Config 1" to "open" (away from the silkscreen text)
- Press and release the test button
- The PMDX-126 "Outputs Enabled" LED should remain off
- If you are using Mach3, go to the Configure menu and select "ports & pins". Click on the "Output Signals" tab and scroll down to "Charge Pump".  Put a green check mark in the "enabled" column, then assign it to port 1 pin 17.  Click "Apply" then "OK"
- If you are using a SmoothStepper or other pulse generator instead of a PC parallel port, refer to the documentation for that device to see how to enable the charge pump.
- If you are using Mach4 with one of our PMDX-SmartBOB devices, the procedure is very similar to Mach3 except you go to the "Configure" menu and select "Mach".  From there it is the same as Mach3.

Now, the PMDX-126 "Outputs Enabled" LED should remain off until you enable Mach3 (the "Reset" button is not flashing) or Mach4 (the "Enable/Disable" button is green), at which point the "Outputs Enabled" LED should turn on.

Bob