Ok many thanks. Like this?
Switch, Toggle, SPDT, On-None-On, Long Bat Lever, Wire Lug, Panel Mount (Lot/6) | eBay
are there any installation videos of this with blackbox, the laser, and the openbuilds iot thing?
cheers

 

All ready for the rest of the workbee to come together

 

Just noticed the Openbuilds facebook page is plugging the BlackBox easter egg today. I don't actually have a BlackBox to put a case on (they came out just after I got my Lead), but I'm a sucker for ARGy puzzles (and was desperately hoping to be dragged away from running endless stall tests on steppers - ugh) so I took a crack at it anyhow, just for bats & giggles...

...And it looks like there's a teensy problem with it.

Unless the easter chicken laid multiple eggs & I was fry scrambl cracking the wrong one, the 'congratulations' page says "Code will self destruct on 12/31/2019" (and, yes, it looks like the store agrees).

It might be good to either update the coupon, or stop advertising the event.


-Bats
(hey... if I get all the answers, can I get some free BlackBox guts to wrap a case around?)

 

so what commands are used to activate the “cool output”? Is it M8/9? If so how does changing the jumper effect the cool output functionality? More documentation. On both relay and cool plug is needed.

Thanks for any help you can provide.

also there is no documentation on what voltage is output for the relay plug. Can you help with that?

 

Thanks Peter for the quick reply!

so M8/9 functions the cool output. Am I correct in thinking when cool is cycled on using M8 there should be a 24V current to my relay (that would start my air assist pump)? Currently using a multimeter there is almost no voltage difference when cool is cycled on and off. There is almost 10amps though.

I just found out I was shipped a 12V power supply so that may have caused this issue? My retailer is sending me a 24V power supply so I’m hoping that will rectify the problem.

 

So I got my 24V power supply from the business I purchased the Acro and black box from. The cool plug now activates my relay switch (which is a 240V relay/switch by Releco). When I plug in my 240V air pump and turn coolant on the relay activates the switch and the air pump starts. Immediately afterwards the relay/switch and pump turns off and my laser module flashes the laser a couple of times and it disconnects the black box from the openbuilds control software. When the air pump is NOT plugged into the wall socket the coolant on/off works as expected. (this same setup worked fine when I had my laser attached to my CNC machine and VFD).

I'm not sure whats going on and I'm wondering if someone could provide some suggestions or input.

Thanks,
Peter

 

What sort of air pump? Some work on the principle of an electromagnetic vibrator pushing a diaphragm. If that's the case you have a magnetic field collapsing at your mains frequency - generating lots of EMI. If that could be your problem look at the routing of your cables.
Alex.

 

That’s probably it. It’s like an aquarium pump. It’s all just sitting on my waste board so I’ll move it farther away and test it out.

 

BINGO! That was exactly it. Thanks so much for the advice

 

You're welcome - glad it was relatively easy to fix.
Alex.

 

I bought the z-axis upgrade for my acro From JTech Laser and now my z-axis motor is not working.

I know it’s not my black box controller because the z-axis control will drive the x-axis motor when I switch plugs.

When I put my fingers on the z motor and try to move it I can feel a slight vibration. Changing the current adjustment does not help the z-axis.

This all happens when I have a 12V power supply plugged into the black box.

When I plug in the 24V power supply the black box only gives the red exclamation mark for the z-axis regardless of how I turn the current adjustment.

 

That is almost certainly a wiring issue. Did you check which wires were connected to each coil of your stepper (multimeter on continuity or resistance) - there is no standard for colour coding. If by chance you connect them and find your Z axis goes the opposite way to what you expect you can either swap over the wires on one coil or reverse the direction on grbl.
Alex.

 

I just mirrored how the motors on the acro were connected.

I’ll have to research The wires on this z-axis stepper motor. Is there any literature somewhere that gives a “how to” do the testing?

thanks for the quick reply. I’m very impressed with how fast openbuilds responds to peoples issues!!

 

You're just lucky with responses . You have two coils in the stepper motor. You just need to identify the two ends of each coil, so if you get a low resistance/continuity from your multimeter you have found both ends of one coil. As I said above, if the motor goes the wrong way you just swap over the wires of one coil or you can reverse direction with a grbl setting.
Alex.

 

I unplugged my z stepper motor from the cable leading to the black box. even with the z-motor not plugged in I get the red exclamation mark on the black box at the lowest current setting.

 

You are switching everything off before unplugging stepper motors @Peter Froh?
Alex.

 

Just an update. I replaced the z axis stepper motor and it’s all working again. I must have burned out the stepper motor. I have the current adjustment set to lowest for z axis. The motor is only a Nema 14 so it’s pretty tiny. It still gets very hot but I’m hoping it won’t burn out.

Does anyone have any experience with running JTech’s z axis upgrade on the openbuilds blackbox? Advice for those that do?

 

I like the blackbox and all that it can do. But does it come with all the connectors or do I have to drop more money on all these connectors to hookup my gear to it. I looked at the parts list and nowhere are the connector listed. Please inform the sales dept to include all the necessary connectors.

 

If I remember right (and my unboxing photos say that yes, for a change, I actually do) , then yes, all the "Xtension" connectors came with the mating pair plugged into its' respective receptacle. The only two that don't have connectors are the 4-pin AUX & 3-pin SERVO, which look like they'd use standard Dupont connectors (and which are, for completely unrelated reasons, the only two ports I have yet to come up with a use for). They also don't include connectors for the other end of the wires, but that's to be expected, since, for obvious reasons, it doesn't include the wire by default either.

It's worth mentioning that pretty much everything I've gotten from OB that uses one of those connectors included the mating one - even the pre-sized wire kits - so they're definitely not stingy about it. I've got a whole mess of extras kicking around from a few different orders that I didn't realize I didn't need to order.

They seem to be pretty nice little connectors, too - miles beyond the damned 4-pin Molex drive connectors I'd been using in the past - although I do wonder from time to time (and when I see a build video that ziptie them together) if something with a clip might've been a little more secure. Of course, it would've also made the BlackBox at least twice as thick, so I suppose there always has to be a compromise somewhere.


-Bats
(annnd... Gary beat me to it. Dammit, Gary! How dare you be so efficient?)

 

I can confirm that , Im just about to build mine and all the connectors are there.

 

Thanks you for the quick reply, I had purchased a smoothie board from OB's and it came with all the connectors except one end stop. Part list shows only 5, but need 6 to complete build for all axes min/max. For other reasons, I still have yet to get this going with smoothie board. I had put my build on hold for two years due to health reasons, and now that I'm back on it. I come the end of the build and my smoothie board is getting too complicated for me. I shake too much to soldier anything, so this looks to be a better fit for my OX metal build.

 

Can this be used with mach4?