That was actually really well done. Thank you. This is the level of explanation we all need when starting out with almost zero electrical knowledge. I am also interested in the linuxcnc video. Thanks. Looking forward to your next videos.
Thank you very much! The support is much appreciated! I will start to put together the stuff for a linuxcnc video… looks like there is a number of people interested 😁
Really cool. "Closed" contacts mean they're connected and flowing electricity. "Open" means they're not touching and they're not flowing electricity. There were a few times in the video I think you got the terms backwards. Love the series btw. I'm in the middle of my build and it's been super helpful!
You are absolutely correct! Thank you for pointing that out! Even when I was Ordering the contactor i kept flip flopping normally open and normally closed in my head 😂. Thank you for your support and good luck on your build!!!
Just found out this series yesterday on Reddit and I can't wait for LinuxCNC video! I used LinuxCNC a little at school maybe 10 years ago, when we found really old homemade CNC milling machine with ancient steppers and electronics in some closet. Ancient means like 1980s steppers and electronics based on L297 with external transistors. Previous users had no idea how to decrease motor current, so they just added huge resistors in series with all motor coils :D Originaly it was running with some 486 and TurboCNC software. It took me few days to figure out how to even turn LinuxCNC on (just that tiny emergency button on screen and homing), but I made it moving somehow. Sadly after few days of use something burned out and one axis died, just when we wanted to get third axis made (it was missing since beginning). Final exams were behind corner and I hadn't opportunity to figure out where the problem was and continue :( I heard some students in following years made it working somehow, but who knows. Of course since everything was so old, it was driven via LPT and there weren't any protections. Old schematics was hardly dreadable on A3 paper and LPT connections were on separate paper in French :D Maybe there was some documentation on 5.25" floppy somewhere (yes, we used 3.5" all the time and sometimes even 5.25" in 2010). I was always wondering how to make LinuxCNC work with MESA cards and honestly, if there's possibility to SIMPLY use different buses for connection of other devices (modbus TCP and other). Maybe your video will finally answer this for me :) And I promise I'll try to run LinuxCNC in VirtualBox in future to learn something myself ;)
Thank you so much! There is definitely a learning curve with linuxCNC... it is so amazing what people can control with it! I am still figuring alot out so it will be a journey for both of us! As far as running linuxCNC in a VM, I would love to see how it works! I know linuxCNC requires a real-time kernel to function and some people had said this excludes the possibility of a VM... but who knows! You don't know forsure until you try it and every is impossible until its done! :D
Nice work! How you latched your main contactor using your auxiliary contactors is fairly common. Sometimes a separate smaller relay is used, but anyways I have commonly heard that referred that to a 'seal-in' relay. At least that's what we call that scheme in the power industry. Just an fyi :)
That's a decent effort for a home built controller, I love those paddle e-stops. My only constructive criticisms are not having 2 espots in series (do they make a 120V?) should electrical work, and add another start stop contactor for your vsd on the control panel.
Thank you very much! Yes I’ve been thinking of that. My idea was to have one estop just for motion and spindle (easy access) and one for complete (kill it all right now)…. My current wiring does not do that lol. Can you explain why contactor for just vfd?
Im wiring up a custom masso controller so its a little different but the logic for alot of it is the same, this was super helpful man, the contactor explanation was awesome, thanks!
I'm so glad it was helpful! It was all a bit daunting for me when I was getting started but for me the key was just to start and figure it out! Good luck with your controller, my friend! Stay safe and have fun!
Great video man! Excited to see your progress! At 14:10 you mentioned my ribbon cable from the VFD to the front faceplate had to be inverted. I did in fact have to do that, however I think they make different cables, or maybe the VFD's are coming different now. It's one of those things where you just have to look at the connections on your particular setup and make sure the pins line up correctly.
Thank you so much! Yes, I wonder if it’s a different cable or flipped connection on my vfd. From Re-watching you videos, it looks like my vfd connection itself is the one that’s flipped. Appreciate the support!!
Thank you so much! I am editing the next part as we speak! My build hit a small hiccup (part delays and a minor injury but still going strong! I will discuss in part 6 everything 😁)
Thank you very much for your support! I will definitely be making a Linuxcnc video! I want to make sure I cover enough and in detail to be useful so it will most likely be part 7, I think.
Like the design just know you never put a vfd in the same enclosure with your electronics the EMI coming from the vfd will give you a whole bunch of problems with accuracy and losing steps from your motors, and communication issues coming from your control board, put some EMI filters on the end of all your data cables and use double shielded cable on your vfd to reduce EMI with it being 3 phase the EMI it gives off won't only effect your cnc but it can with other electronics in your house and your neighbors too just something to think about do some research on why it's not good to put a vfd in the same enclosure with your electronics and how to reduce EMI and for anyone else wanting to build their own enclosure please I advise to do the same to save you a headache in the future
This is fantastic advice and something I forgot to mention. I am planning to install some aluminum walls to help reduce some of the electrical noise from the vfd! As for your advice about EMI filters: this is something I have not heard of so thank you very much!!
