You select the Gecko 540 from the controller list, and the next few steps are configuring your axis (steps/inch).
Then you select "stepconfig" from the CNC control menu, and create a new machine.
#Gecko g540 setup install#
Basically you download the install CD from, and go through the setup like you would to install windows. It is very easy and straight forward, but I say that having installed it twice and being an Ubuntu guy to begin with. This is a nice setup and good price for an all-in-one system, sans motors and wiring. On your 50V, 1A output, I'm pretty sure that only applies if you are providing 50V to the Gecko540 and your power supply can provide sufficient current. One key is you need to wire resistors into the stepper motor wire leads to set the current. 40-review/Īlso plenty of documentation, schematics etc. Here is a reasonable review and setup steps. I can't be of too much help on the Gecko 540 front, other than to say my friends that own them on their Joes 4x4 CNC's and similar love them and have no problems. I have been reading through the forums over at, but there is a ton of information for a million different configurations that I do not fully understan. It looks like there are two outputs rated at 50V 1A that I would want to use as a spindle enable/disable running a 24VDC latching relay, what would be the best configuration?Īlso I do not know anything about linuxcnc, or how that would be used in this application so any other information would be great.
#Gecko g540 setup Pc#
I would like to see a simple one line diagram from PC to stepper including additional options and system settings (Limit switches, spindle run relays, voltage and current settings, things like that). I want to build a 3d printer, so I am upgrading my CNC and utilizing all the parts off of it for the printer. I do have some questions though, and I was wondering if there were any other members on here running one that would have a minute to describe their setup to me and any other considerations that I should I think about prior to making the switch. It looks to be the perfect size and have all the different options that I would need to run my system. Any assistance would be most appreciated.I am thinking of getting a G540 and building a better controller for my CNC. If any of you are using an ethernet Smoothstepper with a Gecko G540 please share how you have gotten spindle speed control to work. Is there something in the Smoothstepper plugin that needs to be set or something else in Mach3 I am missing? I have attempted to post a question on the Warp9 forum but the moderator has yet to post it after my submission two days ago., In that I have spindle control through the parallel port on my computer but don't when I have the Smoothstepper connected it has to be something no configured correctly for the Smoothstepper board.
Spindle Pulley Number 1, Min Speed 0, Max Speed 18000, Ratio 1 Motor Tuning Settings - Steps 1000, Velocity 50, Accl 2, Step Pulse 2, Dir Pulse 2 Spindle Setup Motor Control "Use Spindle Motor" Checked and "PWM Contorl" checked, PWM Base Freq 50 Min PWM 0 Output Signals - Output #1 Enabled Pin 17 Port 1, Charge Pump Enabled Pin 16 Port 1 Motor Outputs - Spindle is enabled, Step Port 1 Pin 14, Dir Port 0 Pin 0
My setup in Mach for the G540 is as follows: I have spent two days searching online and watching numerous Youtube videos where people are successfully using the G540 and controlling spindle speed. When I check the VFD output voltage from Pin 8 on the G540 I read 0.7 volts and it does not change when I issued different speed commands. After the installation I can move x, y and z as normal but when I issue a M3 S10000 or any other speed command the spindle energizes and rotates at about 3 rpms. Last week I received my ethernet Smoothstepper board and have followed the Warp9 instructions to the letter in connecting the G540 and loading the associated plugin/software. The x,y and z move as expected and I can control the speed of the spindle with the M3 and S10000 commands as expected.
#Gecko g540 setup windows 7#
I have been using my Windows 7 based computer via the parallel port to control a Gecko G540 to run my small cnc router.