Z Zero tool and C10 BOB wiring help

**John H** · 23rd January 2009, 04:33 PM

I guess it's about time I pulled my finger out and get my Z Zero plate built and working. I am worse than Rod when it comes to electrickery so bear with my stupid questions.

As I want to use this one tool on all my machines and I have a digital probe I've decided that I'll hook up the BOB to it's own parallel port (which I already have fitted in my PC). The BOB will be mounted in a small jiffy box which will sit on my tool/pc trolley.

I plan to power the BOB via the 5v source from USB. So I'll have the parallel cable plus a USB cable running to the BOB box. So far so good.

Now, have I got this right, for the Z Zero plate, I have one wire that runs from the plate into one of the input terminals on the C10? Does it go into the number input or the 5v input?

For the digital probe, the instructions say:

First wire connect to 10,11,12,13 or 15 input pins Again is this the numbered pin of the 5v one?
Second wire to common or any pin 18 through 25 The BOB only goes to pin 17?? - see pic
Third wire connect shield to case ground Ummmm the jiffy box is plastic so where should this go??

**rodm** · 23rd January 2009, 08:14 PM

I will leave this for the experts to answer but I can tell you to place a resistor off the 5 volt supply otherwise the C10 board will bolw up - I can verify this.

I use a 100 ohm 1/4 watt and it was good enough to stop blowing another board.
Pins 18 to 25 they are referring to the parallel port and these are all ground on the computer. These pins are not assisgned on the BOB so I would expect that you just pick up a ground off the Bob but please wait until somebody that knows what they are talking about answers.

**chrisb691** · 23rd January 2009, 08:16 PM

I've got a C10 hooked up to my limit/home switches, and to the Z touch plate. I'll open up the box tomorrow, and let you know how I wired it. I had to change one of the jumpers to get it working, but I can't remember which one.

**John H** · 23rd January 2009, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by rodm

I will leave this for the experts to answer but I can tell you to place a resistor off the 5 volt supply otherwise the C10 board will bolw up - I can verify this.

I use a 100 ohm 1/4 watt and it was good enough to stop blowing another board.
Pins 18 to 25 they are referring to the parallel port and these are all ground on the computer. These pins are not assisgned on the BOB so I would expect that you just pick up a ground off the Bob but please wait until somebody that knows what they are talking about answers.

When you say "place a resistor off the 5 volt supply", one end of the resistor goes where and the other end goes where? Gotcha on the ground being pins 18-25.

Originally Posted by chrisb691

I've got a C10 hooked up to my limit/home switches, and to the Z touch plate. I'll open up the box tomorrow, and let you know how I wired it. I had to change one of the jumpers to get it working, but I can't remember which one.

That would be great thanks Chris

**rodm** · 23rd January 2009, 08:52 PM

One end of the resistor goes to say input 15 screw terminal and you solder the other end of the resistor to the wire going to the touchplate.
Try and rouse Greolt from his hoilday slumber

and he will know the right thing to do.

**chrisb691** · 23rd January 2009, 09:15 PM

Originally Posted by rodm

One end of the resistor goes to say input 15 screw terminal and you solder the other end of the resistor to the wire going to the touchplate.
Try and rouse Greolt from his hoilday slumber

and he will know the right thing to do.

I haven't got resistors fitted to mine....I don't know if I should be worried now.

**rodm** · 23rd January 2009, 10:12 PM

Hi Chris,
Ok my 5 volt suuply to the Bob is through a combination 5 and 12 volt switching power supply. The ground from this is also connected to the Bob. Without a resistor everytime I used the touchplate I could hear the fans (powered by the 12 volts) change speed for a the split second. Big deal it still worked so I kept using it. Typical as it is I was giving a demo of the mill and no need to guess the touchplate blew the board. Lucky I had a replacment board and fitted it with a resistor to the touchplate and was able to finished the demo and have not had a problem since.
It could be that the switching power supply has a lot more grunt than a USB power take off but best to get somebody that knows what they are talking about to guide this one.

**John H** · 24th January 2009, 10:40 AM

I got an answer from the guy who make my digital probe over on the Mach forum. I need to connect a 1kohm resistor between the 5Vcc pin and the number pin I want to use - in this case 10. I then run a line from pin 10 to the + probe and the other wire from ground. See attached dogey pic.

Now just need to sort the Z Zero plate and I'll be an electrickery master

**John H** · 24th January 2009, 02:13 PM

Ok, I leaped in feet first and put a 1.5k resistor from the 5Vcc pin to the input pin on the BoB (pin 11). Ran the wire from pin 11 to the z plate.... and it works.

I didn't need an earth wire on my mill which is a bonus. Need to test it on my wood router as but, but hopefully that will be earthed as well.

**chrisb691** · 24th January 2009, 05:19 PM

Originally Posted by John H

Ok, I leaped in feet first and put a 1.5k resistor from the 5Vcc pin to the input pin on the BoB (pin 11). Ran the wire from pin 11 to the z plate.... and it works.

I didn't need an earth wire on my mill which is a bonus. Need to test it on my wood router as but, but hopefully that will be earthed as well.

Glad it works for you. I haven't used any resistors at all. I'm using a Rev8.3 board, which has inbuilt pull-down resistors ( the resistor you have added). I don't think the extra resistor will cause you any issues, but also think you could safely remove it.

I haven't grounded the shielding on any of my input cables, and don't seem to have any issue.

I've got mine powered from a 6 volt plugpack, as I did't have a spare USB connection on the PC.

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Z Zero tool and C10 BOB wiring help

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