Encoder Failure?

[dbt3000files]

Has anyone ever blown out their encoders?

I use a sound logic board hooked up to a second parallel port. I had my machine hooked up to a ground-fault plug (with the little test and reset button). Somehow I tripped it. When I restarted everything, I was getting no encoder signals. When I tested manually toggling the inputs on my board with a wire, I was able to get the encoder dro's to react. All my wires to the encoder are fine. The only thing I can think is that I ruined my encoders.
The same thing happened on all three axes. I am stumped.
Any help or advice would be really appreciated!!

[romaxxcnc]

Hello,

There is a troubleshooting guide for the encoder board in this forum, run through that and see if the board and encoders are ok.

The GFI or ground fault interrupter I'm pretty sure ( the one's I have seen) has a set of contact points in it. When a set of points are broken with a load across them, the voltage can spike and damage electronics. That's why switching transformers are no good for CNC equipment.

-Ron

[dbt3000files]

I found that the encoders are working fine, but when the voltage is low, it is not registering as low. When I used a wire to to connect the corresponding pin to ground on the Sound Logic board, it would register. For some reason, the signal is either not getting pulled to ground well enough, or the Sound Logic Board is not registering the signal the way it should. I did try making sure the ground pin on the board was grounded directly, but it made no difference.
I would like to think that there may be some solution, but I'm afraid I might need to purchase a new Sound Logic board.
I have gotten the encoders to work, but only by removing all of the pull up resistors from the encoder, and grounding the encoder directly. However, they are noisy and unreliable in this configuration, and I have to run everything slower.
Any thoughts?

[romaxxcnc]

Hello,

I would try another encoder on it and see if it reads correctly, then you'll know for sure. My experience with the encoder board, it either works or it doesn't, and it's very rare to have one malfunction. Also, never take the GND terminals to chassis or earth ground. That is PC "ground" only.

-Ron

[dbt3000files]

Thanks for all your help so far Ron,
I was about to get another board until I read your last post. I definitely can't get any of the encoders to register without grounding them to earth ground, which I guess is essentially grounding the board to earth. When I hook up the encoders normally, and check the pins with a multimeter, I get a slight positive voltage when they are low. Same with all of the encoders. Also one pin out of the 6 encoder inputs doesn't register at all.
Does that give you any other ideas about what may be happening?
Thanks again,
David

[romaxxcnc]

The encoder channels will usually register between slightly above 0 volts and a little below 5 volts fluctuation. You're more than welcome to send the board to us for testing. That would be easiest.

-Ron