My machine has been in mothballs for about a year while I was building my new workshop. I'm about to crank it back up, but I need some help, advice, whatever. I'm using Mach3 on a WinXP machine with a Keling package of Gecko 540, 387oz NEMA 23 motors with the included PSU running around 48 V. Using the math I found on here and the motor specs, I came up with the size of current limiting resistors, and asking a few questions out here, I feel I'm using the right ohm values. BUT....... for the 2 years or so I've had it running, I've always thought that my motors ran way way too hot. The last time I used the machine, I was cutting a pretty detailed relief of an eagle head, and finally, after about 3 or 4 hours of cutting, the X axis started moving erratically, ruining my carving. The X motor was way too hot to touch, Y not as much but still pretty hot.
The limiting resistors may not even be my problem, so I'm needing help to cure the overheating problem before I start cutting again. Motor temp was well over 200 degrees, if I can trust my VOM and the temp probe.
The limiting resistors may not even be my problem, so I'm needing help to cure the overheating problem before I start cutting again. Motor temp was well over 200 degrees, if I can trust my VOM and the temp probe.