How do you have your electronics organized?

Brent Dowell

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Reno NV
Anyone care to share how they have the power supplies and controllers organized, as well as how you have your cables routed?

I've got 2 power supplies, and a control board I need to organize. I think I have some ideas for how to route all the cables.

but just wanted to get any ideas.
 
I've been through a few variations. From kaos to a little less kaos.

I do use wire ties.

I just built a couple of enclosures recently, in an attempt to get things out of the dust.

I'll get a pic or two sometime today.
 
Since I built my SO2 on a shelf, I built a plywood box to hold the electronics on the wall above my machine. My four power supplies are mounted on a shelf under the cnc.

CNC_Bld_0020d.jpgCNC_Bld_0020c.jpgCNC_Bld_0021d.jpg

CNC_Bld_0020a.jpg
 
mine is wired pretty much according to the instructions that came with the shapeoko 2. but the power supply is on it's own shelf, the spindle speed controller is tucked under the laptop shelf, and the arduino is attached to one of the rail ends per the instructions.
 
Well Brent you said it in your Ox post. I think insufficient attention is paid to the aspect of shielding in all these units and wiring layout. Crosstalk and interference is real and can easily be attended to.
There are valid reasons why emi shielding is used all over the place in electronics. Good grounding is essential consideration too. Dont want to have ground loops. I like Carols point about metal enclosures.

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I ordered the shielded wires for the steppers, and also ordered up some shielded wire to use for the limit switches. I figure I might as well just plan on using them while I'm at it. Might be a little overkill, but I figure why not add them now while I'm putting it together.
 
I ordered the shielded wires for the steppers, and also ordered up some shielded wire to use for the limit switches. I figure I might as well just plan on using them while I'm at it. Might be a little overkill, but I figure why not add them now while I'm putting it together.


I shielded all mine, too - can't possibly hurt and it's cheap insurance.
 
I've got shielded cables, but since I built mine about 10 years ago, the cable chains weren't all that available and were pricey for the ones that were. The cables are simple held on with cable clamps with some necessary slack as needed. The Laser controller is the most recent addition and it currently riding on top of the carriage.
2015-10-12 19.35.12.jpg

The controller is in the original box I built for it, but the power supply I bough a couple years back sits on the shelf in the elements. Power is routed through a main switch on the front of the shelf. I have a SSR mounted inside the electrical boxes on the left side with a kill switch and power plug on the front to control the spindle. None of it is pretty, but all works.
2015-10-12 19.35.31.jpg

Currently the PC is on a small computer desk in front of the cnc (sorry missed that pic), but the monitor is wall mounted.
2015-10-12 19.35.41.jpg

I am planning to move the CPU inside the office to help keep the dust down on it and do away with the desk. I also am planning an update to move the electronics in a cabinet and add a 4th axis, so look for an upcoming thread soon.
 
Darren with the discussion re Brents Ox and a suitable base, seeing pics of yours and reminding one its MDF can u show a pic of your base your CNC is on please.
Other curiosity did u ever seal the MDF component parts that make up your machine?

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Darren with the discussion re Brents Ox and a suitable base, seeing pics of yours and reminding one its MDF can u show a pic of your base your CNC is on please.
Other curiosity did u ever seal the MDF component parts that make up your machine?

Ha! It's pretty much been on one like the one below since I built it. I've been meaning to weld up a frame with casters on it.
jamie_before.jpg

When I need to move it, I have 4 little 3 wheel dollies which I put one under each leg and it gets rolled to it's new location.
8169310.jpg

I've never sealed the mdf, it's been left bare. It's held up pretty well considering it's always been setup in places with uncontrolled climate.
 
... Good grounding is essential consideration too. Dont want to have ground loops. ...

Something I didn't mention in my earlier post is my grounding. In order NOT to have an issue with ground loops, every ground in my system attaches to a terminal strip I set up as a ground buss. Mains ground, all power supply grounds, cable shields, etc., attach to the buss.
 
Thanks Darren good to know.

Brent the thing to understand is whether or not your power supplies are isolated from TTY he mains side.

So think of this.
Much of the electrical side of a CNC is DC essentially.
But not all power supplies today are of classical step down transformer type. The type Darren referred to as linear.
In the step down transformer type power supply the output is essentially isolated from the input. So to retain that isolation you don't want the DC side ground which is essentially zero volts being connected to the primary mains voltage ground or you have removed the isolation which ideally you want in order to protect your electronics.

So look into the power supplies u have.

If u don't have isolation then it u want one common earth. But keep in mind then to think of other forms of protection from surges or lightning induced spikes.
These issues can be easily attended to with a few appropriately sized as in voltage PTC's (positive temperature coefficient resistors) and gas arrestors and even tranzorbs if you in a location prone to lightning.
Where I grew up (Johannesburg) altitude 6000 ft above sea level happened to be one of the hotspots in the world for lightning. So much so the local telecoms company had a fully kitted lighting testing lab inside a Faraday cage. Fun doing testing there.

I think Bill has done the correct thing but he needs to check out his PSU.

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Shielding and grounds are a touchy thing.
Many swear that shielding should be grounded at one end only.

Shielding and grounds are not always the same in the real world. You can have great grounding that results in ground loops.

Connecting shields at booth ends can cause ground loops.

I believe but don't always follow trying to actually ground one point and keep shields separate from current carrying grounds. Or maybe better stated as trying to keep shields from carrying current..

And you only care about this to keep noise problems to a minimum..or better actual noise problems non existent.
 
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