I recently realized my Z-axis end stop switches aren’t functioning. Before I start tearing apart the entire machine without a clue, I could use some suggestions as to what to look for or test or where to look.
Do you have FluidNC or Marlin for your controller software?
If FluidNC, test your limit switches with the $Limits command from the terminal.
If Marlin, use M119 to troubleshoot.
FluidNC. Thanks. I look into how that works.
Sorry, $Limits not $SS .
Brain fart on my side.
I’ll fix my post up above
No problem. I discovered that after a quick Google search on the $SS command. I won’t be back at the machine for a few hours, bu will try it then.
I ran &limits and I get a response for all x, y and z limit switches. It’s hard to tell from looking at the presentation of the scrolling signals that register in the iPhone app but it looks like the signals are supposed to fall in columns under one of: PosLimitPins, NegLimitPins or Probe. The X- signals line up in a column with one of the Y- signals, but the other Y-signal lines up as a column to the right. It’s impossible to tell which of the headings they fall under (if those are headings). One of the Z- signals lines up to in what might be a column to the left of the X signals and the other Z-switch lines up even further to the left. I don’t know what any of that means, except I get a signal for all of the switches.
Also, one of the Z-switches registers as a capital “Z”, the other and lowercase “z”. Same for the “Y/y” signals.
The only notable difference in the config.yaml file for the X, y and z motors that I see are:
Z and Y motors are configured as (additional identical lines deleted):
cycle: 2
positive_direction: false
limit_neg_pin: gpio.25:high
limit_pos_pin: NO_PIN
limit_all_pin: NO_PIN
hard_limits: false
While Z looks like this:
cycle: 1
positive_direction: true
limit_neg_pin: NO_PIN
limit_pos_pin: gpio.32:high
limit_all_pin: NO_PIN
hard_limits: false
Are the limit_neg_ and limit_pos_ NO_PIN settings supposed be different like this?
I figured it out. There’s nothing wrong with the machine. I didn’t realize the z-stops (and y/x-stops) only work when homing, but not when one is overzealous with axis movement buttons on the app. In that case the limit switches do not normally stop the machine.