CNC GRBL Control Box with Relay Module / X Carve Controller Upgrade

00:02 Dismantled original components for X Carve controller taking pictures along the way for your own reference.

00:58 Installed kettle lead panel mount and wired to PSU using crimp terminals. Depending where you buy your panel mount, the wiring may be different.

03:13 Connect 3 cord flex from power in terminal on PSU towards relay module.

04:00 I wired up a gang socket which would pass through the glands on the front panel, and connect to relay.  I’ve drilled two as I am using a dual relay module.

04:30 I then connect the 24v power to GRBL shield via E stop. The E-stop is fitted on opposite end of front panel.

05:14 I drilled the holes for all the other front panel connections.

05:20 These include four 4 pin aviation mounts, which need to be soldered to lengths of 4 cord flex which will connect to stepper terminals on shield. (I’ve added two additional opening in anticipation for a laser module.)

06:56 Cut or disconnect original limit switch wires – keeping enough material to make connection within control box.

07:23 Wire ground and spindle enable to switch. If you are not planning to add a laser module you can take these directly towards relay.

08:14 In the video I pushed a tinned red wire into the 5V header but I later soldered this on. I then heat shrinked the wires together, adding DuPont header connections and fitting on relday.

09:31 Solder X, Y, Z and limits to male aviation plugs.

09:58 Add second power panel mount to back panel.

10:10 Testing the controller.  Everything seemed to work but the relay was remaining on because the later version of the firmware assumed I was using a variable speed spindle.  I had to change something in the config file and flash the shield.  This useful blog walked me through the stages: http://goo.gl/B6IM3S

11:12 I now ran into another problem, as the relay always turned on when the controller was powered.  The G code commands were also swapped. This could be quite dangerous, and I couldn’t figure it out so I asked Nathan from OpenTronic to problem solve this for me.  He found another command in the Config file that had to be uncommented.

12:08 Now I will show you that it works, using a disco laser.

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