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How do I add 2 different PCI mesa cards to the hal file? I have a 5i20 with a 7i33 daughter card. I just added a 5i25 with a 7i74 card. I want to use the 5i25 and 7i74 to control my VFD through the RS-422. However, i don't really understand how I would load the configuration in hal. Currently I have:

loadrt hm2_pci config="firmware=hm2/5i20/SVST8_4.BIT num_encoders=4 num_pwmgens=2 num_stepgens=4"

How do I do the same for the 5i25?

Thanks
Brian

brianm wrote:
man hostmot2 for the details, but it would look like this for two 5i20s:
loadrt hm2_pci config="firmware=hm2/5i20/SVST8_4.BIT num_encoders=4 num_pwmgens=2 num_stepgens=4, firmware=hm2/5i20/SVST8_4.BIT num_encoders=4 num_pwmgens=2 num_stepgens=4"

However, as the 5i25 doesn't have downloadable firmware, it looks like:
loadrt hm2_pci config="firmware=hm2/5i20/SVST8_4.BIT num_encoders=4 num_pwmgens=2 num_stepgens=4, num_encoders=4 num_pwmgens=2 num_stepgens=4"
You might have to swap the order, because loading order depends on PCI bus search sequence.

If it isn't clear, the comma (,) in the string separates the two configs

I am very confused on the smart serial, I think it might be a bit over my head.

Is there a configuration example of something similar to using a 5i25 with a 7i74 connected to GS2 VFD driver? I may be completely wrong on how to do this, I am learning as I go.

Thanks

Smart Serial only supports smart serial real time remote I/O devices
(and this is all pretty much automagic regardless of the remote serial device)
the sserial interface does not support Modbus

Andy Pugh has added UART support to HostMot2 so it should be possible
(with a lot of work) to communicate with Modbus devices via a UART built into the 5I25,
driving the 7I74 RS-422 interface but its sure not going to be straightforward...

That sounds above my skill level, so I think I will just go back to the way it was working before.

Thanks for the help

brianm wrote:I feel much the same. I am half way through a major re-organisation of the driver. (Nothing users need to worry about)The 7i74 is an RS422 breakout for the Mesa Smart-Serial remote cards (7i64, 8i20, 7i77 etc).
The smart-serial protocol is proprietary to Mesa, and not suitable for driving a GS2 (As far as I know).

It is possible to drive a GS2 from the serial port.
www.linuxcnc.org/docs/2.5/html/drivers/GS2.html
and the linked setup page should help. It is worth noting that the docs seem to make no mention of the physical wiring required, but is looks like it ought to be the serial port.

What hardware do you actually have?

My computer does not have a serial port, so I bought a cheap PCI serial card and then a RS232 - RS485 converter. It was working fine, except sometimes the spindle stops for no reason. Or spins the wrong direction. It is commanded correctly - but the VFD shows it as being commanded to stop I do not really know how to troubleshoot modbus stuff so I lived with it and just assumed it was a combination of the cheap PCI card, adapter, and me being a novice at this. Now I have a job where I need the machine to run "lights out" and cannot have the spindle randomly stopping. I thought the mesa system would work, but looks like I did not do enough research. I am thinking of buying a better quality RS485 PCI card to eliminate the adapter to see if that helps. I also have a live tooling motor that I would like to control the same way. (Not sure if you can load the GS2 driver twice though...) (My controller is actually a GS3, but I think it works the same as far as the communication is concerned).

If that does not work, I will probably try using PWM.

brianm wrote:That does sound less than convenient.I would say there was a fair chance that the Mesa kit could be made to work.
What hardware do you have? Perhaps we can think of ways to link it all together.

I have 2 Mesa Cards

first is the 5i20 with a 7i33 daughter card. (the daughter card runs the steppers and handles the encoder feedback from the spindle) the rest are gpio

Now I have a 5i25 and a 7i74 daughter card.

The VFD is a GS3-23PO

brianm wrote:That seems an unusual choice for a stepper system, in some ways. I assume you are using the 7i33 for analogue voltage generation and encoder feedback.
The natural fit would be the 5i25 / 7i76 or 7i78 (the 7i48 has no GPIO thought) but it makes absolutely no sense to buy _more_ hardware when you already have a hardware surplus and a functional machine.
Looking at the GS2 component it would be a natural fit to the Mesa UART component, but I have more than enough irons in the fire, so it wouldn't be me doing it. I could advise if someone else fancies picking it up.