M7 mist control relay for M/MX series mills

burtonbr

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I switched to flood coolant from mist recently, and last week reinstalled the fog buster hooked to the I/O board to control it by M64 code or PP button manually.
While digging around the electrical cabinet I noticed the ECM board has a second relay already installed on it, and is controlled by M7 code.
i dug my voltmeter out and checked a few connections confirming what I initially thought and with a few minor modifications I was able to connect it to power and add a dedicated mist coolant socket with the flood coolant socket . It works very well and will be useful in the future for small parts where mist or an air blast can be used. Here’s a few descriptions and pictures of how I did it.
 

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I just made a mist system for my 440. I only need to add an on off solenoid and am trying to research how to do that. Checked here and came across this. Nice write up! I looked on my machine and have no plug/output. I know the last owner had a fog buster, is this the only connection on the machines to control the solenoid? Does this mean I need to purchase this "I/O board" and this plug is part of it? Your setup here connects to ECM? I don't know why I thought the 770 had a standard way to connect a coolant pump or solenoid valve. I did find a fogbuster installation instruction page, It shows a plug dangling below the electrical cabinet, of course I don't have that. Guess I'll copying your setup. They make a point about connecting an inductive device as noise/interference. I assume you have had no issue. I may put a filter in as I'm doing it for good measure.
 
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Never mind Bruce, after digging into my electrical cab and pulling some schematics....we have VERY different machines...Sounds like I'm heading down your path with a multi meter and accepting what ever I might blowup is on me. What I have works great, but man...I want to the controller to do just that...
 
Yea a 440 is a different controller than the M/MX machines. The early 440’s didn’t have the coolant plug installed I believe, that is found Dangling under the Electrical cabinet, but I believe they sell that kit so at least you can have a switched receptacle controlled by the coolant button in PP or M8/M9 command. If you were looking to have multiple coolant controls then the I/O kit will work for that. The plug probably could be easily added DIY but I haven’t looked at the elec schematic for a 440 in a while.
happy to answer any questions you may have about it.
 
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Oh MAN! Even bigger, yours is an MX? My bad. I think I've got a pretty good idea now. How do you utilize the two different coolant systems out of curiosity.
 
I actually have the 770M and have upgraded to servos so 770M+.
For me, Normal coolant (Flood) Is turned on by M8 in the program or MDI, or the PP coolant button, or Alt+C on the keyboard. Mist coolant is turned on by M7 in the program or MDI line, or ALT+M on the keyboard. A M9 in a program or MDI line or by turning off the coolant button in PP turns off both. I don’t use mist that much but there are times I use it rather than flood like when I use less than .060” endmills/drills or manually machining by keyboard or shuttle I need to see the workpiece.
if you were to set up coolant using I/O board they can be controlled by buttons on the status tab, or commands M64 P0 to turn on relay 1 or M65 P0 to turn it off, M64 P1 etc. I had my fog buster hooked up that way for a little while before I found the second relay was included in the control board of the M series controllers.

Below is the link to the installation instructions for the coolant control kit they used to sell for the 440’s before they were included standard.
 
Yeah, that's one of the schematics I'm going off of. Though the wiring seems so wacky to me. Probably because it a 110 system powering a 12v.

...If I remember correctly, my machine is from 2015...(the earlier models, you said didn't have the outlet under electrical cab)
 
a Standard fog buster from Tormach is 110v, as is the optional outlet, I have used the I/O board to control 110v and 24v relays
 
This one appears to be DC (power supply)....I gotta decide which way to go, I feel like DC would be handy to run LED lighting, just get a bit extra amps to cover the spread.

DC power supply.jpg
 
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