# Limit switches at all times! **URL:** \ **Category:** Uncategorized\ **Created:** [August 23, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107 "2017-08-23T21:37:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 9:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/1 "2017-08-23T21:37:34Z")
Does anyone know if Inventables is working toward writing the software of easel to have limit switches work at ALL TIMES??? I did a job a little taller than I normally do and after using my probe it went up too high and broke a limit switch. I find this very frustrating that these switches don’t work at all times!. It would be a lot more comforting, knowing that your machine will stop and not grind belts or break switches. I know the error is on me here… but if they upgrade easel, it would be a nice change to have. Thanks, Casey ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/2 "2017-08-23T21:41:06Z")
That function is already there, you just need to turn it on. If you use homing and soft limits then you won’t crash your machine. ($22 = 1 and $20=1). ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 9:51pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/3 "2017-08-23T21:51:56Z")
I have turned on my homing limit switches. However they don’t work at all times. only when I am homing the machine. How would I go about making them work at all times? ---
**Author:** ![Jason](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/jason/32/44129_2.png) [@Jason](https://community.inventables.com/u/Jason)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/4 "2017-08-23T21:58:28Z")
Do some searches for soft limits… that’ll prevent you from going too far in x, y, and z. Once you start using soft limits you’ll never look back. ---
**Author:** ![TheWhittler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@TheWhittler](https://community.inventables.com/u/TheWhittler)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 10:14pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/5 "2017-08-23T22:14:04Z")
Homing is separate from “hard limits”. If you just have your switches set up for homing they will do nothing if triggered when you are jogging or while cutting. If you want them to act as limit switches as well you have to enable that ($21=1) instead of ($21=0) Like Larry said above though I use homing and “soft limits”, which stops your machine crashing. You just need to enable them and set your max travel distances. ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/7 "2017-08-24T15:17:10Z")
Thank you guys for the help. How do you change the soft limits? Under machine inspector? ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/8 "2017-08-24T15:34:45Z")
> [@CaseyH](#): > > Under machine inspector? Yes. I think it is Machine Inspector → Advanced $22=1 turns homing on $20=1 turns soft limits on $130, $131, and $132 sets the max travel distance for X , Y, and Z axis This is what I use for my 500mm X-carve $130=290.000 (x max travel, mm) $131=290.000 (y max travel, mm) $132=88.000 (z max travel, mm) ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/10 "2017-08-24T15:47:35Z")
Okay. I think i figured out how to change the code. I can move the machine around until… I tried to see if they worked by going back to far. it did not allow it but then it locks it up and it wont let me move in a direction that does work… Is this how soft limits are supposed to work? ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:48pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/11 "2017-08-24T15:48:58Z")
I have to restart a new browser window before it will release it. ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/12 "2017-08-24T16:13:13Z")
You have to clear the soft limit alarm. I don’t know how Easel does it. In UGCS or other sender programs you can do a soft reset to clear the alarm. ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:29pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/15 "2017-08-24T16:29:53Z")
Thank you all for your help. I appreciate it!!! ---
**Author:** ![CaseyH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@CaseyH](https://community.inventables.com/u/CaseyH)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/16 "2017-08-24T16:39:17Z")
PhilJohnson what program are you designing your projects in to generate your gcode for UGCS? ---
**Author:** ![LarryM](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex009/user_avatar/community.inventables.com/larrym/32/51450_2.png) [@LarryM](https://community.inventables.com/u/LarryM)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/limit-switches-at-all-times/41107/18 "2017-08-24T16:59:50Z")
> [@PhilJohnson](#): > > We’ll have to verify but I’ve had to also home before it would allow movement. Yes, you do have to home if homing is active.