L298 goes boom on my camtronics :(

well well well, how are you? Me, smelling a little smoke :( I was
connecting a simple switch to J4 and J8 so I can "free" my motors
without having to turn off the main power on my Camtronics 2A 3 axis
board and single board all the time.

Well I thought if I connect J4 (single axis) it frees the A axis. If
I connect J8, it frees XYZ axis. So what I did was to install one
switch for both boards. I connected a wire from one pin of J4 to one
pin on J8, other pin on J4 to the other pin on J8..I then connected
two wires from J8 to a switch. Switch off and I pluged it in, ZAP!

my power fuse blew. I looked it all over and and undid the J4 wires,
ZAP 2nd time, I undid all of them ZAP 3rd time.

I then spun the motors by hand and ALL 4 AXIS motors felt very
gritty,, like they where shorted out or had some "holding power on"
(remember no power is on)!

I was so scared I pulled everything apart hoping it was the power
supply but it works fine. Intersting is that NONE of the axis fuses
blew, just the main power fuse.

Looking around I noticed the L298N cracked on the single board!!!!
Got real close and I could smell it a little. Y axes seems to be the
worst where the motor almost seems like it has holding power, very
gritty to turn (each motor is free when not connected). Well I hope
it's only the 4 L298 that need replacing. Found a price for them but
waiting on Dans responce first.

Pic included of the single axis L298 if you care to share in my
depression :(

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO/files/Tauseef%27s%20CNC%
20Sherline%20/L298-Camtronicboom.JPG

(its under files and "tauseef cnc sherline"

tauseef