James S'funny how some stuff drops into the pool without leaving a ripple, and other stuff gets done to the point where I start losing the will to live... Don't worry, you haven't become invisible. John -----Original Message----- From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu]On Behalf Of James Newtons Massmind Sent: 28 February 2005 06:03 To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.' Subject: RE: [EE] Finding stepper motor wiring Err... Did anyone see this? Any comments? Can someone maybe just say that they got it and why they aren't interested? --- James. > -----Original Message----- > From: piclist-bounces@mit.edu > [mailto:piclist-bounces@mit.edu] On Behalf Of James Newton, Host > Sent: 2005 Feb 25, Fri 14:33 > To: 'Microcontroller discussion list - Public.' > Subject: [EE] Finding stepper motor wiring > Importance: Low > > I'm working out a way for ANYONE (read: no EE experience) to > figure out what stepper motor wire is which for a unipolar > controller (read: the > linistepper) without even using a meter. I'm not sure I have > it right, and would love to hear some suggestions for better > ways, etc... > > So far: > --------- > First, arrange the wires so that there is no way for any of > them to be contacting another. > > Pick the first wire, tape it and label it "A" > > Spin the motor and notice how hard it turns, then connect "A" > to one of the other wires, and spin the motor again. > > - If you don't feel any difference, put that wire back and try another > > - If it feels harder to turn, label that wire "A" just like > the first wire, put it back, and go on. > > > - When you have all the "A" wires, pick up another wire and > label it "B" > then repeat the spin test until you have all the "B" wires. > > - Repeat with C, D, and so on until you have all the wires in groups. > > 8 WIRE MOTORS: > If you only have two wires in each set and you have 4 sets (8 > wires total) you can just pick one "A" wire, one "B" wire, > one "C" wire and one "D" wire and hook them all together. > This is now your common or M+ wire and the other wires are > the phases. This wiring causes the motor to behave as a > unipolar motor. It could also be wired together in a bipolar > configuration if that were desired. > > 6 WIRE MOTORS: > If you have two sets of 3 wires (a 6 wire motor) you need to > find the center wire of each set. Starting with the A set, > label the wires A1, A2, and A3 in any order. Connect A1 to > A2. Feel how hard it is to spin. Now connect that same A1 > wire to the A3 wire and spin it again. > > - If it is easier to spin, then the A2 wire is the center. > Re-label A2 as "AC" > > - If it is harder to spin, then the A3 wire is the center. > Re-label A3 as "AC" > > - If it is the same, then the A1 wire is the center. Re-label > A1 as "AC" > > > Repeat this for the B set to find the B center wire "BC" > > Connect AC and BC together to form your common M+ wire. This > modifies the motor to become a unipolar stepper. > > 5 WIRE MOTORS: > If you have only one set of 5 wires then you have a standard > unipolar motor. > Connecting ANY two of the five wires together causes the > shaft to be a little harder to turn. You might have noticed > that one of the wires caused the motor to turn even harder > than the others. That was the center wire. If all the > connections seemed about the same, the first wire you picked > was probably the center. > > 4 WIRE MOTORS: > These can only be used as Bipolar motors. > ----- > > I would also love to be able to let them figure out which > phase wire is A+ and which is A- and so on. That can be done > by connecting coils in series, but I'm having a hard time > figuring out how to explain it in really simple terms. Any help? > > Right now, I just have them connect the common to M+, connect > the phases randomly and power the motor up. If it vibrates, > swap the A+ and B+ wires. > If it turns the wrong direction, swap A+ and A-. AFTER > TURNING OFF THE MOTOR POWER! > > Thanks > > --- > James Newton: PICList webmaster/Admin > mailto:jamesnewton@piclist.com 1-619-652-0593 phone > http://www.piclist.com/member/JMN-EFP-786 > PIC/PICList FAQ: http://www.piclist.com > > > > -- > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change > your membership options at > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist > -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist