[bkboggy]

I'm about to wire G540 and I'm wondering what size of wires I should be using for home/limit switches and power supply? 16 gauge for power and 22 gauge for everything else? What is the maximum length allowed (if there is such restriction)?

[steve323]

Wire resistance does not play a very big role when driving steppers.

I am using 22 gauge wire for the stepper wires at 2.5A with around 10 feet of wire to the farthest motor. 22 gauge wire has 0.019 ohms per foot * 20 feet round trip * 2.5A = 0.95V drop along the wire. I think of it as effectively taking away 1V from my power supply, so my system is really operating at 39V instead of 40V. The performance loss is very small.

16 guage wire will work just fine for the motors, but it is more than you need.

"Everything else" (home and limit switches) have an even smaller current requirement. The important thing is to keep them shielded and ideally separated from the motor cables by at least a few inches.

Steve

[bkboggy]

G540 is pretty small, so a few inches of separation is not going to be easy, on the other hand, they all come out of different sides so that should be no issue.

So, from what you're saying, any shielded wire will work for my limit switches. What about the wires from power supply to G540? 16 gauge for maximum performance, right?

[steve323]

G540 is pretty small, so a few inches of separation is not going to be easy, on the other hand, they all come out of different sides so that should be no issue.

So, from what you're saying, any shielded wire will work for my limit switches. What about the wires from power supply to G540? 16 gauge for maximum performance, right?

My point about a "few inches of separation" applies to the long lengths of cable. In other words, try not to tie your motor wires together into a bundle with your limit switches for the entire 10 feet of length. It is OK for them to run close for short distances, just not for the entire length. Also, crosstalk drops off fairly quickly, so even 1 inch of separation is probably more than enough.

16 guage from your supply to the G540s should work just fine.

Steve

[bkboggy]

Cool, thanks for the info, Steve.

[Crevice Reamer]

Good shielded wire for motor cables and Home/limits:

BELDEN 8723-100 STEPPER MOTOR CABLE WIRE

$32 http://www.fullcompass.com/product/305455.html 3 WK SHP

$33? http://www.jameco.com/Jameco/catalogs/c273/P101.pdf

$38 http://www.mcmelectronics.com/produc...100-/36F1033WA

$39 http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/sto...oductId=734180

$40 http://www.markertek.com/Product.asp...&utm_campaign=

$44 http://www.alliedelec.com/Search/Pro...SC=8723+060100

EUROPE http://www.cable-world.co.uk/online.htm

Shielding BOTH helps control crosstalk. Ground drain wire only at G540 end. (To terminals 2, 3 or 4)

CR.

[bkboggy]

I've already purchased stepper motor wire from ebay, just looking for wire for limit switches and power supply. Thanks for the links CR.

[bkboggy]

I'll probably try to look for individual shielded wires like on this diagram:

http://www.geckodrive.com/upload/G54...3%20MANUAL.pdf

Wonder if OSH has some... hmmmm