[ironaxe2008]

Hi all, I have just purchased a Mechatronics Bipolar 4 axis Stepper Motor Driver board (4x-0727 pcb model- says on back of board), and I need help hooking up my steppers and making the board work. I also need to know what voltage to give this board.

I am using 3 nema 17 Sanyo Denki Step-Syn Motors 103H5209-0440
The power supply I am using is an adjustable, up to 12v.

I have it connected to my comp by parallel with a female to female gender changer, as the board has a male connection. I have Kcam installed on the computer.

I followed the documentation that Mechatronics supplies, but no joy.
The motors buzz, but no movement.

I have read that even if I have the order of wires on the motor wrong, it will try to move, and thru trial and error, you can get the right sequence. Is this true?

Do I connect the center taps? Other sites I have read from say to connect them together, but mechatronics doc says dont.

all help will be appreciated!!

Joe

[PeterG]

If your motors are buzzing when you try to jog, you probably have the phases fighting each other. Try swapping (with the power off!) the leads that go to the _B and B terminals on your driver.

As for connecting the center taps, I assume these are 6-wire steppers. If they are, then the documentation from Mechatronics is correct. Do not connect them to anything. Just snip the tinned or bare copper leads off the end, then insulate them and tape them to the rest of the bundle of wires. Center taps on 6-wire motors are used only with unipolar drivers, and the Mechatronics is a bipolar driver, so they are not needed.

8-wire steppers are more complex. If that's what you've got, reply and we'll talk about your options.