How hot do TB6600 drivers run normally ?

It took a while, but we are getting there with our cybernetic CNC.
See previous post
http://www.mycncuk.com/threads/8223-...ght=cybernetic

I wired up the TB6600 to a eBay Planet USB CNC clone from Ratim.(Not aware it was a cloned product when I bought it)
The TB6600 drivers are connected on a 19-24 V power supply, now at 20V and at 1/8 microstepping.

In the beginning the motors started grinding when driving to fast and the CNC carriage was easy to stop by hand.
I got decent result and torque after I inverted the pulse on the USB CNC software.
But the drivers get quite warm, around 40C/43C after 30 min. usage.
Even when the CNC is doing noting, the drivers get warm.
Arround 33C after 20 min. doing nothing.


So I was wondering if it is normal for the Ebay TB 6600 steppers to get so warm, or was inverting the pulse not a good idea ?
I had a look at a spare driver and there appeared to be thermal paste between the TB6600 and the heatsink.
We can get the temp down with some fans of course.


I also looked up the spec of the older drivers the the machine came with,
L297 drivers.
These drivers have Full/Half step mode, so can it be that 1/8 is to much for the motors and make the stepper driver to hot?
I still have to check this.


Kevin.

One thing to remember with stepper motors is that they are still taking current when stationary - this is to hold the motor in position. So the driver will still be working as well. However, a lot of drives switch to "half-current" mode when the motor is stationary so that reduces power consumption and heat dissipation a bit. However, 40C or so doesn't sound that hot to me. My motors get hotter than that in normal operation!

Thanks for your reply Neale.
The temperature I mentioned was of the stepper drivers.
The motors run around 35C
You think 40C is still ok for the TB6600 drivers?

Which are you asking about here.! . . . Hot drivers or Hot steppers. Because you mention both.?

Steppers usually get hot, between 50-80deg is quit normal depending on factors like voltage and current. But drives getting hot isn't a good thing so I'd suggest some cooling to help ease there pain, esp has they are wimps to start with.!!

Sorry to be unclear and thanks for the reply jazzcnc, I was referring to hot drivers.
I got them cooler and a bit more torque by un-ticking the invert pulse mode, and switch the DIP switches to 5 amp.
Not as much torque as inverting the pulse, but the drivers are much cooler.
I red on the following post that the Amps settings of these drivers are correct, and I'm probably save.
http://forum.planet-cnc.com/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=1107

I will do some tests next week to see if the machine has enough torque.If not, I will go back to inverting the pulse rate and ad some fans on the drivers.