Powering 3 45Ncm Nema 17 Stepper Motor 2A 4-wire (not CNC)

**Fivetide** · 21-11-2016

I have the 3A with reverse switch but I order one of these below at 10A to test. I would like to link some sort of LCD RPM display onto it .. guess thats for later.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-40V-10...4AAOSwuAVWxZvG

Features:
Control the speed of a DC motor with this controller.
High efficiency, high torque, low heat generating.
With reverse polarity protection, high current protection.
Working Voltage: DC 12V - DC 40V.
Control Power:0.01 - 400W.
Static Current:0.02 A ( Standby ).
PWM Duty Cycle:10% -100%.
PWM Frequency:13 KHz.
Material: Plastic, metal.
Size:6cm x 7.5cm x 2.8cm
Weight: 70g

**cropwell** · 21-11-2016

That unit is for DC motors, I thought you had steppers !

**Fivetide** · 21-11-2016

Originally Posted by cropwell

That unit is for DC motors, I thought you had steppers !

I thought it would be ok ?

**Doddy** · 21-11-2016

Originally Posted by Fivetide

I thought it would be ok ?

Nope, you need a stepper driver.

It's perfectly possible to drive the step/dir signals into multiple drivers - probably preferable to driving potentially unmatched motors in parallel (and offers a choice of multiple supplies if the load becomes an issue), but its a cost balance for your solution.

FWIW - the motors you spec'd - 2A per phase, I guess 2 phase - that's potentially 4A per motor holding current, so you have to be very aware of driving these in parallel.

Speed and direction control are then determined by the state of the dir signal (CW or CCW) and the frequency of the Step line. You could knock up a speed controller using an Arduino Uno or similar and a few lines of C code, and for relatively little extra cost have a full digital control set-up. Happy to give you more info if you want.

**Fivetide** · 21-11-2016

Originally Posted by Doddy

Nope, you need a stepper driver.

It's perfectly possible to drive the step/dir signals into multiple drivers - probably preferable to driving potentially unmatched motors in parallel (and offers a choice of multiple supplies if the load becomes an issue), but its a cost balance for your solution.

FWIW - the motors you spec'd - 2A per phase, I guess 2 phase - that's potentially 4A per motor holding current, so you have to be very aware of driving these in parallel.

Speed and direction control are then determined by the state of the dir signal (CW or CCW) and the frequency of the Step line. You could knock up a speed controller using an Arduino Uno or similar and a few lines of C code, and for relatively little extra cost have a full digital control set-up. Happy to give you more info if you want.

In my mind its a DC motor with the ability to do stepping ? But I don't need the stop start precision of the step. I just want a small DC motor to turn at below 109 RPM. Hence why I thought a regular DC pulse regulator would just spin it in one direction..

**magicniner** · 21-11-2016

Originally Posted by Fivetide

In my mind its a DC motor with the ability to do stepping ?

It's a motor where energising multiple windings sequentially results in movement, the stepper driver deals with this, just applying DC or even PWM DC will not run a stepper motor, try it ;-)

Originally Posted by Fivetide

I just want a small DC motor to turn at below 109 RPM. Hence why I thought a regular DC pulse regulator would just spin it in one direction..

Having control of precise steps allows you to use a frequency generator to create a precise RPM

Originally Posted by Fivetide

I just want a small DC motor to turn at below 109 RPM.

You could just use conventional DC motors with a PWM driver but you will find you have some variation of speed with identical motors driven from a common supply.

**Fivetide** · 21-11-2016

Originally Posted by magicniner

It's a motor where energising multiple windings sequentially results in movement, the stepper driver deals with this, just applying DC or even PWM DC will not run a stepper motor, try it ;-)

Having control of precise steps allows you to use a frequency generator to create a precise RPM

You could just use conventional DC motors with a PWM driver but you will find you have some variation of speed with identical motors driven from a common supply.

DAMN ! I just want a analogue driver/supply turning all three motors at (approximately) the same speed in a single direction lol

Right then.. 3 of those stepper motor controllers that are all wired to a big pot ? ( I have a box full of big to little Pots )
Plus about 5 shelves of laptop power supplies of every variant I can name !!
I will do this ... it wont bloody beat me ..!! :)