Any wagers?

[DAB_Design]

Just finished soldering my controller up. I purchased it a year or so ago with a plan set from hobbycnc. Just now finally going to put the controller to use.

I have never soldered anything in the past.

My bet is that the magic smoke will escape out of something. Hopefully just not my PC.

[CNCadmin]

Just make sure you don't have any cold solder joints.

[DAB_Design]

Cold solder joints?

[CNCadmin]

the solder joint should look shinny.

[wjbzone]

That how I got started. Hobbycnc kit. No experience in electronics before that. Its a great way to learn about PCB's. I had a few joints I had to re-heat after first try. Especially the 6 pin connectors on the motor wires.

Did you get the chopper board? How is it going?
Bill

[DAB_Design]

Well I hooked it all up last night. Made sure I had the cover off my controller, and the side off my PC case. Just so I wouldn't let that much magic smoke out.

But it seems I didn't have to worry about it....no smoke.

Using Mach2 demo, I started to try and make the motors spin. I only had the Z axis motor hooked up. But when I tried to jog Z, nothing happened. Seemed it was hooked up as Y axis. Another wierd thing, is that the motor would only turn one way....something wasn't right. Finally figured out that the pin settings for the software were different than how the controller board was wired.

Switched them all around to match the controller board, and woohoo! it works.

Now my next problem. The motor didn't seem to have that high of an RPM. Once it hit a certain speed, it would stop spinning and just sit there and hum. I'm sure this is a stupid question, but that isn't good on a motor, right? I'll post something later in the stepper motor forum about this. Once I get all the info gathered that I think I'll need.

I'm hoping to make a trip today to get my mill.

I'm just amazed that it works!

[DAB_Design]

I cheated on the 6 pin connectors. Radio Shack does soldering. Those were the only thing I didn't do. My fat fingers just couldn't do it.

Chopper? To be honest, I don't remember the 'description' of what I bought. I still have all the paper work, so...... What's a chopper exactly? Chopper as opposed to what?

Edited cause of fat fingers.

[wjbzone]

I got rid of my connectors and went to a terminal block. Could not get a loose connection fixed with my soldering skills.

Hobby CNC has a chopper board now. I am thinking of going to it because it will allow up to 3 amps per phase. I am just learning so I can't tell you what exactly a chopper is.

I got mine over two years ago. It is a 5804 IC based board with resistors limiting the current. (Big 50 watt resistors - two for each motor) My max current is 1.2 amps (I think)

Bill.

[sendkeys]

dab_design

what voltage are you running? also whats the rated voltage on the stepper

on the copper board (one with microstepping) they like to run 15times the rated voltage for the best rpm.

[rustyolddo]

I picked up the hobbyCNC chopper board, wrote a little review of it, see the review section. I'm very pleased with it. Has terminal strips which makes it nice for testing. Performs excellent with turboCNC.

[DAB_Design]

Here's what I've dug out of the documentation of the kit. They are 60oz-in (I know, I know but I just had them laying around, and they at least get me up and going).

Printed on the motor(s) is 1.8deg/step 5.1V 1A
Off the spec sheet of the driver board - Unipolar control
35VDC max. input voltage
1.25 amps per phase continuous with 1.5 amps at start up.
I have the motors running 2-Phase.

Not sure if this is the info you were asking for sendkeys, but am I'm sure as you have assumed already, when it comes to electronics, I'm pretty green. I looked at the HobbyCNC site again, and they don't seem to be selling the same kit I have anymore (understanablly so as it was over a year ago). But the board is copper in color. Also has the 6 gold colored resistor thingies that get really really hot.

[sendkeys]

well tell you the truth dab design i never used a "none chopper" board befor. i dont know if you can up the rating on the voltage. See on a chopper board you can and this gives you much higher rpm.
if you had a chopper with that stepper you could run 70-80 volts no problem. (but not past controller's max)

Anyone know how much higher (volts) you can run a "none chopper" stepper controller at?