Stepper Motor with 2 Drivers ??!!?

[Santa Fe Al]

Hi All,

For some time I have been searching the Zone (Active and Archived) in an attempt to ascertain whether the outputs from two drivers can be attached to the stepper motor leads, perhaps using appropriately sized diodes for driver output isolation. So far, I have only found references to using two stepper motors with one driver - not a good idea, but possible. This is not what is wanted.

The driver I am looking at is on e-Bay: ebay.com/Stepper Motor Controller & Driver (2 Control Modes) Item number: 140251064845 - or similar - and perhaps a G540 or 3 G251's.

I would need to be able to power down whichever driver I will not be using for a given stepper motor. Is this correct?

Since they are both complete drivers, I can't put the output of one into the input of the other. Hence the paralleling of drivers.

The question remains, what will the affects be if they are both still connected to the stepper wires with one driver powered down? I'm trying to keep things as simple, with the use of the least number of switches, as possible.

If the affects aren't good, I would be required to:

1. Power down the driver in use.
2. Use a 4-Pole switch to re-route the stepper motor wires
to the second driver
3. Power up the second driver
4. Go back to step 1 to return to the original driver.

The eBay driver would not be connected to the BOB.

At this time, I do not know if I would need to power down the computer, get out of Mach 3, trip the E-stop in Mach 3 or what?

If no-one can help, I suppose a pendant would do what I want. I just don't know enough about them, yet, to envision its use without a lot of research and study.

I am hoping to have just a couple of buttons in my hand by using the above method. Also, I think it would be a lot cheaper. - The driving force!!!

Any information or ideas, pro and con, will be greatly appreciated.

Al

[jhowelb]

This driver will operate ONE motor in one of TWO MODES!

IMVHO......stick to a proven technology. Like, maybe Gecko?

[Santa Fe Al]

Originally Posted by jhowelb This driver will operate ONE motor in one of TWO MODES! IMVHO......stick to a proven technology. Like, maybe Gecko?

I had intended to use the eBay drive only in the "manually move one stepper at a time function". Otherwise, Geckos all the way.

Al

[jalessi]

Al,

Why not add a MPG or Jog Dial instead?

http://littlemachineshop.com/instruc...structions.pdf

Jeff...

[ger21]

Or even just the standard jog keys on the keyboard? Al, your making it way too complicated, and asking for trouble imo.

[Santa Fe Al]

Thanks guys,

I figured it wasn't the right way to go, but I just had to make sure. Sometimes my imagination gets the best of me.

It looks like I'll be heading in a different direction.

Thanks,

Al