building a CNC Router cable

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    Default building a CNC Router cable

    I currently building a CNC Router cable for my CNC I have what amounts to leftover parts from one my dad built I have figured out the pinouts for the X and Y axis but not for the z axis. So i am gonna build a breakout box for all 3 axises the question is that in my box initial design I want to use leds to monitor each side of the stepermotors.
    (A+, A-, B+, B-) for each of the stepers with a future 4th axis reading. Now I know this is not really necessary ut I like to know what is firing or not. the question is wat type of LED should I use to monitor each of the lines.


    Robert

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    Default Re: building a CNC Router cable

    kc5jmr,

    Honestly you don't need LEDs on the stepper cables. If you really want indicators you can get a breakout card that has them built in and you just hook up the motors. If you really want to do this anyway, you can use almost any LED, but you will need to put resistors to drop the voltage to levels that will not burn out the LEDs. Most LEDS you might order from places like Digikey will have operational voltages from 1.4V to 5V and they come in all kinds of colors. The voltage to the stepper motor will vary from motor to motor and some are has high as 50-60V, while many others are in the 12-36V range. You can find out by looking at your driver.

    I think you will find getting a Chinese breakout board will be very cheap and save you a bunch of frustration.

    Russ



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    Default Re: building a CNC Router cable

    Seems a little redundant to me. If the motor is turning, the axis is firing.



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    Default Re: building a CNC Router cable

    Quote Originally Posted by kc5jmr View Post
    I currently building a CNC Router cable for my CNC I have what amounts to leftover parts from one my dad built I have figured out the pinouts for the X and Y axis but not for the z axis. So i am gonna build a breakout box for all 3 axises the question is that in my box initial design I want to use leds to monitor each side of the stepermotors.
    (A+, A-, B+, B-) for each of the stepers with a future 4th axis reading. Now I know this is not really necessary ut I like to know what is firing or not. the question is wat type of LED should I use to monitor each of the lines.


    Robert
    I know it's 3 months later... There are tristate LEDs the are Red forward biased, Green Reverse Biased, and Yellow for AC. The Limit for LEDs is actually the power or millamps going through them. So I run my indicator LED's at 5 to 15mA (0.005mA to 0.015mA) A- A+ B- B+ to ground through a limit resistor for each LED. if there is no swing from +V to -V referenced to ground, i make a voltage divider so I can get forward and reverse bias on the LEDs. So looking at the LED's you can tell forward and reverse direction.

    Robi

    Robi


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building a CNC Router cable

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