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Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working

Posted by riccirich 
Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 02:49AM
Hello all. I am currently working on a cartesian plotter which I am controlling via an arduino UNO loaded with a modified version of the Teacup firmware. Everything has been going smoothly until I tried interfacing with StepStick drivers. I know the driver works because I swapped it out with one on my sanguinololu and it worked normally. I have Teacup firmware flashed onto my arduino with digital pins 5, 6, and 7 connected to enable, step and direction (X axis), in that order. I also have both grounds connected to the arduino GND pin and vdd hooked up to the 5v supply on the arduino. Power for the motor is coming from an 18v laptop PS, and I have a 100uf capacitor connected between the VMOT pin and the ground from the PS. I know I have the motor connected correctly, and I know the arduino is responding to the commands I am sending it via pronterface because the step pin reads a positive voltage when I issue a move command, and recedes back to 0 when the move is done. I tried to wire everything on the breadboard following the schematic for the Sanguinololu / pololu interface. I am getting absolutely no response from the motor or electronics. No humming, buzzing or other electrical noises either. But when I plug the board into a sanguinololu everything works perfectly. Whats the deal? Should I use a 12v PS, even though the stepstick is rated for 35v+?
VDX
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 03:00AM
... don't think it's the voltage - try with measuring for changing voltages at the pins for DIR and CLOCK/STEP - if there's no change, then the pin configuration isn't responding ...


Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 06:09AM
Not to forget the Enable pin, which is active low.


Generation 7 Electronics Teacup Firmware RepRap DIY
     
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 01:25PM
everything seems to be working. the Direction pin has +5v on it, and the step pin jumps from 0 to .3v when I tell pronterface to move the x axis. What should the enable pin be reading?
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 04:04PM
heres how I have the pins set up:

DIR - DIO7
STEP - DIO6
SLEEP +5v
RESET +5v
MS3 +5v
MS2 +5v
MS1 +5v and ground through a 100k resistor
ENABLE - DIO8 (active low)
VMOTR - +19v and PS ground through 100uf cap
GND - Arduino Ground pin
2B - Motor
2A - Motor
1A - Motor
1B - Motor
VDD - Arduino 5v pin
GND - Arduino Ground pin

hope this helps
VDX
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 04:33PM
"active low" means that it disables the driver when higher than 0.4V or so - should read 0V for drivers enabled ...


Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
February 20, 2013 07:19PM
Surely you also need to connect PS ground to Arduino ground somewhere? Or did I miss that.
Re: Using StepSticks on Arduino Uno - Not working
March 04, 2013 03:26PM
I managed to get things working on my breadboard (or so I thought), so I soldered up two identical circuits on an Arduino shield, popped it onto the Arduino, and nothing worked. This led me back to the breadboard where I discovered the driver chips were getting very hot and shutting down. The motors do rotate, but their direction is sporadic, especially under load. I have everything hooked up the same as it is on my sanguinololu, where the drivers do not get hot. Would someone be able to provide a diagram (even rough) of how things need to be hooked up?
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