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Can moving steppers damage the RAMPS board/drivers?

Posted by Qsilver

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Qsilver

Can moving steppers damage the RAMPS board/drivers?
December 04, 2012 01:26PM

Registered: 11 years ago
Posts: 40

Hi all,

I was wondering... confused smiley

I know stepper motors can act as generators.

Are the drivers and the board protected from overvoltage via mechanical movement?

Richard

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Polygonhell

Re: Can moving steppers damage the RAMPS board/drivers?
December 04, 2012 01:46PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 939

I do it all the time, and I've never had an issue, interestingly on one of my printers if I move the stepper very quickly with the 12V supply not plugged into the wall, I can see the PSU fan move in response.

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james glanville

Re: Can moving steppers damage the RAMPS board/drivers?
December 05, 2012 04:53AM

Registered: 15 years ago
Posts: 332

I believe the stepper motors have clamping diodes that prevent the coil voltage rising above the supply voltage - if it tries to current can flow into the power supply - which is why the fan would whir.

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Gulf

Re: Can moving steppers damage the RAMPS board/drivers?
January 05, 2013 03:09PM

Registered: 12 years ago
Posts: 62

If you move the stepper very fast, yes. I installed new printed bushings on the extruder carriage and was moving it back and forth by hand and poof. Burned out the pololu.
But i do move them slowly without problem.