Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 16, 2014 03:07AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 330 |
Re: Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 16, 2014 03:57AM |
Admin Registered: 16 years ago Posts: 13,874 |
Re: Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 16, 2014 05:59AM |
Registered: 10 years ago Posts: 903 |
Re: Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 17, 2014 06:45AM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 1,592 |
Quote
drmaestro
Hi,
I was trying to check the voltage going through the stepper motor drivers (Pololus). The multimeter was set to read DC current , I've applied the positive probe to the trimpot and the negative probe to the second pin (one of the ground pins). I am sure that I didn't touch another pin but somehow I have seen a spark between the ground pin and the probe. I wasn't sure if that was important because the multimeter could still read the voltage. I've tried with two other drivers, which also behaved similarly. Now, I've ended up with three dead Pololus. Seems that I've fried them. Ok, I should have been more cautious after seeing the spark and stopped right there but I somehow thought that beaing still able to read a voltage meant that the driver was working. So my question is: Why did this happen? Would the results be different if I used the other ground pin (the one on the top right). I've used a cheap multimeter, can it be the reason. I am asking this question becasue I want to be able to tune the drivers as accurately as possible but I'll have to revert back to the conventional method (listening to the sound of the steppers) if there isn't a safer way.
Thanks
Re: Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 17, 2014 06:59AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 330 |
Re: Measuring stepper driver's voltage June 18, 2014 04:40AM |
Registered: 11 years ago Posts: 1,592 |