Manually turn steppers

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  • March 20, 2014 at 6:10 pm #5647
    mcgyvr
    Member

    Any problems manually turning the stepper motors when they are wired to Tinyg..
    I’m specifically asking about when Tinyg is NOT energized..
    I notice the LEDs do light up but was just wondering if thats ok..
    I’d like to have hand cranks on my steppers to use sometimes…

    January 23, 2017 at 9:14 pm #10196
    Keith-W
    Member

    Did you ever get an answer to this from some other source? I was planning on adding the same manual handles to mine but it is not a high priority. I could reference the schematics to see if there are diodes or shunt resistors but I think it might be more of a concern with the actual motors drivers and reverse current flow with them. I think home limit switches or sensors are probably a better solution ultimately though, and leave all motion to be initiated through software only.

    January 24, 2017 at 5:54 am #10197
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Moving motors manually should not damage tinyG.
    Folks with belt machines (Ox, ShapeOko, etc) frequently use the “grab the gantry and move it to a zero point” method rather than implement homing switches. It is more difficult to do this with screw machines, due to the mechanical differences.
    Likewise, using a hand wheel on the Z axis to set a zero point, rather than using a Touch Block or probe cycle is common

    January 24, 2017 at 6:39 pm #10198
    kiwigrant
    Member

    The motors should be de-energised to move them by hand.

    you can move them by hand in order to zero out the machine.

    Once the machine has been zeroed you shouldn’t move it by hand again because the board doesnt see the change in position. i.e. typically after zero you move the machine by jogging.

    you can move the machine by hand again if you change the tool and you need to re-zero again.

    January 28, 2017 at 5:41 pm #10199
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Ah yes, I agree with kiwigrant, I sort of left out a step.

    After a zero point is set, by draging the gantry to X,Y 0,0 point, then setting the Z=0 point, I generally just hit the tinyG reset button, a new (0,0,0) point is established.

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