Nema 23 motors won't spin just make noise, help please.

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  • May 29, 2014 at 8:10 pm #6015
    Lchampag
    Member

    Probably just another noob question that I can’t figure out but here goes.

    I have my machine all wired up. I have dual nema23’s on Y axis and one nema 23 on the x axis. On the Z axis I have a nema 17.

    The nema17 works, I can send it a command and it does it’s thing. All the nema23 on the other just make a really loud buzzing noise and don’t turn. The more I turn the current up on those motors the louder the buzzing gets but they still won’t turn.

    They are wired up just like the 17 motor but still won’t work.

    I’m using tgFX if that matters. Is there a setting somewhere I need to adjust?

    Thanks.

    May 29, 2014 at 8:26 pm #6016
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Lots of folks use NEMA 23s, perhaps they will stop by and comment.

    It might speed the discussion if you capture your tinyG configuration and make it available in a Dropbox or similar.

    In Coolterm, $$, then copy/paste the results into a file and post a link.

    Another option is to use a Python script I modified a bit, have a look here:

    May 29, 2014 at 9:11 pm #6017
    Lchampag
    Member

    I am using one of the default configs in tgFX. The dual Y config. Do I need to adjust a setting somewhere to account for the nema23’s? Again I’m sorry, I am in way over my head. At this point if I could get my money back I probably would. Since that isn’t an option I guess I am stuck trying to learn all this stuff. lol.

    May 29, 2014 at 9:54 pm #6018
    Lchampag
    Member

    Don’t know if this matters but near the end of the command the motors will move just a tad bit.

    May 29, 2014 at 9:58 pm #6019
    Lchampag
    Member

    Ok now I just have no idea what is going on. I hit the home axis button on tgFX and every motor worked… But still can’t get them to work with a single command…

    May 29, 2014 at 10:13 pm #6020
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    It is reasonable to assume that the Dual Y tinyG config file would work, but better to confirm with a dump and post – always possible that the configs did not get properly saved by tinyG, I suppose.

    Can you expand a bit on your comment

    They are wired up just like the 17 motor but still won’t work.

    I have found there to be nothing standard about NEMA wiring and color codes, etc. So can you expound on what “just like” means?.

    For example, if only one phase was actually connected, it would probably just buzz.

    How many wires for each motor? My Nema 17s are simple, just four wires.
    But a NEMA 17 from a different supplier had radically different color coding.
    I have also seen motors with 6 or 8 leads as well (center taps, two “half” windings)

    Have you tried both the X and Y NEMA23s?
    It is possible the two Y motors are fighting each other, of course X is all by itself.
    For X and Y, you might want to slip the belts off the pulleys (remove load) until you get some spinning happening.

    May 29, 2014 at 10:14 pm #6021
    Lchampag
    Member

    Another update. Maybe I am just ignorant. I loaded a whole g-code file and ran it. Everything worked just like it should have. Maybe I was typing in a command wrong or something. Don’t know why it would have worked for just the z axis though and not the other.

    Is there like a cheat sheet for manual commands somewhere.

    May 29, 2014 at 10:16 pm #6022
    Lchampag
    Member

    Thanks for all your patience CMC. I started getting that timeout message again in tgFX so maybe that had something to do with it. I don’t know.

    May 29, 2014 at 11:40 pm #6023
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Is there like a cheat sheet for manual commands somewhere.

    Form tgFX, you can move around with the jog features or you can issue individual Gcode commands from the command line. Additionaly, you can set parameters and read parameter values.

    IMHO, test best way to learn is to play a while, then go back and reread the Wiki material. Just be careful not to have a big, sharp cutting tool in your spindle when you are playing – bad things can happen.

    Timeouts – keep an eye on the upper right corner of the tgFX window.
    If for some reason tinyG resets itself, the connection gets dropped, and the button will change from Connected to Connect – you have to reestablish the connection to continue.

    May 30, 2014 at 9:59 am #6025
    chmr
    Member

    Hi Lchampag,
    When I first fired up Tinyg on my shapeoko2, I was experiencing similar problems as you described. This was caused by wrong speed settings for the motor. Because you said that the motors work during homing (slow speed) and running a job (feed speed) might also point in that direction.
    Recheck the axis and motor settings, especially $1sa, $1tr, $xvm, $xjm. More information at https://github.com/synthetos/TinyG/wiki/TinyG-Configuration
    The difference between “typical” Nema17 and Nema23 motors is the step angle, most Nema17 seem to have 1.8 degrees, most Nema23 0.9 degrees. Triple-check the setting of $1sa and the technical data of your motors.
    Start from lower speeds and work your way up; Reducing the microsteps ($1mi) also helps to achieve higher speeds.

    For information about Gcode, I found the following useful:

    Good luck,
    Chris

    • This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by chmr. Reason: amended link
    May 30, 2014 at 2:38 pm #6034
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Good points, Chris.
    A quick look at shapeoko 2 – dual Y.config finds it setting up 1.8 degree step angles, since most ShapeOko s are NEMA 17s, until customized.
    I suspect your travel per rotation might need a tweak as well; that depens on the pully and belt system you are using.
    Also, the default G0 speed is set to 16000, which is fast but OK, but the default G1 (machining) speed is also 16000 which is fast for cutting anything but air.
    Normally, the GCode would slow the G1 speed significantly.

    May 30, 2014 at 2:51 pm #6035
    Lchampag
    Member

    Ok thanks guys. I’ll try to figure this stuff out later.

    One more quick question here instead of cluttering up the forum with stupid questions lol…

    When wiring an estop button up. Do I connect only the live wire to the switch or the ground too? I read somewhere that you should only use the live wire because otherwise it could discharge power through the usb port or something. Is that right?

    May 30, 2014 at 3:41 pm #6036
    cmcgrath5035
    Moderator

    Assuming it is a single pole eStop button, then it wants to be in series with the live (24V, probably) wire.
    I suppose you might have a double pole switch, but no need to open the return (negative).

    May 30, 2014 at 3:43 pm #6037
    Lchampag
    Member

    Thanks, you guys have been life savers so far. Hopefully sometime down the road I’ll be able to help someone else out.

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