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[on:]

Is there anyway I can stop powering my stepper motors after they're done doing what they need to do? Seeing as I don't have a proper power supply for them, they tend to get hot after just a few minutes, even though they're rarely in use. I don't need them to lock when not in use, so is there anyway to turn them off with the stepper library?

[Reply #1 on:]

Most motor drivers have a enable pin. You could use that.

[Reply #2 on:]

Which version of which stepper library?

[Reply #3 on:]

@wortelsoft I'm using an h bridge made of discrete transistors that I ripped out of some remote control car a while ago, obviously no enable pin there

@MarkT Version 0.4 of the standard stepper library that comes with the arduino IDE.

After googling I found that the AFmotor library has a release() function which seems to do what I need, but I don't know how I should hook up my stepper motor, since AFmotor is supposed to be used with the motor shield. Currently the stepper is connected with all four wires going to seperate pins.

[Reply #4 on:]

I'm using an h bridge made of discrete transistors that I ripped out of some remote control car a while ago, obviously no enable pin there

You need to make both sides of the H-bridge switch to the same level. If you have not got independent control over each half bridge then there is nothing you can do. So without the schematic of what you have it is hard to say if this is possible.

A stepping motor develops maximum torque and hence draws the most current when it is stopped.

[Reply #5 on:]

Alright, sending a LOW with digitalWrite() to every pin on the h bridges seems to do the trick (didn't work the first time I tried though...) , I guess I'll hook the big power supply back up and hope it all works.