Arduino - L298N - Stepper motor

Using Arduino Motors, Mechanics, Power and CNC
#1

Hello fellow Arduino enthusiasts,

Hardware:
Arduino Uno R3
L298N Dual H Bridge
Stepper motor 42BYGHW609
External power source 12v (measured 12.35v) 3A

Sketch loaded on the arduino is the example Stepper Motor Control - one revolution

Situation - sorry for not making a Fritzing

Problem = L298N driver gets very hot when I power this up. (starting to smell when powered longer then 30 sec.)

I think it has something to do with the jumper. Some instructables describe that this needs to be removed when you power the driver with more then 12v. When I remove the jumper than nothing happens, the onboard led will not power. When the jumper is in, everything works great with good torque, but too much heat.

Does anybody know what I am doing wrong?

#2

You need a DRV8825 stepper driver, an L298N is useless for a low-impedance stepper like that. Anyway
you've probably fried the L298 already. You motor is 2 ohm, your supply is 12V, too much current flowed
for the L298N, and the supply.

A DRV8825 or other chopper driver will do proper current-control which is what that stepper motor
requires.

[ thanks for no Fritzing diagram, they seldom help :slight_smile: ]

#3

These links may provide some useful info.
Stepper Motor Basics
Simple Stepper Code

...R

#4

Thanks guys!
I ordered some of these DRV8825 stepper drivers.
The L298N just looks so tough, I thought it was able to do the job.

#5

NicoleClicquot:
The L298N just looks so tough,

The huge heatsink is the evidence of its inefficiency, not toughness :slight_smile:

...R

#6

Good/fun analysis, indeed not efficient.

I have now tested with two types of drivers:

  1. Brian Schmalz’s Easy driver
    With this easy tutorial
    Works good.
    Gets very hot (75 C), but below thermal safety switch off 135 C.
    This was after 30 min. operation, can be lower when I will program in the sleep mode when in my project.

  2. DRV8825 driver
    Cannot get this thing to work, with every tutorial i tried on ‘the Internet’.
    Hooked up like this:

    link to image (because it did not work in preview)

Same power supply 12v 3a
Same code used from linked easy tutorial above.

Anybody knows what I do wrong?

#7

See this Image Guide

That sort of photograph of the hardware is not suitable for detecting connection errors. Just make a pencil drawing showing how everything is connected and post a photo of the drawing. Doesn't matter if you are a poor artist.

The Pololu DRV8825 web page has a good wiring diagram.

...R

#8

So I installed Fritz (not a good artist), see attachment

sketch.png
sketch.png1845×1620 283 KB

#9

Image from Reply #7 so we don’t have to download it. See this Image Guide

13815b6bccd9f4048f053ed64e3751107e3f0d75.png

…R

#10

NicoleClicquot:
So I installed Fritz (not a good artist), see attachment

Sorry. I forgot to say NOT to use Fritzing. It is much too easy to misunderstand the connections. And the pin labels are unreadable.

A photo of a simple pencil drawing (even by a poor artist) will be much easier to understand.

Did you study the Pololu DRV8825 webpage?

...R

#11

Hi Robin,
First, thanks for helping! I really appreciate it.

So I was unable to edit my own post to post the image because I can only post or edit 1 thing every 5 min…

I have studied the website before, ended up trying with this example: https://github.com/laurb9/StepperDriver
Does not work, its true :wink:
Tried it again, did not work again.

I have made the sketch.
2017-02-07 10.47.42.jpg
Still do not know what I am doing wrong, starting to think it is the driver…
I noticed that the motor pins are different than the documentation.
So I tested different settings of the motor wires.

#12

NicoleClicquot:
Still do not know what I am doing wrong,

On the Pololu DRV8825 web page it clearly shows Reset and Sleep connected to +5v

I am assuming that is necessary but I don't have a DRV8825 myself. I have found their other advice to be correct.

...R
PS. The diagram in Reply #10 is much better

#13