EZTip #4 - Testing and Checking your Stepper Motors

[@woodwaker1]

Good short, single issue video. Keep these up and build a library with an index. These are very helpful for someone who needs to troubleshoot a problem.

[@TH3DStudio]

That's the plan!

[@glowpon3]

Good video to show basic motor testing. It was also nice to see two different motors and the range between them even though both are 'normal and working'

[@TH3DStudio]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@powersv2]

this is helpful for figuring out the pancake stepper i got from yall.

[@vrich3733]

Great tip! I also like to test short to ground from terminal to the body of the stator.

[@danielhertz7266]

Clear & concise! Beautiful.

[@2cool4u24]

Out of all the other videos i think TH3D videos are most useful. Things like this I always wanted to ask. Questions I had i could never find from other videos that just go along with some wishy washy vague bs. Yeah they might have 1M plus hits but its just that. Useless and over rated (you know which one(s) I am talking about). These are straight to the point and practical. Keep up the good work and keep em coming we need more of these. Not the other useless jargon out there that always start with "dont forget to click subscribe". Everyone watching these give them a thumbs up and subscribe. We need to support videos like these that are actually useful.

[@TH3DStudio]

Thanks for the feedback! It really helps to get feedback so we know what to focus time on.

[@MAGA_Patriot2024]

Exactly what I needed...thank you! 👍👍

[@TH3DStudio]

You're welcome!

[@philkfoto]

Well that is very interesting as I did a test on my car idle air control valve. No ohms on adjoining pins 3and 4 same again on 1 and 2.. Only got a reading on pins 1 and 4 of 58.3 Sounds like a faulty stepper motor. Thanks for your help.

[@danieldauber8335]

Best video on testing stepper motors I've found so far. I was looking for something to teach my team. (Only thing that would have made it even better in my humble view would be if there was no background music.) Thanks for this great and informative content!

[@TH3DStudio]

Glad it helped

[@danieldauber8335]

@@TH3DStudio I just played it to my team, and they indeed learned a lot and found it very helpful! So, thanks again.

[@ArtzFret]

TIP: (this happened to me) If you see one of the pairs of pins does not have resistance, I suggest opening the motor and checking if there is resistance in both pairs of coils on the solders where the copper wires of the coils are attached. If there IS resistance on both pairs, it means the coils are OK. Now, check between the solders where the coils are attached AND the respective pin (you can follow the light green pad on the circuit board). It is possible that one of those pads (either on the pin side, or the coil side) may not be making contact (it's broken). If that happens try to re-solder the pad.

[@a.sanusinazareth9213]

Very useful for me, thanks a lot, bro

[@TH3DStudio]

You are welcome!

[@magiclarry7688]

Thanks for the info.

[@skylerjohnson9089]

A great refresher! I did this and my stepper checked out, but it is still getting extremely hot. I'm running a standard nema 11 on 21 volts (rated for 24) and I can't touch the motor for more than a second without it burning me. I don't remember them getting this hot in school

[@skylerjohnson9089]

actually I figured it out, I had to turn down the output on my motor driver. Rookie mistake lol

[@Tech.Plus.]

​@@skylerjohnson9089sorry but what do you mean by turn down the output, i am rookier than you 😅

[@skylerjohnson9089]

@@Tech.Plus. I was using a stepper driver that had the option to vary the output amperage. More amperage = more heat. Hope this helps

[@nicholasgenzman4213]

I wish this video was out along time ago when I first started because I had problems with my stepper motor

[@92Amt]

Thanks

[@2112user]

How can we use this for setting amperage at the drivers? I know ohms law, but what voltage do we input, system board (12/24) or other? Have some steppers that are not marked in any way.

[@TH3DStudio]

Have to just set it and check temps on the motors. They should be under 60c

[@pocopoco3468]

How to check if its 12v or 24v I got a old used motor, its rated volt is not visible

[@ravenBXNY]

Thank you for this short/sweet video as it was very user friendly. Before I hit the Like button I have one question; I did the test and got 5.1 / 5.0. So if 5.0 a good reading, too high/low?

[@TH3DStudio]

a 0.1 ohm difference is not much. I'd say its fine. Most motors are within 0.1ohms -/+ on each coil.

[@CaioZenon]

I know my Motor wire pairs, but how do i know de order they connect to the motherboard? I mean, by your video, the pairs need to be next to each other? Like 1-1-2-2

[@TH3DStudio]

Usually its pins 1 and 2 for one coil and pins 3 and 4 for the other coil on most boards.

[@jean-pierrebruwer664]

Quick question. With mine the resistance is 2.8 average accross all stepper motors except for the z axis. This one is much lower at 2.3. I have feeling my Z stepper is faulty. Could this be an indicator being only 2.3 accross both coils on Z.

[@TH3DStudio]

Are BOTH coils on the Z 2.3 or just one?

[@jean-pierrebruwer664]

@@TH3DStudio both for that stepper motor. All others are a different resistance.

[@jean-pierrebruwer664]

​@@TH3DStudiois this a problem?

[@kadelahner2473]

So what happens if the ohm difference is more than one or two? I am getting an error blinking red light on my stepper driver and I thing the Stepper motor has gone bad. One pin reads 1.7OHM the other pins read 1.1OHM

[@TH3DStudio]

If you ruled out the wiring being bad then its likely the stepper has failed.

[@jimjh2671]

How do you test you printer motherboard for a dead stepper driver (drivers are built on board) Ender 5 plus V4.2..2

[@TH3DStudio]

Connect a motor that you know is working and tell it to move.

[@jimjh2671]

@@TH3DStudio I have done this and the same thing happens to a known working stepper

[@TH3DStudio]

Assuming the wiring is good and the firmware on the board is correct, the driver is likely bad then.

[@sapitron]

mine is completely okay according to this video. however is impossible to move by hand or tools, and it is totally non responsive in the cnc machine. Like it was a brick or something. don't know what to do.

[@TH3DStudio]

Sounds like it's physically seized up. Check the bearings

[@monishkannan872]

i have 55 ohms is that bad??

[@johnstotler6237]

How does one know which pins to switch?

[@TH3DStudio]

Its usually the 2 center pins.

[@pedropd06]

Great video, what voltage should I set the stepper to. for duel Z steppers.

[@TH3DStudio]

Depends on your board and driver.

[@saint-andrejeremie3607]

I tried to invert my stepper motor on my 3D printer. The wires were all black but I manage to switch the correct wires. I tried to test it afterwards but it doesn't work. I switched the wires back to there original places and still doesn't work. What bug me is the fact the motor lock itself when I click on auto home and unlock when I disable stepper motors. Do I need to buy another one or is the motor fine?

[@TH3DStudio]

Are you plugging it in and unplugging it when its on?

[@saint-andrejeremie3607]

@@TH3DStudio My printer was on, but I disabled the motors in my CR-10 menu. What do you propose to do?

[@scottydntno]

mine bounces all over the place

[@TH3DStudio]

Could be a bad wire in the wiring harness.

[@aaronbuhmann3076]

First