I have an 1000*1000 machine with a brand new arduino and drivers.
X & Z Axis jog normally and correctly.
Y & A stepper motors lock when the machine startsup and are immovable. They do not drop in and out so I think current settings are OK.
The Y-Axis will not jog manually using GRBL or Easel.
The axis is not jammed and moves freely when there is no power applied.
Any ideas on what to check next before I start swapping components?
Maybe one of your y motors is crossed. Loosen your belts to verify they are moving the same direction.
Thanks Guy, yes the one pair of wires has been reversed to ensure the directions are correct. Neither motor even tries to turn.
The fact that both motors are doing the same thing on the same axis leads me to suspect some sort of missing configuration step, but thats a guess.
What pair did you reverse?
Try swapping with another axis.
Thanks David, I swapped a green/blue pair on my motors.
I didnt think it mattered but I will put them back the way they were and swap the white/yellow pair and see what happens.
Then, I guess I am down to swapping motors and axes to isolate the problem.
OK, swapped wires on one motor, no effect, problem remains.
Do you have four lead or six lead stepper motors?
Check this chart - you may have the phases incorrect as Angus suggests.
Did you try swapping them on the shield with x axis?
What program are you using? And are they locked? Try $x
Angus picked up a wiring problem, but I don’t think it was significant.
My motor wires had some extensions on them for a plugged fitting. I had miswired one pair so it was the oppostie of the other three motors. Resoldering the connections so it was all identical did not change the problem.
Motors are energised and locked but Y&A will not jig.
I have used both GRBL and Easel to jog the system with no solution.
I am now going to swap motor axes and see if I can learn more.
OK Gentlemen, problem solved
The driver ship was bad on the Y-Axis.
I did not suspect this originally as I thought I would still have had the A axis motor try to move.
Once I had swapped motors and found the fault stayed with the axis I swapped a driver chip and the fault followed the chip.
New chip fitted and all jogs OK.
Thanks for all of your help.
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