Re: Cables between driver board and Steppers

At 19:33 08/09/2002 +0000, you wrote:

>I have a Camtronics 2 amp driver card with 100 oz steppers. I would
>like to have a setup that I can securely plug in a cable at the board
>and
>at the mill. Can I use a 9 pin modem cable to connect between the two ?
>
>Is this heavy enough with proper shielding ?
>
>If so, can I drive two steppers with one cable ? As the motors only
>require 4 wires, or should I use a seperate cable for each axis ?
>
>If not, what type of cables would be proper ?

D-type connectors are a bit on the small side for stepper motor wiring
IMHO. Some low-power systems use the "DIN" style audio connectors, which
are a better bet.

The heavy duty "XLR" plugs/sockets often used in high power audio systems
seem to be a much better option - their pins are rated up to about 15A
(each), and they are easier to solder than the DIN plugs, as the pins have
a wider separation and the solder terminals are able to take heavier gauge
wire. They also have locking clips built in to prevent accidental
disconnection. There is a 4-pin variant of the XLR that looks perfect for
stepper motor connection.


Regards,
Tony