Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] STEPPER MTR VOLTAGE SUPPLY HELP!!!

cnc6805 wrote:

>Hi, I'm retrofitting an old BANDIT 3 axis controller with a PC and
>master5 software. I've got a 4 axis 10 amp board rated at 50 volts
>and I'm grappling with a power supply. My steppers(slo-syn) are rated
>at 3.6 volts/6 amps (X and Y) 2.9 volts/9 amps(Y). The manufacturer
>of the board staunchly opposes the use of a power supply for the
>motors that exceeds their rating due to the board being a non-chopper
>style circuit. They are afraid I will fry the motors with a higher
>voltage. Although, I checked the voltage supply to the motors with
>the old BANDIT and it read 10 volts on X and Y and 30 volts on Z. I
>did some testing today and pulled an old power supply out of the old
>control that powered the front console rated at 3voltsDC at 3 amps. I
>tried that to just test it out and the motors will hardly move the
>table. Ive researched this extensively and it seems there are alot of
>different opinions on this subject from dont exceed rated voltage to
>go at least 20 times the rated voltage. I dont want to go and buy a
>power supply thats too small and I dont want to fry anything. Will
>someone please help me with this.
>
>

Almost all stepper drives since the 1980's are chopper-style of some sort.
The L-R type are extremely inefficient, and slow. You may be able to
get 10 x faster movement with a chopper-style drive. Thes do require
much higher voltage from the power supply.

I would junk the L-R drives, as they will severely limit performance
and throw off massive amounts of heat.

How do these drives you have regulate the motor current? Is there a
huge power resistor?

Jon