Hi all,
BACKGROUND-I am making a scotch mount, also called a barn door mount, for astro-photography. I need to drive a motor at a fixed speed, but I will have to tune it to that speed very carefully, and then set it and never adjust again. Not much torque is required.
I thought a stepper motor would be a good way to go, as opposed to a DC motor with some kind of feedback for rate control.
I bought a cheap controller off eBay exactly (as far as I can tell) the same as this:
http://www.directindustry.com/prod/hurst-manufacturing/stepper-motor-controllers-14601-482621.html
Has anyone had experience with this controller? It sells cheaply on eBay and all the instructions on it's use seem to be consistent. I only want to use it in button control mode if possible.
PROBLEM - When I run it in button control mode, the INC and DEC buttons do increase and decrease the speed, but they also reverse the direction. Ie. INC will increase the clockwise rotational speed, but when I hit DEC the motor changes to anti-clockwise, at a slightly slower rate. This is hopeless! Anyone know how to keep it moving in only one direction while making speed adjustments? I have Jumper JP1 on, jumper JP2 off, as per instructions.
Thanks in advance
Stuart

 

Hello,

By reading the description, I would use mode 1:

Addtional Information:
Stepper Motor Controller & Driver Board I (2 Control Modes)
Profile
This stepper motor control and drive board has two control modes switched by jumper JP1:
1.By pulse and signals (JP1 Removed)
Input pulse and signals to control the motor run, stop and direction.
2. By buttons (JP1 Mounted-On)
There are 3 buttons marked "INC""DEC""FUN" on the board, you can press them to control stepper motor accelerate/decelerate, CW/CCW, stop etc. For the board's flexibility (it can work even without pulse), so it's suited for experimental demonstrations, prototype making, student training, DIY projects etc.

In mode 1 the speed can be controlled using external pulses (JP1 removed).
These can be generated by an NE555.
If you want higher accuracy a x-tal controlled oscillator can be used.
The direction an run/stop can be done using switches on the respective inputs.
(see your datasheet for more info).

Bertus

 

Thanks Bertus.
I'd really rather stay away from using external control if I can. The controller just doesn't seem to be operating as advertised. Changing directions when the speed is increased or decreased doesn't make any sense! Has anyone used this controller before in button-control mode and had it work just fine?