Satnogs Rotator with CNC Shield whitout endstop

SatNOGS Hardware
#1

Hi!, maybe someone knows, if i’m using the satnogs Rotator with CNC shield, and don’t install the endstops (because for the Covid19 i can’t order right now), it’s possible that the stepper don’t stop twisting because it want to reach the limits available??

Thanks in advance
Mati LU9CBL

#2

Hi Mati,
You can always simulate the end stop with a wire from the digital pin to a gnd if endstop signal is set to low level or to a 5v it’s set to high level.
You will well see if they stop when you connect the wire
Yohan H

1 Like
#3

Thanks @Yohan_Hadji, yes i will do. Yesterday was too late to search some normal switches and test it. Today definitly i will do it, and comment the results.

Thanks again.
73s

1 Like
#4

I’m test it with a simple cable, but when i connect the switch (as a simulation of and endstop) the stepper motor blocks and made some extrange noise.

i’m seeing the code, but i cant find how the rotaton v3 send the possition to the arduino… so the arduino can send that position to the raspberry pi, and calculate de moovements.

if someones has any point, it will be great.

#5

Hey! Adjust the current (current limiting) for stepper motors as referred in wiki.

:beers:

#6

Hi Mati,
I had this problem (motor stop/block) running the stepper with no microstep and a to low voltage. If you run your motors with a 12v power supply for an example you will have problem to accelerate or to decelerate if you don’t use at least 4 microstep
If you want to run them faster you will need a 24v/36v or even 48v power supply depending on which stepper and stepper driver you have
In my understanding, the current control the max load and the voltage the max speed

#7

Well the problem is solved, i’m putting the results for helping another person.

I have two modification:

  1. the prcedure of the shield dont says anything about using the jumpers of microstepping (i’m push the motification of the procedure in this link: https://wiki.satnogs.org/SatNOGS_Arduino_Uno/CNC_Shield_Based_Rotator_Controller)

  2. I don’t know why, but my shield need to put the endstop in the X+ and Y- so the code it will be modified to those pins.
    in the sketch file “rotator_pins.h” modify the line “#define SW1 11” for “#define SW1 10”.

#8

Hi Matias,
I used to have the same problem, the code isn’t well done for that shield, even if it’s the one done for it .
My bad, I corrected it on my computer but I didn’t not shared the tricks. In my case, the whole pinout was wrong. As well for the endstop than for the stepper driver.

#9

No problem i´m push the modification in the documentation so other people can see it from the begining. Now only let to make the rotator and use it, because im doing only a test with the stepper motors alone.

Thanks!
Mati LU9CBL

2 Likes
#10

Please help me with my problem. I want to use optical limit switches, how do I connect them? The optical switches have an inverted signal, I can’t find a place in the code where to change it.

#11

Sergey try in a new thread, so anybody can help you if they has optical endpoints in its groundstation.