I have two focusers now running and I am comparing controlling them with an arduino Nano vs ESP8266.
I am using the DRV8825 solderless set up (https://www.ebay.com/itm/DRV8825-A4988-42-CH-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Expansion-Board-For-UNO-R3-3D-Printer/332441054084)
I can say that when running with arduino nano it is running flawlessly. For my system, 1/4 stepping produces best control and I have sufficient torque. The stepper board is set to 1/4 stepping using the jumper as per the instructions. However when I switch the same setup over to the ESP8266, I don't think changing the stepmode in myboards has any effect, and in addition, the stepper motor has a low volume high pitch hum which it does not happen with the arduino nano. the myFP2esp software reports the set stepping of 1/4 step.
Am I doing something wrong in setting stepmode with the ESP firmware? is this an issue on my end only ?
thanks so much
Al
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However when I switch the same setup over to the ESP8266, I don't think changing the stepmode in myboards has any effect, and in addition, the stepper motor has a low volume high pitch hum which it does not happen with the arduino nano. the myFP2esp software reports the set stepping of 1/4 step.
The PDF explains that for the ESP8266 and DRV8825 board, that step mode is NOT under software control and must be set by using the hardware pins on the PCB. Even if you did not use the PCB, the same applies - you cannot change the step mode using software - it has zero effect
There are not enough free pins on the ESP8266 to implement software control of stepping mode.
This is why the recommended is ESP32 with DRV8825, again as per the PDF.
In general any hum is produced by the DRV8825 chip itself and is related to the current setting on the DRV chip. So even if you took the DRV8825 chip out of a Nano controller and placed it into an ESP8266 or ESP32 controller then yes, one would need to adjust the current on the DRV chip again.
regards
Robert
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Thanks for the explanation Robert. The PDF documents are indeed excellent. I can understand its frustrating for people asking what is in the manual.
However, there is something strange going on here. I was thrown off by the sound of the stepper motor moving. With the arduino, moving form single step to half step, to 1/4 step causes the stepper to sound smoother and move with less vibration. But with the ESP8266 it sounds the same and rough through the same changes . I will check to see if the driver current has changed moving to the ESP8266.
in any case, thanks for the explanation and the great work.
thanks
Al
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The motor move code is different on the ESP version - it is not the same code as on the myFocuserPro2. So yes, it will sound different because the code is different
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Hi
Thanks so much for this amazing work !
I have two focusers now running and I am comparing controlling them with an arduino Nano vs ESP8266.
I am using the DRV8825 solderless set up (https://www.ebay.com/itm/DRV8825-A4988-42-CH-Stepper-Motor-Driver-Expansion-Board-For-UNO-R3-3D-Printer/332441054084)
I can say that when running with arduino nano it is running flawlessly. For my system, 1/4 stepping produces best control and I have sufficient torque. The stepper board is set to 1/4 stepping using the jumper as per the instructions. However when I switch the same setup over to the ESP8266, I don't think changing the stepmode in myboards has any effect, and in addition, the stepper motor has a low volume high pitch hum which it does not happen with the arduino nano. the myFP2esp software reports the set stepping of 1/4 step.
Am I doing something wrong in setting stepmode with the ESP firmware? is this an issue on my end only ?
thanks so much
Al
Hi Al
The PDF explains that for the ESP8266 and DRV8825 board, that step mode is NOT under software control and must be set by using the hardware pins on the PCB. Even if you did not use the PCB, the same applies - you cannot change the step mode using software - it has zero effect
There are not enough free pins on the ESP8266 to implement software control of stepping mode.
This is why the recommended is ESP32 with DRV8825, again as per the PDF.
In general any hum is produced by the DRV8825 chip itself and is related to the current setting on the DRV chip. So even if you took the DRV8825 chip out of a Nano controller and placed it into an ESP8266 or ESP32 controller then yes, one would need to adjust the current on the DRV chip again.
regards
Robert
Thanks for the explanation Robert. The PDF documents are indeed excellent. I can understand its frustrating for people asking what is in the manual.
However, there is something strange going on here. I was thrown off by the sound of the stepper motor moving. With the arduino, moving form single step to half step, to 1/4 step causes the stepper to sound smoother and move with less vibration. But with the ESP8266 it sounds the same and rough through the same changes . I will check to see if the driver current has changed moving to the ESP8266.
in any case, thanks for the explanation and the great work.
thanks
Al
The motor move code is different on the ESP version - it is not the same code as on the myFocuserPro2. So yes, it will sound different because the code is different