In need of a little advise from the experts...series or half-coil wiring?

[jeffa]

I have purchased the PK296A2A-SG7.2 motors and the Gecko 203V drives. I am wondering if anyone has any specific advise on whether to wire the motors Bipolar (Series) or Half-Coil. I have read many posts that discuss this issue and I believe I understand the Half-Coil wiring methodology to be good for higher ipm cutting speeds and the Bipolar or Series wiring methodology to be better for lower speed 3-D cutting. Does this characterization sound correct given the current state of MechMate knowledge? Also, are builders and users of the MM tending to go one way over the other in a significant majority?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Jeff

[Delamination]

I was planning on leaving my options open. My xfmr (AnTek AN-4225) can be wired for 25VAC (parallel) or 50VAC (series), giving 35VDC and 70VDC when rectified and filtered. So, changing the transformer secondaries and the motor connections to the Gecko 203v's allows both bipolar series (70VDC) and half-coil (35VDC) to be tried.

[Gerald D]

Jeff, I don't think there is too much in it either way.

However, when it comes to bragging, the jog speed gives the impressive numbers, and then half-coil(unipolar) wins it. :)

[jeffa]

Gerald and Delamination,

Thanks for the feedback.

Delamination, thanks for the heads-up on the dual-voltage power supply. I will look into that also.

Best Regards,

Jeff

[Richards]

The PK296A2A-SG72 motors have a gear box that cannot handle all of the torque that the motor can produce. That means, that the extra torque that you would normally gain by wiring the motor series will never be usable by that gearbox.

By wiring the motor half-coil, you will get maximum speed and all the torque that the gearbox can handle.

The PK296A2A-SG7.2 motor is at least a 300 oz*in motor. The gearing would multiply that to 2,160 oz*in (300 X 7.2); however, the data on the gearbox shows a maximum torque of 44 lbs*in or 704 oz*in.

[jeffa]

Thanks Mike,

I've read and very much appreciate all of the information you've provided on this topic.

Half-coil it is.

Best Regards.

Jeff

[st_indigo]

i am working on my kitchen table project, and i'm ready to hook up the motors. i also have PK296A2A-SG7.2 motors and the Gecko 203V drives

i want to confirm: for half-coil wiring, i tape off the Black & Red leads, OR the Green & Blue leads. correct?

assuming I tape off the black and red leads, which remaining leads correspond to A, A/, B, B/ phases on the geckodrive? would the X1 motor be wired the reverse of the X2?

these seem like such simple questions, but i haven't been able to find definitive answers, so i figured i'd just ask.:)

[Gerald D]

This will work

X1, Y and Z Motors:
A, Yellow
A/ Green
B White
B/ Blue

X2 Motor:
A, Green
A/ Yellow
B White
B/ Blue

Added:

You have a 50/50 chance that a motor (or a pair of motors) will go the wrong way. If that happens, swap the green & yellow around (don't touch white & blue)