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Help Clueless - Basic Stamp 1 for bi-stepper motor, mechical lizards — Parallax Forums

Help Clueless - Basic Stamp 1 for bi-stepper motor, mechical lizards

dklompdklomp Posts: 3
edited 2013-03-10 01:17 in BASIC Stamp
Hi -

I don't know the first thing about this - so please be very specific with replys! I am building a little mechanical model of a lizard that extends its throat flap (a dewlap) at a specific speed and in a specific pattern (it's for research...).

To control the dewlap I will use a bipolar stepper motor. I have a Basic Stamp 1 starter kit - which includes a Basic Stamp 1 Module and a Super Carrier Board (plus serial cable, serial adapter cord, wires, syntax book).

SO - do I program the module first, and then connect it somehow to the motor? Or will my mechanical lizards have the super carrier attached all the time?

IF its just the module that I connect to the motor (after programming) then
1. how do I connect it to the motor?
2. how do I connect it to the power supply?
3. do I need a driver to interface between the module and the motor?

Also - my super carrier just has a lot of holes where the breadboard should be... Is that right or will I need a breadboard there to make things work?

Ultimately I want to tie these models to trees and leaving them running for a long time, so I want them to be efficient and as small as possible.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated, but if someone could hold me hand and walk me through this step by step - that would be amazing!

Danielle

Comments

  • dklompdklomp Posts: 3
    edited 2013-03-08 19:31
    Hi - Sorry this post is probably very boring - but I'm so desperate for help - Surely someone could lend me their knowledge for a minute?

    I'm wondering what driver to use for my bipolar stepper motor - how do I connect it all up, with the power sources etc, whether I need a bread board for my super carrier board and whether, after I've programmed the driver, I still require the super carrier board to be attached.

    Anything at all would be appreciated.

    Thanks in advance.
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-03-08 20:18
    Look here at the BS1 Application Notes. I believe there is an example of the use of a stepper motor with a BS1 (#6). You will need a driver for the motor since the BS1 can't furnish enough current from its I/O pins. The Application Note shows a BS1 module different from what you would use, but the pins are labelled the same (+5V, Ground, I/O pins 0-7).
  • dklompdklomp Posts: 3
    edited 2013-03-08 20:31
    Thanks very much Mike - I think I can sort it out from there - do you know about the breadboard for a super carrier board (it just looks like it has naked holes) and after the driver is programmed, will it be able to run without the board?
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2013-03-08 20:37
    Yes. The BS1 module has a small voltage regulator on it to power the module from a 6V to 9V power source to Vin and Vss (ground). Look at the schematic for the module pin labels and how to hook up the module to program it without the SuperCarrier Board (the programming diagram doesn't show power connected, but you do need it). The Super Carrier Board does provide you with a place to put the driver chip and its connections plus it has the connections to the BS1 Programming Adapter ready to go, but you don't need it if you've got some other way in mind to mount the driver chip.

    The BS1 might be able to run from a power source up to maybe 12V depending on the amount of current drawn from the I/O pins. It's a heat issue. Everything above 5V is dissipated as heat. The regulator can provide up to 50mA and at 12V would have to dissipate (12V - 5V = 7V) x 0.05A = about 1/3 W. That's tolerable, but the BS1 will get hot over time.
  • garyggaryg Posts: 420
    edited 2013-03-09 21:31
    Hi it sounds like you would like to building something using BS1 in an as small as is possible format.
    The very 1st project I did about a year 2 years ago was a 10 minute timer.
    I used Perfboard from radio shack and Wire Wrapping techniques to get it working.
    For power supply, I used my wife's car cigarette lighter socket.
    The only thing that would apply to your application is perhaps the size of this circuit board.
    The PerfBoard circuit board, when completed measured 1 1/2" x 2"
    This was installed in a plywood housing with the cigarette lighter socket.

    I'll attempt to attach a photo here.
    If you follow Mike Green's advice, as I did with this project, I believe you will have success.
    I hope this helps your endevour

    10M timer open control.jpg
    10M timer open control.jpg
    1024 x 1365 - 117K
  • garyggaryg Posts: 420
    edited 2013-03-09 22:17
    Hi again
    I just was wondering why you would not want to use a servo motor to control your Dewlap flap.
    Servo motors are very inexpensive and move back and forth without the technical difficulty of
    pulsing the steps of stepper motors.
    Just a thought!
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2013-03-10 01:17
    You might download a copy of BasicStamp manual. It is full of examples and hints. Sure, it covers the BS2 as well as the BS1, but it really is a must have reference for you to achieve anything... and it is Free.

    http://www.parallax.com/dl/docs/prod/stamps/basicstampman.pdf
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