Epilog laser Rotary question

[Bruce Dorworth]

Does anyone here own an Epilog laser and a rotary? Do you know the pin out for the connector/rotary? Can you send me a picture of the connector and how it hooks up?

I sure thank you,
Bruce

[Glen Monaghan]

A picture of Epilog's rotary connector is shown, 8 pin connector with 7 of the 8 connections used to couple into a 6 wire unipolar stepper. IIRC, the connector pins are numbered 1-4 across the back in this picture (blue=1, white/yellow pair=4) and 5-8 across the front where the lock tab is (5=green, 8=empty). Notice the gray jumper wire between 3 and 7, that grounds a sense pin to tell the laser that you've attached a rotary device. The other wires simply connect to the stepper coils. A 6 wire unipolar motor has 2 pairs of two coils; the two coils in a pair are internally wired in series and have 3 external wire connections: one for the end of one coil, a second for the opposite end of the other coil, and a third for the middle (common) connection. Wires for one pair of coils is usually black, yellow (common) and green, the other coil typically uses red, white (common) and blue.

Your colors may differ or the same colors might be used with different internal connections. Quickest way to find the right connection for your stepper is to hook it up and try it. The rotor should step the same direction each time the voltage changes, resulting in smooth rotation. If any of the motor wires are hooked up wrong, sequential voltage changes will sometimes cause the rotor to reverse direction and you'll see it doesn't turn smoothly. No harm will be done to the motor or circuitry, but you'll need to switch wires until the rotor turns smoothly in the right direction. Call the 4 coil wires M, N, O and P (you can pick them randomly, just stay consistent) and jumper them to the connector pins 1, 2, 5 and 6 . If the rotor doesn't turn smoothly (one direction or the other), power down and switch the last pair (M, N, P, O), then try again. Still not turning smoothly? Power down and switch the middle pair (M, P, N, O). When you get an arrangement that runs smoothly, note the direction the shaft is rotating. If the shaft is running the direction you want, you are done, but if it is running backwards, power down and switch ALL FOUR connections (ABCD -> DCBA).

-Glen

[Craig Matheny]

Glen that most be one that does not get used much or is brand new I forgot they look that way:rolleyes:

[Bruce Dorworth]

Glen, thank you for the response. That will hepl a bunch!!! Now I just need to find that conector.

Bruce

[Glen Monaghan]

Dunno how old it is/was. Someone sent me that picture a year or two ago when I was first trying to figure out the rotaries.

-Glen

[Glen Monaghan]

I just went to an electronic surplus shop and showed them the photo. IIRC, it was a standard molex connector but there were fatter pin and thinner pin versions and I think the thinner pins were the right ones but couldn't swear to it.

-Glen

[Kim Vellore]

it is an amp mate-n-lock connector
here are more details
http://www.cpcares.com/pdf/1142.pdf

AMP part # 794617-8

Kim

[Bruce Dorworth]

Another Epilog question. Can someone post a picture of the info on the stepper motor that is used on the Epilog rotary? I am looking for the model number and make.

Thanks,
Bruce

[Glen Monaghan]

According to my notes, they used to use Vexta PH-265M-33-C9 and now use Lin 5609S-11-01R0, neither of which you can buy from the manufacturers by those part numbers because they are considered proprietary to Epilog. However, I think that's mostly because of the lead length and connectors they install. The general specs are:

0.9 degrees per step
24V per phase
0.21A per phase

Be aware that although they are rated for 24V, Epilog drives them at 48V. It's pretty common to overdrive steppers like that, but normally is current limited in the drivers to avoid operating the coils out of spec for power consumption (volts times amps). For some reason, Epilog chose not to supply that current limiting so they are operating these steppers out of spec. When I first talked with the manufacturers to get similar motors and told them they would be driven at 48V full stall without current limiting, they actually told me they wouldn't sell me the motor knowing I was going to operate it at double its spec'd power rating! I almost bought one through a distributor without giving the real specs but decided that I really wanted to use a smaller frame instead and so got a 48V motor custom wound for considerably less than Epilog charges for just their 24V motor.

Others have gone ahead and used 24V steppers and even 12V versions but you definitely need to stay with the large framed motors to deal with the high power consumption as best as possible (manufacturer claimed the power consumption in a 42mm frame probably would melt the windings if left idling at full stall). Never heard of anyone actually burn up a motor or fry the drivers but several people have reported that the 24V motors get very warm, some say too hot to hold without gloves. It just seems like poor judgment to me. Certainly if anything happens, you are on your own because Epilog will point to 3rd party components and the motor manufacturer will point to out-of-spec operations.

-Glen

[Andrew Stow]

it is an amp mate-n-lock connector
here are more details
http://www.cpcares.com/pdf/1142.pdf

AMP part # 794617-8

Kim


This is part number is incorrect.

Near as I can measure, the pitch on the epilog rotary attachment connector is a hair over 4mm.

The pitch on the linked connector is 3mm.

Same style, different size.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

This is part number is incorrect.

Near as I can measure, the pitch on the epilog rotary attachment connector is a hair over 4mm.

The pitch on the linked connector is 3mm.

Same style, different size.

The part number probably changed since Kim posted that response over 3 years ago.

[Andrew Stow]

The part number probably changed since Kim posted that response over 3 years ago.


Could be. It's currently incorrect, however. So don't order it if you're trying to make a rotary for an epilog.

[James Rambo]

I just ordered this one friday.

[Glen Monaghan]

Ordered from which company, Epilog or Lin Engineering (or someone else)?

[James Rambo]

Sorry for the delay I have been trying to get my legend 32 working for the past few weeks and just got it fixed and ran my job. I bought it from Epilog