Stepper Motor does not work

[whatever0024]

I bought this stepper motor: https://www.adafruit.com/products/168

After a lot of testing and consideration, I realized one of the motors does not work properly - it rotates clockwise, but not counterclockwise. I tried both
motors with the same wiring and code, and one of them works perfectly, so the problem has to be the motor itself. When I try using the stepper motor library "one step at a time" it rotates both ways, but anything faster than that (even setting 2 steps) will make it crash. It shakes, but does not move.

Thanks

[adafruit]

that seems very odd - never heard of a stepper working only one way. can you turn it with your hands (while not powered by the motor driver)

what motor driver are you using?

[adafruit_support_bill]

What voltage are you running them at? What power supply are you using?

[whatever0024]

Yes, I can twist it with my hands. I'm running it at 5V - and the exact same setting works well for the other motor, which is exactly the same.

[whatever0024]

sorry, forgot: I'm running it from an Arduino using an H Bridge.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Remember that there is a 1.2v drop through the H-bridge, so the motor is really only seeing 3.8v. It is not unusual for a stepper to run slightly better in one direction than the other, but if the voltage/current are too low it may just not run at all.

[whatever0024]

But the thing is, I have 2 exactly equal motors, and one runs just fine while the other runs just fine clockwise but does not even spins on the other direction, with the very same setup and code. It's not running slowly, it's stuck in the same place - it cannot make more than one step, so it keeps going back and forth one step only, not spinning. This is why I think this cannot be the issue.

[adafruit_support_bill]

Variations in actual performance between samples are normal. The motors are designed to run at 5-12v. Lower than that they cannot be guaranteed to run.

[whatever0024]

I could post a video if you want to. It won't run more than one step, and it's supposed to do 48 at a time. This is a problem with the product. The only reason I posted anything in this blog in the first place is because I must do so if I need a replacement. This is stupid.

[adafruit]

I could post a video if you want to. It won't run more than one step, and it's supposed to do 48 at a time. This is a problem with the product. The only reason I posted anything in this blog in the first place is because I must do so if I need a replacement. This is stupid.

hiya,

we just spoke on the phone and over email, we're going to send you another one - please consider our suggestions here as well, we're fairly certain it is not the stepper.

thanks,
adafruit support, phil