How to Use a Multimeter to Determine If a Stepper Motor, Driver, or Controller Is Faulty
Stepper motors and their drive systems are widely used in fields such as automation control and precision positioning. However, due to various factors in real-world applications, issues may arise. This guide aims to teach you how to use a multimeter to test whether the motor, driver, or controller is damaged.
If your stepper motor does not rotate after being connected to the driver, please refer to this article:
Stepper Motor Does Not Rotate After Connecting to the Driver
After ruling out configuration or operation errors, you can use the following methods to test for hardware issues.
Motor Testing
Measure the resistance between A+ and A- (Phase A).
Measure the resistance between B+ and B- (Phase B).
Based on the parameters in the motor datasheet, if there is no resistance or very low resistance, it could indicate a short circuit or phase loss. Check whether the operating conditions meet proper usage standards.
Measurement Points:
A+ and A-
B+ and B-
Driver Testing
Measure the signal voltage between PUL+ and PUL-:
The driver expects a 5V signal.
The pulse signal voltage depends on the duty cycle between the controller and driver.
Under default settings (50% duty cycle), a voltage around 1.3V is considered normal.
Measure the signal voltage between DIR+ and DIR-:
The direction signal depends only on the duty cycle of the driver.
With a default 50% duty cycle, the expected voltage is around 2.5V.
Note: The DIR+ to DIR- voltage only affects the motor's rotation direction and will not cause the motor to stop rotating. If the issue is that the motor is not rotating, you may ignore this for now and focus on checking the PUL signal.
Controller Testing
Measure the signal voltage between PUL+ and GND:
Affected by the duty cycle.
Under default 50% duty cycle, the voltage should be around 2.3V, which is considered normal.
Measure the signal voltage between DIR+ and GND:
This voltage is not affected by the duty cycle.
It should be approximately 5V, which is normal.
If you're unable to identify the issue after trying the above methods, please send photos of your test results to our technical support team. We will assist you in troubleshooting the problem.
If your stepper motor does not rotate after being connected to the driver, please refer to this article:
Stepper Motor Does Not Rotate After Connecting to the Driver
After ruling out configuration or operation errors, you can use the following methods to test for hardware issues.
Motor Testing
Measure the resistance between A+ and A- (Phase A).
Measure the resistance between B+ and B- (Phase B).
Based on the parameters in the motor datasheet, if there is no resistance or very low resistance, it could indicate a short circuit or phase loss. Check whether the operating conditions meet proper usage standards.
Measurement Points:
A+ and A-
B+ and B-
Driver Testing
Measure the signal voltage between PUL+ and PUL-:
The driver expects a 5V signal.
The pulse signal voltage depends on the duty cycle between the controller and driver.
Under default settings (50% duty cycle), a voltage around 1.3V is considered normal.
Measure the signal voltage between DIR+ and DIR-:
The direction signal depends only on the duty cycle of the driver.
With a default 50% duty cycle, the expected voltage is around 2.5V.
Note: The DIR+ to DIR- voltage only affects the motor's rotation direction and will not cause the motor to stop rotating. If the issue is that the motor is not rotating, you may ignore this for now and focus on checking the PUL signal.
Controller Testing
Measure the signal voltage between PUL+ and GND:
Affected by the duty cycle.
Under default 50% duty cycle, the voltage should be around 2.3V, which is considered normal.
Measure the signal voltage between DIR+ and GND:
This voltage is not affected by the duty cycle.
It should be approximately 5V, which is normal.
If you're unable to identify the issue after trying the above methods, please send photos of your test results to our technical support team. We will assist you in troubleshooting the problem.
Updated on: 30/05/2025
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