Control a Stepper Motor with Hall Effect Switches

After we learn how Hall Effect switches work, we’ll use them to build limit switches and homing sensors for stepper motors.

Today we will learn about Hall Effect sensors and switches.

These devices are sensitive to magnetism and can be put to use in a number of interesting applications. Hall Effect switches are inexpensive and are very easy to use, with or without an Arduino.

After we do a few simple experiments we will see how to control a stepper motor using Hall Effect switches and an Arduino. We will look at two common arrangements:

Limit Switches - Controlling the end of travel of the motor, or of the mechanism being powered by the motor.

Homing Sensor - Having the motor or mechanism move to a predetermined position on command.

The hookup and code for all of the experiments are very simple, and if you don’t want to use Hall Effect switches you can substitute other switches instead.

In my experiment, I used a NEMA-17 size stepper, an A4988 stepper motor driver, and a 12-volt power supply. But you could easily adapt the design to use any stepper motor, driver, and power supply combination.

Here is what is covered in today's video:

00:00 - Introduction
04:24 - How Hall Effect switches work
07:08 - Simple Hall Effect experiments
10:24 - Simple Arduino experiment
14:19 - Build a Limit Switch
22:59 - Build a Homing Sensor

If you need more information or want a closer look at the code you’ll find an article that accompanies this video.

Hope you enjoy the video and that it gives you some ideas for implementing Hall Effect sensors and switches into your own projects.

[alico]

Clear as water... Some may even say that it is boring or monotonous, but it is the right speed to explain to someone who is a beginner, even to someone advanced ... Your videos are greatly appreciated. A big hug from Argentina...

[NewAgeDIY]

Designing a Camera rail mount that will move a raspberry pi camera.(using MotioneyeOS ) across a field of view.

The idea is to have the camera automatically stopping at points of interest. This camera will be housed in a old dome style cctv case. There’s a lot of space in side the dome. The idea is to mount the camera on fixed stepper motor. Then using a Arduino I will program the stepper to stop at different points looking for motion. Then the camera will move to the next point recording movement if possible then move to the next point. The field of view is about 190 degrees. I reviewing all of your past videos to pick up ideas. This last video has some great insight on how I can make this work. I’m learning a lot from your channel and website. Thanks for all your hard work.

[ericmcgrath]

Just have to compliment you on your transitions, both on your video segments and explanatory graphics sequences. Yours are so good, so effective that they make me realize how mediocre the incredible majority of content makers are at the craft. And I always learn something from your videos. Thank you.

[atabatabaee]

When I want to learn something easily and deeply and still enjoying, here is the first place I poked.

[davidbrooks]

The lecture is as wonderful and exhaustive as the rest of your lectures. Your lectures fully explain the topics of Arduino's study. Can you also give lectures on the ESP32. There is also Hall Sensor embedded in the micro controller and of course it support the most interesting topic of all the WIFI and IOT.

[luberies]

As always: Thank you very much dear teacher! It is a real pleasure to see your videos!Greatings from Bogotá.

[Michael_Harrigan]

awesome stuff. Only recommendation is the use of a pointer stick as your hand often get in the way of what you're pointing at. Thanks for imparting your knowledge.

[EXTREMEMACHINE]

I found you as best teacher. Good work.

[nalinux]

I just used a UGN3503 sensor, connected to an Arduino.
The problem is the output voltage is 2.5 v without any magnet, so the Arduino doesn't know if it's a high or a low input, unless you reverse the magnet.
So just used a double AOP Lm358 as a trigger for low and high state, with 2 1n4148 to make a "OR".
This helped me a lot for reliability.

For information, we can find Hall effect sensors in some VHS or old cassettes players for free.

[KWHCoaster]

Very nice lesson. Love the little adapter board for the stepper, I think I'll do one or two of those tomorrow.

[Roybasset]

Best channel on the subjects. Thank you very much.

[yaserzahiri]

A real teacher . thank you so much for crystal clear explanation

[leeoliver]

Do you ever connect the ground of the stepper motor power supply to the Arduino and hall sensor grounds? I don't think it would change anything but it just feels weird to have two separate grounds.

[pbostonRR]

Another excellent video. steppers have been of interest for years but the implementation difficult for me. This will be my guide, Thanks

[PhantomRC]

Excellent explanation. It brings me a sollution to my homing problem in my Arduino controled rotating bridge (scale model train).
From here I can start elaborating a modification for my sketch.
Thank you.

[jonbroome]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful approach that is both pleasant and spot on for what I need to learn.

[PortraitArtPhoto]

That's exactly what I was looking for! Trying to make a lift for a 360 degree camera for mountain biking. Basically a jackscrew to raise a carbon tube about 400mm about the backpack it's mounted to. So I really would only need a homing sensor and set the extension limit in the code. Is there anything to look for in a stepper motor? The camera is pretty light, like a gopro. But 300 revolutions would require some speed. Thanks for the great tutorial!

[billfield]

Hi Bill.. Im using a hall sensor currently in a tachometer project so its not a problem for me but I was wondering about the repeatability of the 'Hall as a homing sensor' device.
It would be great to do a mechanical test to prove repeatability with a 'tenths' dial indicator or similar.

[DataJanitor]

Thanks, again for a great summary of what I needed to know to use Hall Effect sensors.

[naboulsikhalid]

Hi, Great video, plenty of info. I don't know if people LIKE YOU are not here to share knowledge. Very grateful. thank you