zonkedhaircut

Hi everyone,

I’m currently working on a small robot arm project using an Arduino Uno and a couple of NEMA 17 stepper motors. I’ve run into a bit of confusion regarding powering the stepper motors with an external power supply.

Right now, I’m using the A4988 driver modules, and I’ve read that it’s important to connect the grounds of the Arduino and the external power source together to avoid erratic behavior. My question is:

What’s the safest and most stable way to wire everything when using a 12V external power supply for the motors and powering the Arduino via USB at the same time?

Should I:

Connect the GND from the power supply to both the A4988 and the Arduino?

Use a common ground but isolate the motor power and logic power more carefully?

I’d really appreciate any diagrams or personal tips on setups that have worked well for you. I just want to make sure I don’t damage my Arduino or drivers. Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Lukas_RoboDev geometry dash lite