Stepper motor trouble

ESPHome
1

I’m trying to control a stepper motor with home assistant

the picture is what i referenced for wiring

Screenshot 2026-02-15 142925
Screenshot 2026-02-15 1429251013×785 216 KB

I’m using this ESP32 which i know works with esp home because I’m using one for my printer temp sensor

the pin out on the board is as follows

ESP32 Pin out
ESP32 Pin out974×559 115 KB

the only changes i made to the wiring is the step and direction pins are going to pins 31 and 30 and I’m using a 12v power supply instead of a 9v battery

here is my Yaml

# Configure the stepper component
stepper:
  - platform: a4988
    id: dosing_pump
    step_pin: GPIO19
    dir_pin: GPIO18
    max_speed: 100 steps/s


# Create a switch or button to activate it
switch:
  - platform: template
    name: "Run Stepper"
    turn_on_action:
      - stepper.set_target:
          id: dosing_pump
          target: 1000 # Moves 1000 steps
    turn_off_action:
      - stepper.set_target:
          id: dosing_pump
          target: 0

My switch shows up in home assistant but when i click on it the motor does not turn. the switch turns on for maybe a second or 2 and then turns it self back off

2

Good, 9V smoke alarm battery wouldn’t work in most of cases.
And even the 12V PSU has to have sufficient amp rating.

You can fix that by adding:
optimistic: true
to your template switch, but what’s the point? Why should the switch remain on when the target is already reached? I think button would be better approach. Or template cover.

This is the thing here.
Make sure step/dir are not swapped.
Ensure your board has enable pin pulled low and that you have jumper on rst/slp pins like on your image.
Give acceleration to your setup
acceleration: 100

3

ok i started playing around and tried a new code i found off google

stepper:
  - platform: a4988
    id: my_stepper
    step_pin: GPIO12
    dir_pin: GPIO14
    max_speed: 250 steps/s
    # Optional settings
    acceleration: 100
    deceleration: 100

number:
  - platform: template
    name: "Stepper Position"
    id: stepper_control
    min_value: -2000
    max_value: 2000
    step: 10
    set_action:
      then:
        - stepper.set_target:
            id: my_stepper
            target: !lambda "return x;"

i rewired it for the new pins and also swapped out the driver just incase

my power supply is rated for 5a

now when i plug in the 12v power supply i here a very faint whirring noise and when i change the value in HA it still does not move and the noise stops and never comes back

4

I believe you have to work with the hardware. Wiring error? Current pot set too low?

5

turned out to be the enable pin. it is supposed to be pulled low by default. but i had to do it via a jumper

6

That’s why I mentioned it.
Pololu has pulldown. Some AE board does not…