<p>From <a href="https://www.pololu.com/product/1182" rel="nofollow noreferrer">A4988 Stepper Motor Driver Carrier</a>, the rear of the breakout board, is identical to yours:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/8xpCF.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/8xpCF.jpg" alt="A4988 Breakout rear"></a></p>

<p>Note the two square pads for the GND, whereas the others are round. Now looking at the top side:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/qUSdb.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/qUSdb.jpg" alt="A4988 Breakout top"></a></p>

<p>and note the position of the <em>square</em> GND pins/pads, in relation to the trim pot.</p>

<p>Now look at this hi-res photo of a populated MKS board</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/FZaJZ.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/FZaJZ.jpg" alt="MKS controller with A4988 drivers fitted"></a></p>

<p>Again, looking at the position of the trim pots, one can see that the A4988 breakout boards need to be oriented such that the side with GND pins need to be nearest to the top of the board. That is to say the GND on the <em>corner</em> of the breakout board, needs to be pointing North East, as it were.</p>

<p>Here is a schematic of the MKS 1.4 as well, although it is not much use, from <a href="http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,753796" rel="nofollow noreferrer">MKS Gen 1.4 circuit and pinouts</a>:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/2TyK6.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/2TyK6.jpg" alt="MKS-Gen-V1-4-3D-Printer-Control-Board-Motherboard-of-MEGA2560-RAMPS-1-4-With-USB"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-14T14:45:00.720Z
2017-06-14T14:45:00.720Z
Greenonline
<p>I´ve seen some cards using A4988, and also I have designed my own cards and the most and useful pin arrangement is V Mot, GND, 2B 2A 1A 1B VDD GND, so stepper motor is conected close to 2B 2A 1A 1B. </p>

<p>Never place this pinout oposite side to stepper connectors. Stepper connector are marked as X, Y, Z, E0, E1.</p>

<p>The assembly picture from Ali express is correct.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-02-26T06:12:50.200Z
2017-02-26T06:12:50.200Z
Fernando Baltazar
<p>The below image was taken from <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/3D-printer-control-board-motherboard-MKS-Gen-V1-1-RepRap-Ramps1-4-compatible/1047297_2030818114.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">their AliExpress shop page</a>.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, I don't manage to find the datasheet or schematic to give more technical advice.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/Hs1AF.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/Hs1AF.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-25T20:25:45.943Z
2017-01-26T15:46:08.580Z
2017-01-26T15:46:08.580Z
Nicu Surdu
<p>I got a new MKS 1.4 controller board and it came with A4988 driver chips.  But I can't figure out which way they install.  I found something saying to match the printing on the back of the chip to that on the board.  But I don't see anything that matches.  Suggestions?</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/dQers.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/dQers.jpg" alt="Rear of A4988 breakout board"></a></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/RdjAB.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/RdjAB.jpg" alt="Close up of MKS 1.4 A4988 socket"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T08:16:34.490Z
You might be able to figure this out with a multimeter. The 1A/2A/1B/2B pins should have continuity to the connectors for the motors.
Tom van der Zanden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T13:01:21.537Z
Thanks - I found a pin diagram last night that indicates the same.
CoAstroGeek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T13:09:39.273Z
In that case, consider writing an answer to your own question, so that the next person who finds this question via google actually finds an answer here.
Tom van der Zanden
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-23T15:59:28.290Z
Will do, as soon as I can confirm it.
CoAstroGeek
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-05-29T21:35:43.920Z
If this is the same board as MKS GEN, then this page should help: http://reprap.org/wiki/MKS_GEN
Mikhail Z
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-06-14T14:47:21.217Z
If one of the answers solves your problem could you mark it as accepted, in order to remove your question from the [Unanswered](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/unanswered) list. As SE 3D Printing is a beta site, one of the pre-requisites to full graduation is a short unanswered list. Thanks :-)
Greenonline
<stepper-driver>
Motor driver chip install direction?
CoAstroGeek
# Motor driver chip install direction?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-23)

I got a new MKS 1.4 controller board and it came with A4988 driver chips. But I can't figure out which way they install. I found something saying to match the printing on the back of the chip to that on the board. But I don't see anything that matches. Suggestions?

[![Rear of A4988 breakout board](https://i.sstatic.net/dQers.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/dQers.jpg)

[![Close up of MKS 1.4 A4988 socket](https://i.sstatic.net/RdjAB.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/RdjAB.jpg)

**Tags:** stepper-driver

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You might be able to figure this out with a multimeter. The 1A/2A/1B/2B pins should have continuity to the connectors for the motors.  
> **username_0**: Thanks - I found a pin diagram last night that indicates the same.  
> **username_1**: In that case, consider writing an answer to your own question, so that the next person who finds this question via google actually finds an answer here.  
> **username_0**: Will do, as soon as I can confirm it.  
> **username_2**: If this is the same board as MKS GEN, then this page should help: http://reprap.org/wiki/MKS_GEN  
> **username_3**: If one of the answers solves your problem could you mark it as accepted, in order to remove your question from the [Unanswered](https://3dprinting.stackexchange.com/unanswered) list. As SE 3D Printing is a beta site, one of the pre-requisites to full graduation is a short unanswered list. Thanks :-)  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2017-06-14. Score: 2

From [A4988 Stepper Motor Driver Carrier](https://www.pololu.com/product/1182), the rear of the breakout board, is identical to yours:

[![A4988 Breakout rear](https://i.sstatic.net/8xpCF.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/8xpCF.jpg)

Note the two square pads for the GND, whereas the others are round. Now looking at the top side:

[![A4988 Breakout top](https://i.sstatic.net/qUSdb.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/qUSdb.jpg)

and note the position of the *square* GND pins/pads, in relation to the trim pot.

Now look at this hi-res photo of a populated MKS board

[![MKS controller with A4988 drivers fitted](https://i.sstatic.net/FZaJZ.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/FZaJZ.jpg)

Again, looking at the position of the trim pots, one can see that the A4988 breakout boards need to be oriented such that the side with GND pins need to be nearest to the top of the board. That is to say the GND on the *corner* of the breakout board, needs to be pointing North East, as it were.

Here is a schematic of the MKS 1.4 as well, although it is not much use, from [MKS Gen 1.4 circuit and pinouts](http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?13,753796):

[![MKS-Gen-V1-4-3D-Printer-Control-Board-Motherboard-of-MEGA2560-RAMPS-1-4-With-USB](https://i.sstatic.net/2TyK6.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/2TyK6.jpg)


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-02-26. Score: 1

I´ve seen some cards using A4988, and also I have designed my own cards and the most and useful pin arrangement is V Mot, GND, 2B 2A 1A 1B VDD GND, so stepper motor is conected close to 2B 2A 1A 1B.

Never place this pinout oposite side to stepper connectors. Stepper connector are marked as X, Y, Z, E0, E1.

The assembly picture from Ali express is correct.


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### Answer by username_5 on 2017-01-25. Score: 0

The below image was taken from [their AliExpress shop page](https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/3D-printer-control-board-motherboard-MKS-Gen-V1-1-RepRap-Ramps1-4-compatible/1047297_2030818114.html).

Unfortunately, I don't manage to find the datasheet or schematic to give more technical advice.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/Hs1AF.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/Hs1AF.jpg)


---

