Hello,
I would like to buy two 12V 5310 RPM “CIM” Brushed DC Motors and I’m also searching for a motor driver that can drive it.
I need to manage only motor speed (not direction) from a PWM output of my Arduino board.
Can you suggest me the cheapest option to achieve my target?
I see that the website suggest the Cytron 10A 5-30V Dual Channel DC Motor Driver but I’m not sure that it fits seen that it guarantees only 30A peak (10 second), but the stall current for this motor is 133A.
Any suggestion is really appreciated.
Thanks,
Nicola
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Hello @Zampieri and welcome to the forum!
I see that the website suggest the Cytron 10A 5-30V Dual Channel DC Motor Driver but I’m not sure that it fits seen that it guarantees only 30A peak (10 second), but the stall current for this motor is 133A.
You’re right about this! 30A peak won’t be enough. And looking at the motor’s datasheet I’d say you’ll need at least 30A continuous:
A good place to check for a compatible controller would be the 30A+ DC Controllers section. This one could be a good option:
Out of the box, the Sabertooth can supply two DC brushed motors with up to 60A each. Peak currents of 120A per channel are achievable for a few seconds. Overcurrent and thermal protection means you’ll never have to worry about killing the driver with accidental stalls or by hooking up too big a motor.
I also suggest checking out the following tutorial:
https://community.robotshop.com/tutorials/show/how-to-make-a-robot-lesson-5-choosing-a-motor-controller
You need to find a motor controller that will provide current equal to or above the motor’s continuous current consumption under load. Should you choose a 5A motor controller for a 3A motor, the motors will only take as much current as they require. On the other hand, a 5A motors is likely to burn a 3A motor controller.Many motor manufacturers provide a DC motor’s stall current, which does not give you a clear idea of the motor controller you will need. If you cannot find the motor’s continuous operating current, a simple rule of thumb is to estimate the motor’s continuous current at about 20% to 25% of the stall current. All DC motor controllers provide a maximum current rating - be certain this rating is about double that of the motor’s continuous operating current. Note that when a motor needs to produce more torque (for example going up an incline), it requires more current. Choosing a motor controller with built-in over current and thermal protection is a very good choice.
I hope this information can help you out!
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