Product description
This add-on board makes it easy to control two high-power DC motors with a Raspberry Pi. Its twin discrete MOSFET H-bridges support a wide 6.5 V to 30 V operating range and are efficient enough to deliver a continuous 18 A without a heat sink. The drivers offer basic current limiting functionality, and they accept ultrasonic PWM frequencies for quieter operation. The default pin mappings make it easy to get started, but they can be customized for more specialized applications. This version ships fully assembled with connectors soldered in.
The minimum operating voltage for all four versions is 6.5 V, while the maximum operating voltages are given in the above table. The board also includes an integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down regulator that can be used to power the Raspberry Pi it is plugged into, enabling operation from a single power supply.
The driver's default configuration uses six GPIO pins to control the motor drivers, making use of the Raspberry Pi's hardware PWM outputs, and it uses two additional pins to read status outputs from the drivers. However, the pin mappings can be customized if the defaults are not convenient, and pins for current sensing and limiting are accessible on the board for more advanced applications.
The board matches the Raspberry Pi HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) mechanical specification, although it does not conform to the full HAT specifications due to the lack of an ID EEPROM. (A footprint for adding your own EEPROM is available for applications where one would be useful; pull-ups on SDA, SCL, and WP are provided.) It is not practical to use this expansion board with the original Raspberry Pi Model A or Model B due to differences in their pinout and form factor.
* PWM operation up to 100 kHz
* Motor indicator LEDs show what the outputs are doing even when no motor is connected
* Integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down voltage regulator powers the Raspberry Pi base for single-supply operation
* Python library makes it easy to get started using this board as a motor driver expansion board
* GPIO pin mappings can be customized if the default mappings are not convenient
* Current sensing and limiting pins are exposed for advanced use
* Reverse-voltage protection
* Undervoltage shutdown
* Short circuit protection
* Operating voltage: 6.5 V to 30 V (absolute maximum; not intended for use with 24 V batteries)
* Output current: 18 A continuous
* Active current limiting (chopping) with approximate default threshold of 50 A (can be adjusted lower)
The minimum operating voltage for all four versions is 6.5 V, while the maximum operating voltages are given in the above table. The board also includes an integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down regulator that can be used to power the Raspberry Pi it is plugged into, enabling operation from a single power supply.
The driver's default configuration uses six GPIO pins to control the motor drivers, making use of the Raspberry Pi's hardware PWM outputs, and it uses two additional pins to read status outputs from the drivers. However, the pin mappings can be customized if the defaults are not convenient, and pins for current sensing and limiting are accessible on the board for more advanced applications.
The board matches the Raspberry Pi HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) mechanical specification, although it does not conform to the full HAT specifications due to the lack of an ID EEPROM. (A footprint for adding your own EEPROM is available for applications where one would be useful; pull-ups on SDA, SCL, and WP are provided.) It is not practical to use this expansion board with the original Raspberry Pi Model A or Model B due to differences in their pinout and form factor.
* PWM operation up to 100 kHz
* Motor indicator LEDs show what the outputs are doing even when no motor is connected
* Integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down voltage regulator powers the Raspberry Pi base for single-supply operation
* Python library makes it easy to get started using this board as a motor driver expansion board
* GPIO pin mappings can be customized if the default mappings are not convenient
* Current sensing and limiting pins are exposed for advanced use
* Reverse-voltage protection
* Undervoltage shutdown
* Short circuit protection
* Operating voltage: 6.5 V to 30 V (absolute maximum; not intended for use with 24 V batteries)
* Output current: 18 A continuous
* Active current limiting (chopping) with approximate default threshold of 50 A (can be adjusted lower)
